Event Recap – Backstage Pass with Dan Hill

On April 23rd, internationally renowned author and singer/songwriter Dan Hill performed and answered questions as part of our MWI Backstage Pass series. The evening was hosted by Wendy Irvine, the Music Performance and Technology program’s Vocal Instructor. In addition to the live studio audience, those at home could stream the event online on the Metalworks website. Dan Hill sat down with Wendy for an intimate Q&A session and performed three songs for the audience throughout the evening, including his classic hit “Sometimes When We Touch.”

Dan Hill started the evening with a beautiful performance of “I Am My Father’s Son,” and there weren’t many dry eyes in the room. However, as soon as the Q&A with Wendy began, the mood soon lightened up as Hill joked about how the female subject of “Sometimes When We Touch” fled the country with a new boyfriend as soon as she heard the song he wrote for her.

Dan Hill explained the origins and background of each song before he performed them, and many members of the audience knew the words and sang along. He also spoke with Wendy about which instrument he prefers to write songs with (the guitar or the piano) and why, how his family is a huge inspiration for his songwriting (particularly his relationship with his father), and how song lyrics are subjective and can contain different meanings for many different people.

Members of the live studio audience were able to ask Dan questions as well, and Dan shared with the audience his experience in the music industry and what music and songwriting means to him, particularly how interesting it is to have other artists sing songs that he wrote.

After the event, Dan Hill stayed to sign CDs and copies of his new book, I Am My Father’s Son (HarperCollins Canada), as well as to take pictures with eager and excited fans.

We would like to thank Dan Hill for his beautiful performance and the great Q&A session with Wendy and the audience.

Keep an eye on our Facebook page for upcoming MWI Backstage Pass events! www.facebook.com/metalworksinstitute