A Halifax woman’s 40-year-old recording comes out of the basement and renews her love of music
Megan Banning, a resident of Halifax, never imagined that her music recordings from the 1980s would resurface. It was her son, Keenan Tamblyn, who brought her forgotten story to light on an American podcast.
Tamblyn, who resides in Toronto, decided to share his mother’s tale on a whim. Little did he know that it would lead to a whirlwind of events that would unearth Banning’s long-lost music. In her early 20s, Banning was a dedicated songwriter who spent countless hours writing songs and playing the piano while working as a server at Second City comedy club in Toronto.
The turning point came when the musical director of Second City, who was friends with renowned Canadian singer-songwriter k.d. lang, promised to pass Banning’s music recordings along to lang. However, Banning never received any feedback from lang, causing her music ambitions to fade away. She packed her recordings into unmarked boxes and shifted her focus towards a career in the film industry.
Tamblyn, curious about his mother’s musical past, reached out to Hyperfixed, a podcast hosted by Adam Goldman, to help uncover Banning’s forgotten music. With less than a week to find the tapes before a live podcast taping in New York, the pressure was on. Banning was taken aback by the sudden rush of attention and requests for her to perform at the event.
Despite her initial reluctance, a tape of her music was eventually discovered at the bottom of a Tupperware container. With the assistance of Rich Aucoin, a Halifax musician, some of Banning’s recorded music was digitized and played live by another artist at the podcast event. The experience left Banning in awe, as she never expected her songs to see the light of day.
Listening to her music again reignited Banning’s passion for songwriting, prompting her to reflect on her younger self and the talent she once possessed. Tamblyn, emotionally moved by his mother’s music, was surprised by the impact of his actions and even received a response from k.d. lang, who expressed interest in hearing Banning’s music.
As Banning reconnects with her past as a songwriter, she feels inspired to pick up where she left off and start creating music once again. Despite uncertainties about whether her music will reach an audience, Banning is determined to pursue her passion for music for her own enjoyment. The joy of sitting at a piano and playing music has reignited her creative spark, and she is excited to see where this newfound inspiration will take her.
