Achi news desk-
Country gospel band Stirling John received a Juno Award nomination for the independent album Where I’m supposed to be.
John, the lead singer-songwriter, is an Alberta RCMP officer. Guitarist and backup singer David Pedersen is a constable and school resource officer with the Edmonton Police Service.
“I feel very humbled and honored to be nominated in the Juno category,” John said of the nod for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to lead by example in our communities and show our youth that if you have a goal in mind, you can go for it, and that people support you.”
“It’s definitely a feeling of pride and excitement,” Pedersen added. “It’s cool to be recognized in that way. It feels like a huge privilege.”
John and Pedersen connected through an ad on Kijiji in 2017 and met for the first time soon after at a Tim Hortons.
“I was looking for a singer-songwriter, someone who matched my values,” says John, “and the rest is history.”
Stirling John is nominated for a Juno Award.
Courtesy: Facebook/Stirling John
John said he and Pedersen quickly learned they had a lot in common.
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“He was like: ‘What’s your schedule like?’ We talked about four-on, four-turn shift schedules. He said: ‘Are you police, fire or EMS?'”
Pedersen explained: “It seems that we both work the night shift as police officers in neighboring areas.”
“The more we connect, the more we travel through, it definitely seems like it should be.”
Their shared experiences as first responders inspire many of their songs.
“There was a song that was initially written years ago called Call Weight and it was really a moment of reflection for me,” says John.
“Writing to the seriousness of the call but also how it affected myself and also the other first responders. Call Weight it became an anthem for many police officers who couldn’t really talk about what was on their mind and how the job affected them.”
The song resonated with many other first responders. In fact, the band was invited to perform at the opening of a police department in Texas.
Pederson is a school resource officer who splits his time between AU Beriault Catholic schools and St. Thomas More.
“A lot of the songs are inspired by the interactions I’ve had with young people,” says Pedersen.
“I want them to get the message that hey, things can be difficult but there is hope, there are second chances, there is picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and moving on.”
And, if juggling his work as a police officer and a Juno-nominated musician isn’t enough, Pedersen is also a father to four daughters.
“It can be a challenge. There are a lot of times you get double-booked … but the people around me are very supportive. My wife is very supportive,” he said. “It’s full. It’s busy, but it’s good,” he said.
“It gets you up every morning. It excites you to get out of bed and live life when you live things that are purposeful, meaningful and part of your passion.”
Stirling John perform at the HE Beriault school talent show on Friday before flying to Halifax this weekend for the Junos.
& copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
