TRENTON – Aaron Hartling grew up in Trenton and watched it change over the years. He moved to Halifax, but always kept an eye on his hometown. He said it’s been difficult to watch the town change as businesses close and the population declines.
Hartling, who performs music under the title of “Heartbreak a Stranger,” says watching Trenton go through hard times economically inspired him to write a series of seven songs that tell its story.
He recorded those songs and the CD titled “The Trenton Project EP” is now completed. Hartling will perform songs from the album for his hometown crowd next month.
“I thought I would look at it as a challenge to see if I could tell a story about Trenton, the hard economic times that has hit them since I have been there as a kid,” he said. “Not everything has been rosy. For as long as I know, TrentonWorks has always gone from contract to contract to contract, it has gone through a few different owners. It’s hard to see the changes.”
Hartling said now that the CD is completed, the first albums will go to those who helped fund “The Trenton Project EP” through crowd funding on indiegogo.com. Crowd funding has become a popular way for artists to receive the money they need to do a project, and in return, the sponsors get perks from the artist. In this case, some of the perks are being the first ones to have the album.
Hartling said all the sponsors will have their copies of “The Trenton Project EP” by Feb. 1. After that date, anyone can purchase the CD from Hartling through his website HYPERLINK "http://www.heartbreakastranger.com" http://www.heartbreakastranger.com.
Hartling said he will also have CDs available for purchase in Trenton at a show he will be performing on Feb. 9, 7 p.m., at Trenton Legion. The all-ages show has no cover charge, but donations will be accepted at the door. Also playing at the Trenton show will be EB Anderson.
“Whether it’s Trenton or Stellarton or any other small town, I think they can relate to the stories,” he said. “I want people to come out to hear the songs and I want people, especially from Trenton, to know that just because some of us have moved away, we haven’t forgotten about them.”
The official CD release will be in Halifax at The Company House on March 16. EB Anderson and The Resolutes will also be playing at the CD release show.
Hi Hartbrake, glad another local musician doin good like mee, would like to play toogethir someday.