At 19, Stephen John Van de Kemp wrote his first song.
It would be the first of many for the longtime Bradford West Gwillimbury resident. And 15 of them have just been released on his first album No Place To Hide, a fusion of rock, country and folk music.
Van de Kemp grew up on a farm in Thornhill and moved to Bradford in 1994 with his wife and daughter. He has always had a passion for music and performing, but only recently had the time to record his first album.
“For me it’s never been about the money… It’s been about the music. Even at 63, I still have this urge to create,” he said.
The album, which is available on CDBaby.com, Reverb Nation and Spotify, is a catchy, upbeat collection of country rock music that will have your knees popping and shoulders swaying.
With themes of love, freedom and being on the run, Van de Kemp said the inspiration for his music comes from real life experiences but also made up story lines.
“Many songs have been influenced by my wife, but in reality I have a vivid imagination and I’m a hell of a storyteller. And when I write a song, I don’t know what I’m going to write about… but somehow a story develops,” he explained.
His earliest influences were Elvis Presley, Stu Davis and Buddy Holly.
“I heard a good quote the other day from (musician) John Hiatt: ‘I pick my guitar up every day just to see what’s there.’ I do the same thing. You know, I pick it up, play for 10 minutes, and if nothing comes out I put it away. And there’s some days where things come out… you’re in the mood, you’re motivated, it hits you, you’re emotional, something happens and something comes,” he said.
The album’s standout tracks Renee, Dance With Me, and Lovers Dream are sure to get your feet tapping and would provide a great soundtrack for a fun road trip.
The song Hit The Road has all the elements of a country track with harmonicas in the background and lyrics about running away to Nashville to become a famous singer.
“I write rock songs, country-ish songs, folk songs... It really is a fusion,” he described.
It took Van de Kemp almost two years to fully record the album. He said it took a lot of effort to perfect and he hopes that people will give him a listen.
“I know I’m over the hill, but I’m trying to give hope to older people that music is a viable option still and it’s also very healthy for people… It stimulates your brain, keeps you active,” he said.
When Van de Kemp performs, he does so with a lot of energy and passion. He said he shocks a lot of people with his eccentric personality and stage presence.
“When I’m up there playing, I go crazy,” he said.
When performing, he must always play with his music stand and music book in front of him. He said, in the music industry, this comes across as unprofessional and it has set him back, but he needs it due to issues with his brain and memory after nearly drowning in a pool when he was just nine years old.
“All I remember is looking up and seeing the light and going ‘I have to get up there,” he recalled of the incident.
“After that (near-drowning) … I kept failing history class, I couldn’t recite poems, I had some trouble remembering people’s names sometimes, and later in life I found out that I couldn’t play my own music. It’s like someone put a blank sheet of paper in front of my eyes. I can’t see my own lyrics… I can’t see my own chords.
“I can’t play without my prop: my music stand and music book. If I have that there so I can refer to it from time to time, I can perform like a wild man. Without it… I’m blind. Not physically blind, but mentally blind.”
While he has played Carrot Fest and at other local events in the Simcoe County area, and is even a member of the South Simcoe Arts Council, he said he would love to see more venues in Bradford for artists to play their music.
“We need more places to play live music. More funding for the arts for the young and the old,” he said.
In addition to his solo career, he often performs with his wife and high school sweetheart, Anne Marie, as folk band The Carrot Sticks. They perform at various events around the Greater Toronto Area.
Van de Kemp’s next performance will be May 5 alongside his wife in The Carrot Sticks, at the Trinity Anglican Church in Aurora with the York Region Community Choir.
Van de Kemp said he plans to spend the next six to 12 months focusing on promoting his new album.
“I want it to be seen. As long as it’s heard, someone will appreciate it. And that’s my goal,” he said.
Check out the album on Reverb Nation, or follow Van de Kemp on Twitter.
