Many people born during the baby boomer generation remember an era where many emerging artists shattered “social norms” and they’re now joining others in the Nova Scotia artistic community in remembering the musical icons who died in 2016.
“David Bowie’s music opened my mind to ways of thinking that weren’t natural for me being raised in a fairly religious, conservative family,” said Steven Baur, referencing the impact David Bowie’s Hunky Dory album had on him growing up as a “typical American boy.”
Baur credits his career path to the musical icons he grew up idolizing.
READ MORE: Notable Canadians who died in 2016
Everyone from Ringo Starr, the drummer for the Beatles, to the co-founder of the famous “black-pop” band Earth, Wind & Fire.
“Maurice White really moved me because he founded Earth, Wind and Fire and they were one of the first black dance bands that was getting air play on AM radio,” Baur said.
Baur is an associate professor of musicology at Dalhousie University.
Maurice White is one of many iconic musicians who died in 2016. Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, Prince, and George Michael are also on the list.
READ MORE: In memoriam: Celebrities we lost in 2016
It’s a list that leaves many people like Baur reflective of a time when the physical experience of playing a record was just as moving as the sounds that came with it.
“I come from a generation that grew up with vinyl records and it was really a ritual when you listened to them,” he said.
The loss of so many musicians moved a Dartmouth art gallery to create an exhibit dedicated to their memories.
“To the Stars – a tribute to those we’ve lost in 2016” ran through December at The Dart Gallery.
“We had individuals coming in that just wanted to see the show and connect with the art. Many people just wanted to relate to the pieces and be able to share stories that connected them with the artists,” said artist Nathan Klassen, who is also a gallery representative.
From the walls of a gallery to the records of music lovers, it’s all part of an effort to keep the memory of fallen musicians alive through the music they leave behind.