I am so very pleased to bring to you the inspirational story of the talented Stirling John, Stirling and I both agree that music brings people together, his journey is inspiring to so many.
I was born in Wingham, ON Canada to Leland John an Ojibway from Saugeen First Nation and mother Lorraine PRESTON. Raised in a single parent home by my mother, the youngest of three brothers Curtis and David. My mother moved the family to Barrie Ontario when I was 11 years old, working many jobs from the age of 9 to help the family finances. I lived in Barrie until I was 19 years of age, living on my own from the age of 14, while still attending school.
I believe that life has many paths; some stay on the same road living within a safety net of routine and hope for no surprises. Others take the beaten path in search of a new adventure knowing amazing things can happen while fully knowing unless you try you will never know what could have been. I also believe that change in life is inevitable. The difference between failure and success is either choosing to give up in the hard times, or embrace new beginnings. I continue to self-assess and own where changes can be made for a better future.
From the young age of 5, inspired by my mother, I realized a passion for music. Starting in a small church in Wingham, Ontario, Canada, I sang solos and over the years performed with my family in Christian Music Festivals in Ontario, Canada. Dreaming of performing on Canadian Idol, I never tried out. Why you might ask. Well I was shy at the thought of performing in my teen years and set new life goals to become a police officer. This was crucial in my musical journey I just didn’t know it yet. At the age of 19, I realized my dream and was hired on as a Royal Canadian Mounted Police Officer. Deployed across Canada, I was posted to a western province providing policing services to southern, northern and now central Alberta, Canada. I gained experience in the police dog program, frontline policing, and gained a specialty as a Tactical Flight Officer on a police helicopter. The years of the job proved exciting, rewarding, and highly stressful. Being a father changed me in so many ways, but also proved tiring on the job especially in the face of trying to save young children from trauma. Reactive policing to many traumatic events especially the ones involving the children took a mental and emotional toll over the years. In my eyes, those children became my children who were suffering. I experienced the heartbreak of a divorce; I have two children 9 and 10 years old, shares 50/50 custody with my ex-wife. The totality of the weight of the job combined with a failed marriage became the catalyst that I needed to revert back to a natural medicine I had all along to cope and that was music. Writing my first ever song, “Never Meant to Be”, was the start of an amazing healing journey. Committed to growth I connected and started working with a band, Hometown Stereo recording amazing projects meanwhile on the sidelines I have been focusing on a solo career. Along this road, I crossed paths with some amazing musicians, Chad Melchert and David Pederson who have been in my corner to develop the country rock singer songwriter in front of you today. I choose to grow and develop as an artist in the face of adversity. Playing guitar with Hometown Stereo I have been gaining exposure to some amazing experiences opening for Tom Cochrane, Beaumont Blues and Roots, venues in Edmonton, Alberta and actively looking to develop a secondary future solo music career. I am grateful to those who have supported and continue to support my journey.
You can reach me on social media
Stirling John Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stirling_john1
Stirling John Twitter https://twitter.com/stirlingjohn
mirella muses 