The arts have always served as an effective way to tackle difficult feelings. Mental health has become a very hot topic in the last few years for two reasons: the first is that mental health challenges have continued to become destigmatized, and the second is the continued realization that—believe it, or not—someone that you know, most likely several of the people you know, grapple with a mental health challenge of their own.
The arts serve as a conduit through expressing feelings that aren’t so easy to communicate with mere words. Non-profit record label Future Youth Records knows this well and offers young performers a way for them to express their feelings about complicated social issues in musical terms. Ontario’s Tausha Hanna connected with the label and together they have completed two significant projects. On the the first, Tausha was one of the featured performers on Julian Lennon’s, “Saltwater” which supported Lennon’s White Feather Foundation.
Recently, Tausha has completed her second project with the label. This time, shifting the focus away from environmental concerns and toward mental health initiatives. Tausha was connected with Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton and his stalwart musical partner from The Boxmasters, J.D. Andrew. They were both impressed by a song of Tausha’s titled, “As I Ever Was” and invited her to Billy Bob’s studio to produce and record the song together.
What you’ll hear on this episode is Billy Bob Thornton, J.D. Andrew, Tausha and I have a frank discussion regarding the state of mental health support in our current society and examples of ways that the arts serve as a valuable tool in combating the challenges that so many people face. It’s also a refreshing portrait of new and experienced performers joining forces for a common goal.
Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.
