One of Canada's most well-known folk and country singers has recorded a song written by a Sault Ste. Marie native.
Jay Aymar's My Cherry Colored Rose is included on Ian Tyson's new album, Yellowhead to Yellowstone and other Love Stories. The song, about the death of hockey commentator Don Cherry's wife, Rose, in 1997 was written in an hour by Aymar in 2002. "I think everybody in Canada recognized that this woman meant so much to him," he said in a recent telephone interview from Toronto. "I've written a lot of songs. That one just came to me real quick."
The track was included in Fan Favourites, a compilation album the 40-year-old food service salesman released in 2003. Aymar sent a copy of that disc to Tyson after reading a lengthy Globe and Mail story in March that detailed challenges in the singer's life including divorcing his second wife and being estranged from one of his children.
Aymar, a fan of Tyson's music for more than 20 years since he heard Neil Young cover Four Strong Winds, felt bad for one of his musical idols. "I just wanted him to hear it," he said. "I didn't expect too much."
Tyson called Aymar on his cellphone two weeks later when he was visiting family and friends in the Sault.
The veteran musician's message -- he thought Aymar was a "worthy songwriter" he wanted to help. Tyson wanted to record My Cherry Colored Rose. "This is one of the greats in Canadian songwriting," said Aymar. "To acknowledge me was a really big thing . . . Just a kid from the Sault. That's amazing." Tyson "very, very rarely" records material penned by other artists, said Stony Plain publicist Richard Flohil.
He has co-written tracks including the album's title song and an earlier work, Navajo Rug, with Tom Russell, that was featured on 1987's Cowboyography. "Jay's song is about courage and moving forward," Tyson said in a release.
"About 'putting your game face on' and dealing with what life hands you. I'm really pleased that he sent the song to me. I hope that I did it justice." Aymar has nothing but praise for Tyson's take on his song.
"It's amazing. I love it," he said.
"Once a legendary singer and performer like that does a rendition of your song it feels like it's his now."
My Cherry Colored Rose is available as a free download from the Stony Plain website. Aymar pockets radio royalties from the song, but declined to comment on compensation for the song's inclusion on Yellowhead to Yellowstone and other Love Stories.
Aymar, who is currently mixing Just Passing Through, a new album of 12 songs due for a March release, hopes his Tyson connection will "help with a few doors opening" in his own musical career.
"Ultimately it's a wonderful experience to feel like somebody has acknowledged your art," said the son of John and Madeline Aymar. "When it's somebody of that stature that's a very big nod. If that's all that would ever become of any of this I'm forever thankful, and grateful, that somebody, another songwriter, acknowledged me."
Maybe there's good karma in Tyson calling him on his 40th birthday on April 11.
"You're leaving your thirties," said Aymar. "You start to feel like, 'Wouldn't it be nice to have a break.'"
Long "relatively guarded" of his songs, Aymar says that's going to change. "I should start writing more letters to people," he laughed.