Peter Hern

Thomas Peter Hern was born on December 6th 1946 in Ottawa, ON, Canada, the son and third child of Allan and Betty Hern. His father Al taught him a lot about the music business. 

By 1975, Peter Hern was a folk styled musician, very comparable to Valdy, and was living in Brantford where he ran the Brant County C.A.S. Receiving and Assessment Centre. He was introduced to the Mercey Brothers, who signed him to a publishing contract. They in turn introduced him to Jim Allison at Thunderbird Recordings who really liked the two songs that Peter presented to him. 

'I Can Smile (And Say Your Name)' would be the A side, while 'Happy Song' would be the B side. Both songs were written by Peter and were products of North Country Faire Productions. The songs were light and airy, and easy to hum along to. The B-Side features a flute, and children singing on the chorus. You can almost picture the Maypole, flowers and artistic freedom. 

Jim signed Peter as the 18th Thunderbird artist in March of 1976. Six weeks later they cut the two songs at Thunder Sound which were produced and engineered by Bill Seddon. The single was most likely issued on May 21st 1976.  The songs were published by Dunke Music Publishing, which was Peter's own concern. There was a full LP planned, as it mentioned on the single that the album 'Time for a Song,' would be issued as TBR 1027. The album would include originals by Peter, as well as some covers by influential songwriters such as Bruce Cockburn and Raffi, who had also recorded at Thunder Sound Studios. However, Peter became disenchanted with Thunderbird Recordings and Jim Allison, and quit the label in the late summer.  

Pictured above are the A and B sides of the Thunderbird single. By June of 1976 it was learned that Charlie Louvin's album which had also been recorded in Toronto wasn't going to be released because Jim didn't have the money to do it. If Jim couldn't get things done for a country star like Charlie Louvin, what chance did Peter Hern have? He pulled the plug on his album in the summer of 1976 and quit Thunderbird, like so many before him.

Over 1977 Peter re-issued his single on his own label and published it through his new publishing company called T.P. Music (Thomas Peter Music). He travelled down to Nashville and met Chet Atkins and some other his other heroes in the music industry. 

Pictured above is Peter's re-issue of his single on his new label, North Country Faire, probably in the spring of 1977. On this single 'Happy Song' was the A side, and 'I Can Smile (And Say Your Name)' was the B side. Both songs had more things added to them at another studio, perhaps the Mercey Brothers Sound. 

Peter visited many radio stations in Toronto trying to get airplay for 'Happy Song.' 

I found no mention of Peter at the National Archives of Canada, and his single did not chart nationally, either with Thunderbird or North Country Faire. His two songs are at the SOCAN database and were registered with the Mercey Brothers Publishing Company. 

Peter currently lives in Kingston where he heads up I.Q. Productions, as well as North Country Faire Records which operates as a co-op label with signed artists.  Peter is working on a CD project for cellist Julian Armour, as well as a film music endeavor with Bernard Major; and the Kruger Brothers (Based on their 2010 song 'Forever and a Day.') He is also heavily involved in Christian music, and is currently trying to break into that market.  

Peter periodically contacts this author and keeps him up to date. 

Above, Peter's own re-issue of his 1976 single, in a very rare picture sleeve, thanks bunches to Darren Barker. Below is Peter today (on the left) at the age of 71. Still making music.