A video with a message
Andrew Waite's award-winning song, Cash It In, tribute to Pte. John Thomas Love and all veterans who sacrificed their lives for Canadian freedom
With creeping case numbers and robust health restrictions, Remembrance Day ceremonies across the country looked a little different this year.
Nevertheless, there are individuals who have found creative ways to honour veterans during the global pandemic, including Andrew Waite, an acclaimed singersongwriter from Prince Edward Island.
On Nov. 9, Waite released an official video for his award-winning song Cash It In, in collaboration with director Brendan Henry. This video is a tribute to Pte. John Thomas Love and all veterans who sacrificed their lives for Canadian freedom.
Recipient of the 2020 Music P.E.I. SOCAN Songwriter of the Year award, Cash It In is written from the perspective of Love who served in the New Brunswick regiment of the Canadian Infantry in World War I. Love, who is Waite’s great-great-grandfather, was killed in action in 1916. This song was written using words from his last letter sent home on Oct. 16, 1916.
Engaging with the past in contemporary arts is an important part of honouring history while ensuring it is not repeated, something Waite tries to express in his video.
“It has been over 100 years since this letter was written by my great-great grandfather,” says Waite. “My grandmother remembers the family, but each year there are fewer and fewer veterans to share stories like this one. This letter, along with others, are important in allowing future generations to remember the sacrifices made by Canadian families and build towards a future where this never happens again.”
Cash It In offers a crystalized moment of Canadian history, one that can be used as a learning tool and point of reflection for listeners. To help kindle this critical thinking, Waite has been developing an educational resource to accompany his video for P.E.I. classrooms. Schools across Canada look very different from years past, and without the ability to gather and mark Remembrance Day as usual it is increasingly important to help students reflect during November. Remembrance can be a difficult topic for young students, but art and music have long been a form of self-expression to cope during periods of sadness and unrest.
Cash It In is included on Waite’s recently released and highly acclaimed album, Tremors. This album was the recipient of the 2019 Music P.E.I. rock recording of the year and received a nomination for the 2020 East Coast Music Awards rock recording of the year.
Like many musicians barred from performing during the pandemic, Waite has been busy writing new material. Recently, he collaborated with Chris Kirby and Colin MacDonald (The Trews) to produce a collection of new songs set to be released starting in January. Waite has also been working with his agents to rebook performances cancelled due to COVID-19, paving the way for a Canadian and European tour in fall 2021 (if these performances can occur safely).
Music education has always been a passion of Waite, who spends his summers running a rock music camp for youth ages nine to 19. Although COVID-19 presented many challenges, Island Rock Camps (www.islandrockcamps.com) was able to operate safely, involving over 100 young musicians and providing them with an opportunity to create music with others.