Heading out on the road and bringing music to a variety of communities is standard practice for musicians, a centuries-old tradition dating back to the troubadours of old. In that regard, Tim Lucas definitely qualifies as a modern minstrel as he traverses Ontario with acoustic guitar in hand, but the Elmira native will be wandering back home for a special performance February 22 at the Woolwich Youth Centre.
![Elmira-born musician Tim Lucas will be back on home turf as he collaborates with local band Strings of Our Fathers Feb. 22 at the WMC. [elena maystruk / the observer]](https://www.observerxtra.com/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/arts.jpg)
“This is a special show, like a special celebration. This is where I’m sharing the stage with somebody else and it’s kind of a treat to just go in and have a party,” he said of the upcoming show.
For the professional musician and performer it all comes down to putting his music out there. Being a full-time solo musician is not always glamorous, he notes, but the potential for emotional healing and the opportunity to be creative makes the travelling worthwhile.
“It comes down to self-expression. It’s a very personal thing for me, and music is a way to express yourself. What better way than that to have a career? Music is emotional healing – emotional healing and self-expression. Those things are very important. I like to connect with people and it’s a very fulfilling thing to do.”
Lucas realized his musician’s spirit when he was 13. By 2003 at 19 years of age, he went on the road, travelling around the province to perform, and hasn’t stopped yet. Since then he has released his first album Finally (2006) and has more recently completed another project: a collection of cover songs aptly titled Singles.
Both projects reflect Lucas’ unapologetic passion for variety in his work. Whether he is singing his original songs or putting a twist on a popular hit, both are equally important to the artist’s musical modus operandi, which has over the years brought him to perform everything from pop and rap to classic rock.
But how do you get from Johnny Cash to Shaggy or Justin Bieber?
“I’m lucky, I’m Gemini and Geminis like a lot of variety,” he said.
“For me it’s a very natural thing to have a lot of variety in anything I do. So in my work it’s a no-brainer for me. I wouldn’t be happy if I was doing only one style. People pick up on that and they have fun too.”
Lucas has collaborated with the youth centre before, having performed a similar gig in 2006. The success of the previous show has Lucas striving for more collaborations with artists and even forming plans to start a band in the future.
“It’s special because not only is it in my hometown but because it’s something different for me to play at a youth centre and because I’m sharing the stage with another artist,” he said of next weekend’s show.
As for his opening act, many have probably seen the band performing regularly at the Robin’s Nest in Elmira. Strings of Our Fathers will be joining Tim Lucas on February 22 at the Woolwich Memorial Centre’s community room. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door.
