(video of interview at bottom)
The book is called “Beautiful Scars: Steeltown Secrets, Mohawk Skywalkers, and the Road Home”
It’s the personal story of a man who spent his wild-child youth in the roughhewn steel town of Hamilton Ontario.
Tom Wilson is a successful singer songwriter and musician who is now a member of one of Canada’s coolest bands. Blackie and the Rodeo Kings.
But it was a rocky road getting there, and to his present state of creativity and peace.
From early childhood Wilson knew in the back of his mind, something was not right, something hidden about who he was.
The questioning about his origins was not helped by schoolchildren taunts about him being different.
He was a schemer, a clown, and somewhat of a delinquent until music gave him some direction.
Only some direction however, as he got into the struggling band rock and roll lifestyle of second and third rate venues, and far too much drink and drugs.
This was leading to a very bad end, until business associates gave him an ultimatum.
Along the way to recovery, in his early 50’s the long-held secret of who he was, was revealed along with the knowledge at lats of his surprising roots, from the rough streets, smoky Legion halls and beer of Hamilton, to a Mohawk reserve in Quebec, and skyscrapers of Manhattan.
It’s about Tom’s scars, and his healing, and it’s a good read.
Wilson is now planning a unique and fascinating series of readings of the book backed by an orchestra.
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