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Last-minute stocking stuffer supports suicide prevention 

Article published December 22, 2014 on:



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Manotick News
By Emma Jackson 

A Greely musician is asking residents to stuff their stockings with something that can make a difference this Christmas.

In an 11th-hour campaign to capitalize on the Christmas season, Greely musician Larry Pegg has partnered with several shopkeepers in and around Osgoode who have agreed to sell his full-length album on their counters. All purchases of Before and Afterlife: The Theory of Positivity support the Do It For Daron charity founded in memory of Daron Richardson, daughter of Ottawa Senators assistant coach Luke Richardson. Daron died by suicide in 2010 at the age of 14.

Larry Pegg Ottawa singer-songwriter Osgoode Suicide Prevention Accord music sales proceeds benefit Do It For Daron

Before and Afterlife: The Theory of Positivity
Before and Afterlife: The Theory of Positivity support the Do It For Daron charity. The CD is now available at Osgoode Tire, the Red Dot Café, Sweet Peas Pantry, Osgoode Foodland, Metcalfe Variety, Black House Yoga/Metcalfe Farmers Store and MacKinnon’s Foodland in Greely.


Pegg has personal experience with the pain of losing a child; his own daughter died by suicide in 2007.

The 12-track CD, which includes appearances from a number of artists including Canadian folk singer Lynn Miles, is now available at Osgoode Tire, the Red Dot Café, Sweet Peas Pantry, Osgoode Foodland, Metcalfe Variety, Black House Yoga/Metcalfe Farmers Store and MacKinnon’s Foodland in Greely.

The album is $15. Fifty per cent of that will go to Do It For Daron, which funds Royal Ottawa Health Group research on how to best teach mental-health awareness in schools, provides mental-health education programs to high school students and hosts lunch conversations to facilitate dialog about mental health among parents and their kids.

Each store has also received a poster featuring a big, red heart, which Pegg encouraged shoppers to sign when they purchase the album.

“This signing ritual represents your personal recognition of the blast zone (of) those left behind by suicide, those deeply and forever affected by each loss to suicide,” Pegg said in an email. “Think of it as signing the Suicide Prevention Accord.”

“The heart poster will be a lasting impression and reminder of this commitment at each of the establishments where it is featured and the CDs sold,” he added.

For more information or to download a digital version of the album, visit lpgroove.ca.

Black Sheep Inn: Benefit Concert for Eco-Justice – A New Year's Resolution? 

Lynda Collins with special guests Allyson Rogers and Larry Pegg for benefit performances at the Black Sheep Inn on at 4pm January 11 2015 supporting www.EcoJustice.caJoin Lynda Collins (http://music.cbc.ca/play/artist/Lynda-Collins/Directions), Allyson Rogers and myself for benefit performances at the Black Sheep Inn at 4pm January 11th supporting www.EcoJustice.ca.

The Black Sheep Inn
753 Riverside Drive,Wakefield QC, J0X 3G0
819-459-3228
Click here for event details 

A $10 ticket to this event will be a sweet gift, maybe a stocking stuffer that might even be part of a New Year's resolution of sorts to being a little, or even a lot more determined to take more personal action for the future we will enter and leave behind. We all care about our environment and our ecological heritage and our place it it. As Lynda so beautifully sings, "All of us in this together." 

Come support our unsung Canadian League of Eco-Justice heroes, those that are in the trenches fighting for us. Hear the music and sing for them. A Sunday sell out will make a statement and demonstrate our commitment. 

Hope to see you supporting this great cause.

Many thanks,
– Larry

Musician to perform Sandy Hook benefit song at Daniel Barden Mudfest 



From News Channel 2 WKTV Utica

By ALLISON NORLIANStory Created: Apr 4, 2014 at 10:57 PM EDT
Story Updated: Apr 4, 2014 at 11:18 PM EDT 

DEANSBORO, N.Y. (WKTV) - Larry Pegg is a musician. The Canadian singer, song-writer and guitarist traveled from Canada to perform at the second annual Daniel Barden Mudfest, Saturday. He spoke with NEWSChannel 2 on Friday evening about why the Mudfest's mission holds close to his own heart.

The Mudfest started last year to remember Daniel Barden, a 7-year-old student who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. The founder, Dan Williams, started the event after attending Barden's funeral. Barden and his niece were friends and classmates.

Pegg unknowingly became connected to the tragedy through his own personal tragedy. He lost his daughter to suicide seven years ago, a day that plays out in infamy in his mind. He used music as his therapy.

"I wrote a song called 'Last of the Hot Summer Days,' which was meshing America's grief over 9/11 with my own grief," Pegg said."And that my grief like America's grief will be everlasting."

Pegg was on his way to the recording studio to track that song in 2012, when the unthinkable happened, the Sandy Hook tragedy. Pegg says the news came across the radio in his car, forcing him to pull over.

"I pulled over and I cried. I went  to the studio and I laid it down with the pain of all those parents," Pegg said.

The song that helped him through his own tragedy, he plans to sing for all those who attend the second annual Mudfest at MKJ Farms in Deansboro.

"I have always tried to bring a positive message within the reality of life," Pegg said.

The Mudfest is a family friendly event that includes a kids half mile adventure run, an adult 5K and an adult elite run for experienced athletes.

All proceeds from the Mudfest benefit the Sandy Hook Promise, the Newtown community organization founded after the mass shooting tragedy. It will benefit Compeer, a community organization serving individuals in the Mohawk Valley who receive mental health services. 

Williams said he decided to make this an annual event after seeing the way it helped the Barden family last year, "It has been difficult but I have to tell you in November, Martin Barden called me and said last years mud run really helped pull them through. He asked if we could do it again and I said absolutely, we'll do it again."

Registration is at 7a.m. on April 5. The first wave of the 5K begins at 9:00a.m. followed by one every half hour.

To purchase Larry Pegg's song 'Last of the hot summer days,' or his CD you can visit this website. All proceeds from the sale of his song go to the Sandy Hook promise. 

If you purchase a physical copy of the CD or online, 50 percent of the proceeds go to the Sandy Hook Promise.

New video posted, cover of Bruce Springsteen's 'Blood Brothers' 



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 plays 'Lookin' for the One,' publishes article 



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.

Ottawa South EMC publishes article on album drop, proceeds support 

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

Dahlia Kurtz interviews me on September 10, World Suicide Prevention Awareness Day 

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. 

Even in the Cold celebrates legacy of Pierre Elliott Trudeau – pass on for Canada Day  

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 names <i>Weight</i> Charity Song of the Month 

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.


Song <i>Ogdensberg</i> featured on television news story in Watertown, NY 

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

Don’t Stop Stompin’ Tribute to the late Stompin’ Tom Connors (album Bonus track) 

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.