A bit of a Porter Wagoner look like ?
RON WARD/TIMES & TRANSCRIPT
Thomas Bastarache at the 35th anniversary of the Red Barn in Dieppe
Local musician celebrates 35th anniversary
Linda Hersey
Time of your life Published Wednesday January 16th, 2008
"I used to take my guitar out on the porch, and I had about 15 or 20 kids that all came and listened to the music," says 80 year-old Thomas (Tommy) Bastarache of Dieppe.
"That's the way I started. I was about 15... I did that when I came home from school."
The important thing is he's still at it, making music with the best of them. His Red Barn, behind the home that he shares with his wife Patricia in Dieppe, has become a landmark for down home entertainment in the area.
It celebrated it's 35th anniversary on Jan. 13.
"It might have been longer than that," says Tommy. "When I started there were only 14 people, and I expanded and it got filled up. I'm sure now we're over 90 people.
"I play every Sunday night, and the only time we miss is when there's a bad storm. Friday is for the dance, Sunday is for the music for the public and they enjoy that. It's an atmosphere that you can't get anywhere else."
Originally on guitar with Tommy's Music Room, he also once played piano although now he's abandoned both to play the drums in the band. Weekends are for making music, and he's also busy on Saturday night singing at the Pine Tree Rec Centre.
Born at Leger Corner, Tommy came from a musical family. In fact he was a triplet, and is the only one left, his sister Theresa and brother Frank having passed away. They were "middle" three 13 children. Although they did not live on a farm per se, there was always plenty of gardening to be done.
"When you're a kid you don't go on a bicycle, you go weed the garden. There was lots of work to do, but I played a lot of music when I was a kid," he says.
During wartime he came close to getting in the army while working at the CNR, but his asthma has always been a problem. He eventually learned the trade of barbering, retiring at the age of 70.
Besides a love of carpentry, music has always been a driving force in his life. "I've played a lot of music," he says, "and at the homes for the old people, I play lot for them. I'm glad to help the old people, I have always been that way.
"I used to play for the Lone Pine, that's where we started. He had a concert and we won the prize -- that's how we started. I started to play in the barbershop, and from there I jumped to the Barn."
Still going strong, he has beaten cancer twice, and credits staying active for his longevity -- with a good dash of social interaction.
"I go to the mall (Champlain Place) every day," he says, "and shoot the bull with the boys."
Local musician celebrates 35th anniversary
