Quiet Canadian
Tim Lawson blends music and words with social responsibility
photo: John
GORDON/Langley Times
Tim Lawson is happy
at home twiddling the controls in his South Langley studio
producing CDs.
By Jan Westell
Times Reporter
A philanthropic musician enjoys the creative process of
writing and playing music.
Yet when it comes to sales, Tim Lawson has a mandate to
share proceeds of his musical productions with various
charitable causes.
The Langley musician favours a soft-rock/folk genre, and
has recently produced, written and arranged a new album
- At A Loss For Words.
His own production company, Timberholme Music Co., is distributing
the new album with three other previous releases in a display
promotional package intended to benefit four different
charitable causes.
Lawson has hired his own sales staff to promote the four
CDs mainly throughout the Lower Mainland.
He also has a professional music distributor for wider
release, and he says he'll designate part of the proceeds
of those sales to the same causes.
So how is he making money?
That's not the point, says Lawson, who is not primarily
concerned about making millions with his music.
That's partly because he lives comfortably on a 10-acre
property in South Langley, and he's willing to wait for
the retail momentum to pick-up.
He also made a mid-life decision, and a personal commitment,
to benefit others - through his music.
"For me it is not about fame or fortune," he
says.
"I'm lucky in life, in terms of fortune. Fame? I don't
want it."
Lawson's love of music began when he was a youth and played
in a band.
By the age of 20, he relinquished that artistic dream to
join his family's publishing business.
Despite many career transitions along the way, he never
gave up his original passion. About a decade ago, the now
52-year old musician returned to writing and producing
music full-time, with an inspiration that is firmly rooted
in political and social causes.
"To me, it was just a natural evolution," he
says.
Lawson released his first CD in 1997.
The Quiet Canadian paid tribute to a family friend, and
the original inspiration behind the best-selling book A
Man Called Intrepid, about Sir William Stevenson, by William
Stevenson (no relation), published in 1978.
Lawson says that book was a misrepresentation. His own
Timberholme Publishing released a related book a decade
after the release of the Quiet Canadian CD.
That book was entitled The True Intrepid, by Bill MacDonald,
which became a Canadian bestseller about Stevenson's role
with Second World War espionage and the British Secret
Service.
"Sir William Stevenson, was the genius behind the
scenes," says Lawson.
"This book challenges the historial issues of (the book), A Man Called Intrepid."
His second publishing enterprise was Jesse's Journey, by John Davidson published
in 2001. It was also a charitable effort with proceeds to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
It's a story about a father who pushed his son Jesse, who suffered from the same
genetic disease, across Ontario in a wheel chair. The book raised funds and awareness
and was considered a successful campaign.
The publishing company also blended well with Lawson's flourishing musical career,
which was a natural partnership for a creative individual.
"It's a love of words," explains Lawson, who finds publishing satisfying,
but it is music that really inspires Lawson, and the charitable potential that
wide distribution can offer-not only in sales, but also spreading knowledge about
issues that Lawson cares about.
The four CD promotion pack is a non-profit campaign, with $10 from the sale of
each CD designated to a particular charity. Partial proceeds from At A Loss For
Words, will contribute to genetic research, while partial sales from the CD Lovesongs,
will go towards multiple sclerosis.
The same can be said of the CD So Many Stories, which will benefit HIV/AIDS in
Africa, and Lest We Forget II, which will benefit The Royal Canadian Legion.
In Langley, the four-pack of CDs, which are individually sold, are available
at various local retailers, including Heritage Meats, 6131 200 St., Petfare,
at 4042 200 St. (Brookswood), and McBurney Junction, in downtown Langley.
To purchase a copy of So Many Stories, by the Tim Lawson
band, visit their Web site at www.timlawson.com.
© Copyright 2005 Langley Times
