In conversation with Lois Gordon

Stephen Rapos is the music producer behind “Body & Soul”, a concert that will showcase the stirring music and lyrics of six local singer/songwriters. He lives in Warkworth and is one of those faces that everybody on the streets and in the cafés recognizes; he is deeply involved in community events, where he is only too happy to volunteer his time and expertise, and is a mentor to many young musical artists.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Stephen over coffee and talking about his passion for music.

Lois Gordon: What does music mean to you?

Stephen Rapos: Music is an entity to me. I don’t “listen” to music – I have so much music in my head, music that I’ve created or am in the process of creating. I just hear it, all the time.

LG: When did you discover that music was going to be a big part of your life?

SR: My dad owned a hamburger joint with a jukebox. As the new records came in, I got to keep all the old ones, and I listened to them constantly. The Beatles (a.k.a. the Gold Standard), Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Bob Dylan… So, from about the age of three, I was hooked on music.

LG: When did you first perform as an artist?

SR: When I was 14, I had a friend who played guitar. I did too, but he was better, and we decided that we needed to put together a band. So I picked up a bass guitar and I knew that was going to be my instrument. I loved it. Later in life, I spent seven years playing with the legendary, the awesome, Ron Sexsmith. There aren’t enough adjectives to describe his talent.

LG: What has been your proudest moment as a performer?

SR: In 2015, my daughter and I sang a duet at the AH! Gala here in Warkworth. It was a song I wrote and it went over pretty big. She was 14 at the time, and has since graduated from UBC with a degree in opera. And she’s already put out a jazz album.

LG: Life father, like daughter. What do you find to be the greatest challenges as an artist here in Northumberland?

SR: There isn’t a market for pure singer/songwriters like there used to be. Sure, there are Open Mic events where you get to perform 1 or 2 songs, but there are few opportunities to expand and engage the audience at anything more than a cursory level.

LG: What are your roots/connections to Warkworth and Northumberland?

SR: When we moved here in 2004, I immediately got involved with the local music community. I had volunteered at The Rose Theatre, Theatre Etobicoke and Brampton Little Theatre when we lived west of Toronto, and I wanted to establish those kinds of connections here. So, I played at the Long Lunch – a Warkworth tradition for years – and at the Lantern Walk, I’ve underscored music for theatre, produced and played at concerts throughout the county, and worked with young singer/songwriters to find their voices and their music.         

LG: Do you have any other passions that you want to share?

SR:  Well, I’m working on creating a local theatre company, hoping to bring original plays to the stage, written by local playwrights, that I can underscore. I’ve missed that part of my life. We’ll see how that goes, but I believe there’s an appetite for it here in town.

LG: Why do you believe in the Northumberland Festival of the Arts?

SR: This event will give singer/songwriters a comfortable venue where they’ll have an audience that is there to hear original music; where they can do a wide cross-section of their material. A big part of being a singer/songwriter is being an engaging storyteller, with nice pacing and presentation. We are all thrilled to have this opportunity to be on stage in September.

Stephen will be not only the music producer of the “Body & Soul” event but will be performing some of his own original songs as well, along with Tyler Ellis, the Colton Sisters, Jonah McLean, Bruce Cudmore and Melodi Ryan.

It promises to be an outstanding evening of Canadian music and tasty food specialties, hosted by Northumberland Fine Foods in Brighton, in The Tasting Lounge. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to the Events page on our website.

Sing it! Say it! Play it!

Collaborate, Sponsor, Donate, Attend!

• Check out the growing list of events
• Get involved as a volunteer
• Become a sponsor

Help us spread the word! Please share on your social media or send to your contact list.