Oct. 10th, 2013 - Today's Performance of Bruce Springsteen's - "Blood Brothers" was recorded last night by the cottage fireplace, I think it was a fitting setting for this incredible song. I chose it for World Mental Health Day (today) for those that are struggling to find a reason to go on, and for those that are grieving loss, as well as those that are working to make a difference in the struggle for Mental Health. Please take a minute today to think about all of them.

Sometimes it looks so dark, but there will be a day when you will find the light and if you let it grow that light will spread inside and out. Don't give up.

Also, my new album "Before and Afterlife: The Theory of Positivity" was released on Sept. 10th/13 (World Suicide Prevention Day) and it is dedicated to raising awareness and funds for the causes of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. On WMHD (Oct. 10th) 100% of the album is going to the cause. On other days 50%. For every day, my song Last of the Hot Summer Days will see 100% going to support Sandy Hook Promise (@SandyHook). Also, 100% of proceeds for my song Weight will go to Mental Health and Suicide Prevention always. Details about why can be found at my website (LPGroove.ca).

Donations includes radio play royalties. All downloads and radio play can be tracked via download and royalty report. What that means is that we'll know what region the music is being played or purchased. That means you can support organizations that are working in your country/region simply by downloading the music. Of course, you'll get a personalized thank you for doing that.

Meanwhile, please check out my website and support the music and the causes. www.LPGroove.ca Music Lives!

Phoenix 98 FM, a community radio station broadcasting on 98.0 FM to Brentwood and Billericay, Essex, United Kingdom and online via Shoutcast and Tinychat, played my track "Lookin' for the One" on October 10, World Mental Health Day. Thanks to Bob Simpson for that and the article he wrote on www.phoenixfm.com. From the article:

Larry Pegg is a Canadian musician who has devoted his new album to raising awareness and funds for the cause of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. Larry has said, “Following the death of my beautiful and vibrant daughter who died by suicide in December 2007, music has become much bigger part of my life than I ever expected. It is the glue that holds me together, a big part of my ongoing therapy, in this aftermath of grief and depression.”

Read the full article here.

You can listen to a new interview that Rabble.ca presented on September 27, 2013. The conversation centered on the new album, Before and Afterlife: The Theory of Positivity.

To listen, click here.

EMCOttawaSouth.com published a story entitled Album drops in support of mental health, Proceeds will be donated back to communities, on September 12. Excerpt:

The weight of losing a loved one to suicide never goes away, but a Greely singersongwriter hopes to ease the burden with a new album in support of mental health programs.

Before and Afterlife: the Theory of Positivity dropped Wednesday, Sept. 10 on World Suicide Prevention Day.

Greely resident Larry Pegg wrote all 12 songs, and recorded them in collaboration with a number of local artists including Canadian folk singer Lynn Miles.

Pegg lost his daughter to suicide in December 2007 and has been using his music as therapy ever since. But now he hopes that music can help others get better too, as he offers 50 per cent of all album sales to localized mental health programs, using tracking systems to support services where his customers are.

"If 100 purchases come from Smiths Falls then I want to support charities that help Smiths Falls," he said.

In Ottawa, all purchases will support the Do It For Daron charity set up in memory of Daron Richardson, daughter of Ottawa Senators assistant coach Luke Richardson who died by suicide in 2010 at the age of 14.

The cornerstone of the album is a song called Weight, which Pegg wrote after a conference for the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention last year. It deals directly with the issue of suicide and how parents must carry the weight of that loss. It also asks those with suicidal thoughts to "please wait" before taking such a devastating step.

Read the full article

I have decided to direct a portion of my album and 100 percent of the proceeds from the song Last of the Hot Summer Days to Sandy Hook Promise in support of their efforts to change gun laws. Click here to buy the song.

Thanks!
– Larry Pegg

Yesterday, September 10, 2013, was It’s World Suicide Prevention Awareness Day. Dahlia Kurtz, whose show airs weekday afternoons from 1 to 3 on 680 CJOB in Winnepeg, interviewed me, and the audio of the interview is streaming in the SoundCloud player below – please have a listen. 

Here's the note from Dahlia's show page at www.cjob.com/dahlia:

"Larry Pegg’s daughter took her own life, and now he’s committed to raising awareness around suicide prevention, in a very interesting way…"

Thank you so much, Dahlia. 

Hello musical friends,

I hope you’ll enjoy this tribute to Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Excuse the Rah! Rah! Canada...but Trudeau was/still is the Gretzky of politics. The Great One. Forever...
Pass on for Canada Day if you think it’s commendable.

In advance of the September 10th release of his debut album, “Before and Afterlife: The Theory of Positivity,” Larry Pegg introduces Even in the Cold, the first song that celebrates the legacy of Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Here’s the link to listen http://lpgroove.ca/eveninthecold.cfm or click on the podcast link at the bottom of this post.

About Even in the Cold?

I wrote this song in October 2000 after Pierre’s funeral in Montreal. I had attended the ceremony with my thirteen-year old daughter. I was moved to attend Pierre’s funeral for a number of reasons. Primarily, I was very moved by his legacy, but on a human scale, his loss of his son Michel in 1998 affected me the most. It showed us all that public figures are still fragile and vulnerable people like the rest of us. They deserve our respect.

Many believe that Pierre's loss of Michel was his undoing, and that he lost his will to fight and ultimately to live. I felt this viscerally. My heart went out to the family. In a sense, this song was about my shame that many Canadian’s, literally hated the man. Many still do today, and I believe that this is a dark side of Canada that needs to be exposed, and put to rest.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/cms/binary/3673662.jpg?size=620x400

Above picture of a family’s crushing loss was taken by the Montreal Gazette.

Why is this song on an Album supporting Suicide Prevention?

Little did I know that my visceral connection to the Trudeau loss would be a parallel for my own life, as I was to experience the same devastating anguish when I lost my precious daughter to suicide in 2007.

From the darkness of ongoing grief, symptoms of PTSD and depression, I’ve found the way to express my own feelings of loss, and more importantly, to try and bring some help and a sense of hope to others through this musical offering, part of my life's collection of music. The Trudeau song is an important part of the story behind this project.

Like all my songs, Even in the Cold was written on acoustic guitar. It was always intended to be epic, telling both Trudeau’s and Canada’s story. Ironically, the song runs 6:37, about the same as Lightfoot’s "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”. A full string section was envisioned, however we rocked this version out with the amazing guitar style of Fred Guignon. Fred’s frantic power chords and soaring whammy bar notes and the Gabriel-esque epic ending are fitting for any celebration of our collective passion for Canada. Special thanks to James Clugston for believing in this song and hitting those Canadian Rocker BG vocal highs and Ross Murray for fine drums/production, Edmund Eagan (continuum operator), Pat Guinta (bass), Jeff Rogers (keyboards).

You’ll have to be the judge if it captures some of the passion that we all felt for Canada’s most memorable Prime Minister. A video would be an amazing next step.

Thank you.

Larry Pegg

SamaritanMag.org, which publishes original news stories about good deeds by individuals, charities and businesses, has named Larry Pegg's Weight as Charity Song of the Month. Here's an excerpt of the post by Karen Bliss, who covers music for Billboard, RollingStone.com, MSN, AOL and many others—and who recently won Music Journalist of the Year at the 2013 Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards:

"Weight was the catalyst that gave Ottawa roots musician Larry Pegg the will to record another album after the crippling loss of his daughter to suicide in 2007. The song was written, literally between tears in his hotel room, while attending the 2012 Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention's National Conference. Pegg is donating 100 percent of the proceeds from downloads of Weight — and 50 percent of the full album download proceeds [from the album Before and Afterlife: The Theory of Positivity] — to D.I.F.D., started in memory of 14-year-old Daron Richardson, who took her own life.

Read the full post on SamaritanMag.

My song Ogdensburg and the story behind the music was covered in a story on WWNY TV channel 7 and WNYF Fox 28 in Watertown, New York, on June 3. Thanks to reporter John Friot. Watch below or visit the station's website.



Here's an excerpt from the story:

"Ogdensburg was a connection to mental health, to grieving, to rising from the ashes...We can find hope, even in the ashes of grief," said Pegg.

While his eyes have seen the tragedy of losing his 20 year old daughter to suicide, Pegg says using his voice and guitar is not only a form of musical therapy for him, but also a chance to bring hope to others.

He's using his talents to draw attention to suicide prevention and mental illness.

"I'm really hoping that we can all do this together through music," said Pegg. Read more

Released today (May 17th), "Don't Stop Stompin'", co-written, co-performed and co-produced with Edmund Eagan, is a free bonus track the 5 song pre-album release. Go to Download Section.

During the NHL Playoffs, 50% of the proceeds from all sales will go to support DIFD (Do It For Daron). WE hope that hockey fans will help make a big difference.

Many Thanks to DJ Bob Simpson for his kind words and to PhoenixFM for helping the cause. Hear Bob describe the cause and the music.

 http://www.mixcloud.com/bobsimpson391/larry-pegg-on-phoenix-98fm/

Songs for the Soul - Greely musician Larry Pegg released five songs off his album Before and Afterlife: The Theory of Positivity to raise funds and awareness for mental health issues. by Emma Jackson.  Read More...

http://www.yourottawaregion.com/news/article/1616688--greely-musician-releases-five-songs-for-mental-health-week

Canada's Larry Pegg is pre-releasing five emotionally charged songs as part of his album "Before and Afterlife: The Theory of Positivity", an album that is raising funds and awareness for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.

Read More: http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1158869/before-and-afterlife-the-theory-of-positivity

 Going into Canadian Mental Health Week, Amanda Putz will be hosting a show dedicated to Mental Health Awareness. Here's the link.
http://www.cbc.ca/bandwidth/2013/05/03/mental-health-music-laura-smith-david-francey-larry-pegg/

February 28th, 2013 – News Reporter Emma Jackson’s story

EMC news – A Greely musician is hoping his song can help the world put an end to suicide.

Larry Pegg wrote his song Weight last October while attending the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention convention in Niagara Falls. The upbeat but emotional song was motivated by the grief he’s endured since his daughter died by suicide at the age of 20 in 2007.

The song’s message, Pegg said, is to convince everyone to slow down and let others help you carry your burden.

“We all carry weight, and there are times when we feel crushed by the burden of it and darkness can become frightening and unbearable,” Pegg wrote on his blog. “My objective with this song is to try and help those that have lost hope to reach out and at least to find some comfort in and through the music.”

Pegg took his song and message to the next level through CBC’s Searchlight contest, a national competition to find Canada’s next big artist.

Under the artist name LPGroove, throughout February Pegg was busy mobilizing an army of voters to help his song win the contest with the promise that all proceeds – from the prize money to future album sales – will support the mental health and suicide prevention cause at large.

At press time, the first round of voting had not been concluded to decide which songs made it into the top 20.

The song’s lyrics climax with the words, “You’ve got to wait/Just share the weight/This love is great.”

Pegg said it captures the feelings of every parent who has endured their child’s suicide.

“You’re screaming out, ‘please wait, don’t do it, come back, we love you,’” he said through tears at his kitchen table. “This has become my raison d’etre.”

Pegg said that if his song can win the contest, which is currently in its regional voting phase, everyone will win because “the world will be healthier.”

“CBC sees it merely as a popularity contest, but I see it as an opportunity to focus the power of the mental health and suicide prevention network, and music.”

He plans to donate 100 per cent of the prize winnings, including a paid gig in Toronto and the opportunity to make a music video, to mental health causes. The video, he said, would be used as a tool to get the message out that suicide is not the answer.

Voters can secure him a spot in the top 20 by Feb. 24 by voting every day until then. If he makes it to the number one spot in Ottawa he will compete against other regional winners across the country for the national title.

But win or lose, Pegg said the contest serves as a convenient platform for suicide prevention.

“It will be a way to keep sending the message,” he said.

After the contest, Pegg plans to release his first album during Mental Health Week in May, featuring Weight and another nine to 13 songs.
Titled Before and Afterlife and the Theory of Positivity, the album will feature collaborations with a number of Canadian and international musicians.

All proceeds from the album’s sales will also go to mental health programs, although Pegg hasn’t decided which organizations will benefit from his music.
To vote for Weight visit cbcmusic.ca/allinaday.

CLICK this LINK:
http://music.cbc.ca/polls/vote.aspx?pollQuestionItem=NTkyOA==

If you have problems, copy and paste this short link:
http://r3.ca/0YAo

Vote Today and every day and help the cause of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. It’s a Quick Click and you’re done.
Please throw your weight behind Weight. Thank you.

You can listen to Weight at the above CBC link too, and Read my bio while you’re at it.

Thank you for your support for a great cause. We are all part of the solution.

Why should you be voting for Weight IN THE CBC SONGWRITING CONTEST? See link below.

Weight is donating 100% of the proceeds (including the winning prize of $20,000 and all future sales and royalties) to help the cause of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
Joining the Weight Campaign will change your life and others for the better and a large part of the world too. Details to unfold shortly, so bookmark this website and start spreading the good word.

How to Vote?
CBC Contest: Click here to vote for the cause.

To the right of my bio, you’ll see a Vote for this Artist in yellow. Simply take 2 seconds. Then Bookmark this page and vote everyday for the cause of Suicide Prevention. Hugs to you and those we’ve lost.

Hey, To help make it easier for you to help me bring Weight to this competition. Monday Feb. 18th, I will receive an email notice from CBC and it will contain a voting link. I will then be posting the link here, as well as Tweeting it and FB and possible text. This link will allow you to vote for the Searchlight Contest. More importantly, you can pass this link on to your friends and family, wherever they are.

Here is the scoop from the Contest Rules: All Submissions will be posted on the Website where public voting will begin on February 18, 2013 at 12:01 a.m. ET until February 24, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. ET to determine the top 20 from each Region (“Regional Semi-Finalists”).

Each vote is extremely important and will help me to help the cause (to raise funds and awareness) for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.

If you have lost someone directly due to suicide, you can share the Weight with me. If you can’t imagine what this loss would be like then support Weight and you will be helping bring awareness to this crisis issue.

The GOAL: Placing high will help gain momentum to sell this music and through sales when the album is released in May 2013. Winning is not impossible because the cause is strong, It has been gaining strength and attention for some time and we are well positioned to get attention for the music, but most importantly for this issue. I’m hoping that this song will be remembered as a link that made a difference.

My album is scheduled for release during Mental Health Week in Canada (May 6-12, 2013).

100% of revenues will be donated to Mental Health / Suicide Prevention

Listen to Weight Now! In CBC’s National Songwriting contest music.cbc.ca/#/artists/LPGr. Voting starts Monday. 100% proceeds to support MH/Suicide

– Larry Pegg (@lpgrooves)

Friends, my letter “What #lance represents about ourselves” was heard on CBC radio X Canada/USA. Hear it http://cbc.ca/q/episodes/ g2 min 23:00

Jian Gomeshi read my letter with intensity and I thank him for this because this issue, like many shines a light on ourselves and what we as consumers have become.

CBC’s Bandwidth cbc.ca/bandwidth is leading Saturday’s show (5-6pm) with We Love Hockey by TheHockeyProject.ca. Thx to CBC’s Amanda Putz.

Amanda Putz and I met on Twitter and then the phone today and we had a great talk about the power of music and life. She knows all the players that are working on the album with me and she looks forward to it. Amanda’s first class all the way, with a new baby girl for her and hubby to celebrate and hold close. Congratulations and Thanks Amanda.

– Larry Pegg (@lpgrooves)

Weight by Larry Pegg



Weight was written and recorded on October 14th, 2012 in my hotel room while attending the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) National Conference in Niagara Falls, Ontario and it was entered into the CBC Lynn Miles Song Writing Contest that same day. This downloadable version was recorded on my Mac laptop using the on-board mic. Although Weight is an uplifting and hopeful song, tears were falling on my laptop and my guitar as I worked and those uncontrollable tears are now recorded in this version. Those tears were for my beautiful daughter lost 5 years ago to suicide and for those others that we’ve lost. Those tears were also for more, much more, and if you’d like to know more, you can keep reading.

Although Weight did not officially win the contest, it did finish top 5 and it won hearts and minds, providing me and others with a chance to get the music and the message out. This is a start, not an end.

Congratulations to ERIN SAOIRSE ADAIR and Dean Watson for their collaboration on the winning song. You are fine artists and deserve this recognition. Also, thanks to all the songwriters (approximately 65) that participated. I hope to be there this Friday Oct. 26th along with some of my peeps to cheer you at the victory performance and to celebrate Lynn.

How did Weight Unfold?
Per the contest guidelines, songwriters were tasked with using Lynn’s lyric line “It is the desperation of a late-night telephone call” from her song “Loneliness”. This lyric provided the perfect line to help me unleash my feelings of anger and pain, pent up for many years after the loss of my daughter in December 2007. Weight also gave me a chance for bringing light. I hope you will feel this light.

For context, I met Lynn for the first time only a few weeks after my loss, and a few times since, and she has been caring and gracious, and this connection and the timing of this chapter in my my life has become part of the energy for me. Did Lynn write this for me? No, but let’s just pretend that Lynn is channelling our innermost needs and let’s celebrate her for the artist that she has become. Thank you Lynn.

“Stepping out from the Darkness”
The theme for this years CASP Conference was “Stepping out from the Darkness” and it could not be a more appropriate theme as there is darkness for those lost to suicide and to many of those that are left behind, the survivors. I am a survivor, and even after almost 5 years, I’m suffering intensely, PTSD, depression are now familiar and through music, healthy eating, good friends and physical activity, I’m trying to get by . It s no secret that many survivors will carry the scars of their losses forever. These scars can be unbearable and often hidden. WE all need to try to be brave and step out from the darkness. That means try your best to find a path to communicating. Don’t hide. Reach Out!

About the Song/Lyrics?
We all carry weight, and there are times when we feel crushed by the burden of it and darkness can become frightening and unbearable. We are all part of the puzzle in a difficult world. For survivors, their world has broken apart. Dreams and families often shattered. We too need to Step out of the Darkness, so my objective with this song (and soon others to come) is to try and help those that have lost hope to reach out and at least to find some comfort in and through the music. The lyrics can be viewed by clicking the link.

How to Reach Out?
If you’re feeling the weight of suffering, my message is to ask you to wait, and to consider the crushing burden that your survivors will carry forever if you don’t. You are needed. You are loved. You matter. Reach Out!

Please step out from the darkness and find someone, anyone, who will listen to your story. If you don’t have someone close, then reach out to the compassionate networks of caring people in your community. They are trained and they want to help. You can find these services in your community. Perhaps listening to this song is a start? If you need help, for yourself or a friend or loved one, you can call, or text, or find an online Crisis Chat service. Just wait…there can be and will be another day if you try. I know it isn’t easy.

Finally, thanks to Lynn Miles for her 25 years of songwriting and for the inspiration with the opening lyric/line of Weight. You deserve this celebration. You have an incredible gift. Thank you. And thank you for sharing it.

One more thing! Your download purchase of Weight including any royalties through radio play etc. will see 100% of those funds going to support Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.

It is the desperation of a late-night telephone call
And there’s a chill in the air as the leaves in our dreams start to fall
So park your expectations and excitations
By the fire route back of the mall

And weight
On me
Help me see
What love can be

Smell the strike of matches, watch the flames rise above it all
Then with a fire in our eyes we’ll go out like we’re ten feet tall
An end to endless hatred for all that’s sacred
In this burn down by the back of the mall

And weight
On me
Help us see
What real love can be

We can plan our escape
While they pretend they’re awake
Cause they haven’t a clue
Who we are

And Wait
For me
And we’ll see
What love can be
Na – Na – Na – Na – Na – Na – Na

Please Wait
There is a place
You can be safe
It’s not too late
Don’t close the gate.

We can escape
You’ve got to wait
Just share the weight
This love is great
This love is great

Your download purchase of Weight including royalties from Radio or Television Play will see 100% of those funds going to support Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in Canada and other countries that support the cause of life. Does your organization want to help? Please contact LPGroove.