BY
KEITH LACEY
Sunny Fournier says blues music saved him from what was
starting out to be a very difficult life.
Without getting into details, Fournier said he raised a lot of
hell and got to know a few local police officers on a
first-name basis before he became a teenager.
Thankfully, that all changed once he heard the man who would
become a musical mentor and hero - the legendary B.B. King.
"I was 13 years old and someone played a B.B. King song and I
can honestly say my life changed around forever from that
moment on," said the amiable musician. "I had done a lot of bad
things for a little kid, but all B.B. sang about was good
things and I made a decision then and there to be a good person
and do good things for other people as well. Everything changed
in my life from that moment on."
Fournier, 43, started listening avidly to King and other blues
greats before buying a guitar and harmonica at age 17. One year
later, he was performing on stage with a long list of talented
musicians from Greater Sudbury.
He's spent the past 25 years playing blues music all across the
world.
"I basically spent a year in my room learning how to play,"
said Fournier. "All I did was eat, sleep and play music. I
didn't know a note and still don't know how to read a note of
music...I learned by ear. I can't explain it."
After 25 years of playing, making good friends and travelling,
Fournier said he's entering into semi-retirement as a musician
to pursue other artistic interests.
On Friday evening, Fournier and many of the musicians he's
played with on so many occasions over the past 25 years are
playing a "final concert" at the Grand Theatre.
"I'm calling it my final concert in terms of this will be the
last time I promote my own show and play for members of the
regular public...and I'm done recording music and putting out
CDs," said Fournier. "I won't be recording any more unless a
record company approaches me and makes me an offer too good to
refuse.
"I will continue to play as a special guest for other musicians
if they invite me and will play at private parties and
functions, but in terms of public performances, this is the end
of the road for me."
Fournier, a long-time custodian with a local school board, said
it's time for a big change in his life.
"I've fulfilled everything I wanted to fulfil in music and
more," he said. "I've travelled around the world, had the
chance to play with some of the best blues musicians in the
world and met a lot of wonderful people, so I'm ready for a new
chapter in my life."
Fournier said he's become an avid videographer and has already
shot short films in the Galapagos Islands. He plans on pursuing
his new passion in the coming years with the same enthusiasm
he's dedicated to music.
"It's time to do something different and step back from music,"
he said. "Like I said, I'm not giving up on music, but I'm done
with promoting shows and risking all that money...I'm still
young and there's a lot of life ahead of me and there are other
things I want to pursue."
Fournier thanks every fan who has shown up at one of his
performances over the past two-plus decades.
"The support I've received in this community has been
phenomenal," he said.
Fournier quickly lists off 15 countries where he's performed
over the past two decades and is proud to have shared the stage
with such recording artists as The James Cotton Band, Russell
Jackson (B.B. King's long-time bass player) and Canada's own
Downschild Blues Band.
He's also proud of the fact he's seen B.B. King in concert
almost 80 times and been invited to meet him backstage three
dozen times.
He's recorded seven compact discs over the past 15 years and
will be recording a live DVD at Friday night's farewell
performance.
Featured guests include some of this city's best musicians,
including Gary DiSalle, Marc Savard, Shawn Pitzel, Peter
Larabie, J.Y. Begin, Peter Scherzinger, Dan Bedard and Phil
May.
Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Tickets can be
purchased at Records on Wheels, Jett Landry Music, Black Cat
Too and Coyote's. Doors open at 8:30 pm.
For more information, contact Fournier at 670-9333.
