Cornerstone marks dozen years
The members of Cornerstone are friends who have a lot of fun making music together, a fact that is confirmed by their 12 years of entertaining audiences. The band name comes from being centered in Sussex Corner and from their start playing gospel music in St. John's United Church in that village. They refer to pianist Marla Anderson, a Sussex Corner native, as their bandleader.
"I started at the age of six," said Anderson of her music. "The reason I wanted to start taking piano lessons was because I saw a girl playing piano on the Miss Canada pageant and I asked my mom if I could play piano. She said ‘yes, when I was six.'"
She remembered her mother's words and when she turned six, she wanted to take lessons.
"I was very persistent."
Anderson stuck to it and eventually obtained a degree in music at the University of Prince Edward Island. She taught piano lessons in the Sussex area from 1993-96. She also went to the University of New Brunswick for her degree in education and now teaches music at St. Stephen High School.
"My family always listened to country, but I actually studied classical. When Cornerstone started, it was country gospel."
Referring to their 12 years together, Anderson laughed and said, "We still get along."
Anderson has tried her hand at song-writing.
"I'm not brave enough to bring them out," she said.
She has written one Christmas song and one song about her father. Maybe fans could coax her to perform them in public.
Michael and Debby Whalen, married for 36 years, were high-school sweethearts. He played drums during high school in a band called The Individuals. He also played in the Pat White Orchestra for about six years, starting when he was in Grade 12. He later picked up guitar, which he plays in Cornerstone, and still drums at little. Mike also sings solos in church and played guitar for a girls choir. Both of them contribute vocals to Cornerstone.
"We used to fight over the radio station. He was into country, I was more rock and roll," said Debby. "I've always loved to sing."
She has sung in church all her life. Married a year out of high school, they have three children Ben, Luke and Becki, and two grandchildren with one on the way.
"The highlight of our lives these days," according to Debby.
Rounding out the group are Beth and Fraser Green. He plays guitar and sings and she does vocals. They also met in high school, and have been married 35 years. They have both been involved in music for a long time according to Beth. They both had grandmothers who were musical and their boys, Robin and Aaron, picked it up easily.
She took piano lessons and was involved in the Sussex Community Band for 15 years. She also played saxophone in the Cedric Gass band.
"Fraser taught himself guitar," she said. "The more he played, the more he learned."
Beth said their son Aaron is pursuing a musical career in Halifax, playing in bars and writing music.
Cornerstone began playing gigs in the Centre in Sussex Corner about three years ago and became a regular part of the music and fun about two years ago with the country shows Gary Burgess presents.
Playing in the Centre is nostalgic for Anderson as she attended school in the building when it was the Sussex Corner Elementary School. She can still recall the classroom layout, classrooms that have been torn away to make room for the hall she now plays in with her band. Maybe she will provide inspiration to one of her students, and send some youngster down a musical path.
Odds and ends
This Thursday, March 27, there will be a concert to raise money for a new sports field at Belleisle Regional High School. The show takes place at BRHS and will feature two local bands playing country, bluegrass and rock.
The first band, The Mannequins, is made up of BRHS students Adam Sipkema, Nathen Merrithew, Ian Goff and Brydon Craine. The second group is Pink Slip, including members John Somerville, Danny O'Donnell, Stacie Scribbins, Alex Hanlin, Willie Ash, Greg Richard and Glen Gray. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased at the school (485-3030), Belleisle Grocery, Valley View Sales and at the door if available. Showtime is 7 p.m.
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