French releases school-related songs to raise more money for Project Lifesaver

‘I’ve recently received my first royalty payment from SOCAN, and I have a tiny income from the streaming services. Together, they have allowed me to make small donations from the proceeds of my music. However, the awareness of the service coming from my song releases has been the greatest benefit’

Stan French has just doubled his songwriting output with the release of his new songs “Student’s Lament” and “University Blues,” which are now available on all major streaming platforms.

Student’s Lament: https://artists.landr.com/991048523388

University Blues: https://artists.landr.com/991048771475

French, a songwriter and president of BAYSAR Air Search and Rescue, admits the songs are not new. 

“You could say they’ve been 50 years in the making. I wrote these songs originally in the 1970’s while I was a student at the University of Waterloo,” he said in a release. 

“Along with ‘WAR, The Moral Wounds’ that I released in May, these new songs will eventually be combined with three other songs in the works to form an EP album I call Songs from my Youth… During my Second Childhood. I’ve taken the songs I wrote in the 70’s and updated the lyrics and arrangements to make them suitable for recording and release. So, even though I originally wrote them decades ago, I’ve made sure the lyrics are timely and relatable.”

When French wrote “University Blues”, he says he was living in a basement apartment with just a hot plate to cook on while he tried to keep up with his academic requirements.

“I was not in a good place mentally at the time. So of course, when I should have been using every waking moment to study and finish assignments, I had to write a blues song.”

French’s other new song, “Student’s Lament,” is a party song out just in time for Oktoberfest.

“After just a few notes you can feel yourself swaying back and forth with a beer stein in your hand,” says French.

“The backstory to this song is that I wrote it as a class assignment. I took a couple music courses at university, and when we were given an assignment to write a song, I wrote ‘Student’s Lament’. I got 9.5 out of 10; the best mark I got on anything at U of W.”

French’s music isn’t the only thing expanding now. As the president of BAYSAR Air Search and Rescue, he says Project Lifesaver has grown at an extraordinary pace.

“In the fall of 2020, when we launched Project Lifesaver, we thought we might have about 25 clients in North Bay and area. Now, we have over 80 people in the program. Our success has also led to me being elevated to the status of a National Instructor for Project Lifesaver. With that status, I am able to train and certify new agencies in Canada.

“The agency I first instructed was in Parry Sound this past winter. There will be another new agency in Ontario that I’ll be training in the near future. As well, following the tragic death of Parker Wells in Calgary this past July, I have been asked to help people in Alberta who are interested in establishing Project Lifesaver. If any new agency in Alberta is formed, I would likely be their instructor.”

BAYSAR’s Project Lifesaver program is being well supported this year by the Rotary Club of North Bay, who have committed $12,000 for children referred by One Kids Place; and the Alzheimer Society have committed up to $5,000 to support people with dementia requiring the service. Together, it has meant that anyone needing the service can get it without financial barriers getting in the way.

Regarding donations from the proceeds of his music, French says:

“I’ve recently received my first royalty payment from SOCAN, and I have a tiny income from the streaming services. Together, they have allowed me to make small donations from the proceeds of my music. However, the awareness of the service coming from my song releases has been the greatest benefit.”

French adds that volunteer musicians continue to help with recording and production.

“I need to give a big thanks to Janis Herzog, who played trumpet for ‘University Blues’ and flugelhorn in ‘Student’s Lament’. The flugelhorn helps give the song a true Bavarian sound. Pat O’Kane, who provided the outstanding guitar part for ‘Being a Boomer Ain’t Bad’, returned to provide the rhythm guitar for ‘University Blues’. For lead guitar, I was really lucky to find the talented Justin Rivet. He didn’t hesitate at all when I asked him to volunteer his time to the project. Finally, Neil Kennedy volunteered to play the alto sax and tenor sax parts, as well as providing useful feedback as I have produced and mixed my songs.”

With these two new releases, French expects to build on his success from his first two songs.

“’Being a Boomer Ain’t Bad’ took off after it made the International Songwriting Competition semi-finals last spring. I even received an offer from the Home Equity Bank (HEB) to buy the rights to the song for a future commercial. It remains to be seen if a sync license can be negotiated, but imagine the potential for the fees that I can convert to charitable donations if HEB follows through with their offer.”