One of my favourites among contemporary folk-rock singers and musicians, Paul Simon, once said that “Music is forever!” I know exactly what he means, since music has always played an important part in my life, particularly Ukrainian folk music. I remember that as a little kid, before my parents ever had a radio or TV, they had a record player, and I was exposed to a dazzling variety of Ukrainian songs and music recorded on 78 or 33 RPM vinyl discs.
My mother loved to sing, and though she was functionally illiterate, she carried a prodigious store of songs in her memory banks, and nothing thrilled her more than getting together with friends for an evening of loud and boisterous singing of songs from their youth in villages across Ukraine. Even in her final years when the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease had robbed her of her ability to speak, she could still sing and would endlessly play the large collection of Ukrainian music that I had recorded for her on cassette tapes.
As I grew into adulthood, even though I became enamoured with contemporary American and British pop rock music, I never lost my appreciation and love for the Ukrainian folk music that I had grown up with. Being exposed to no shortage of Ukrainian weddings, zabavas (dances) and concerts, I became a great fan of the Ukrainian Canadian bands of that era such as the D Drifters 5, Rushnychok, Cheremosh and many others. Regrettably most of them only lasted a few years, or at most a decade or two. One band however, that managed to remain not only popular but also in many ways came to epitomize the best of Ukrainian Canadian folk music, was Burya, let by the larger-than-life persona of Ron Cahute.
I was greatly saddened to hear this past week that Ron Cahute had played his last notes on that magic accordion of his and had moved on to entertain the angels. I had known Ron for some fifty years, and from the first time I heard him play, I continued to be awed and entertained by his musical wizardry every time he performed. He played at my wedding. He played at many weddings, concerts, zabavas, Caravan festival performances, nightclubs, bar mitzvahs and musical events of all kinds.
But it was not only his musical talent that impressed me. Ron was the very epitome of a Ukrainian Canadian that was not only proud of his Ukrainian heritage but strove in many different ways to enrich it. His “Stay Ukrainian My Friends” sign-off on the Kontakt Ukrainian TV program became a meme recognizable throughout the Ukrainian community across Canada and even abroad. He excelled at being a television personality exuding wit and charm as only he could. I was interviewed by Ron quite a few times on Kontakt, and his good nature, curiosity and sense of humour made those experiences especially pleasurable.
Although he wore many hats during his memorable career, it was in the field of creating and performing Ukrainian folk music that he excelled. He succeeded in marrying the old world Ukrainian folk music traditions with contemporary western Canadian country influences to create a distinct genre that became the defining form of what we know as Ukrainian Canadian “Zabava” music. For many decades, Ron and his band Burya were acknowledged as the most popular and talented Ukrainian band in Canada and the U.S. Although best known for their live performances, Burya put out more than half a dozen albums and CD’s that became the foundation of most people’s Ukrainian music collection. His audience and repertoire extended to include even children’s music as evidenced by his extremely popular Barabolya collection of humorous but educational songs for kids. Even today, I seldom take a long road trip without bringing a small selection of Ukrainian CD’s, and Burya is always included.
It should also be acknowledged that Ron inspired and mentored many other musicians who went on to become successful performers in their own right. His influence is evident in the sounds and styles of many contemporary Canadian Ukrainian bands today. He paved the way for bands such as Zirka, Dunai, Solovey and many others who went on to popularize or adapt his style of “Zabava” music in their own way. If someone were to create a Ukrainian Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Ron Cahute would undoubtedly be one of the first names in it.
I will miss you my old friend, but I have no doubt that your name and music will live on forever.
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