"The future is in your hands. Two-hundred-and-fifteen lost souls now have a voice," Jackson said about his new song, Lost Souls. (Photo by Craig Koshyk)

By Rachel May

Tom Jackson Lost Souls

Tom Jackson gives children of residental schools a voice with new song

Sep 29, 2021 | 5:00 PM

Saskatchewan musician, Tom Jackson, knew he needed to do something to deal with the pain of hearing about the 215 graves of residential school children in Kamloops.

The singer, songwriter, and actor best known for his role in North of 60, heard the news when when he was travelling abroad.

“I happened to be in Glasgow, Scotland when I was watching the late news, it come on as world news item number one. Two hundred and fifteen grave sites had been found in Kamloops. I had to adjust everything that was current in my world to just sit and think about this.” Jackson said.

Lost Souls is a song for the silenced 215 children but Jackson said it was also a way he could process his emotions.

“I took out pen and paper and wrote down my thoughts, then I went to sleep and got up the next morning. I said what kind of music would go to this piece of information.” Jackson told northeastNOW.

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Jackson said that the pain he felt after finding out about the gravesites is similar to stubbing your little toe.

“You don’t even know you have a little toe until you stub it. Then it takes awhile for that healing process to happen but its painful. Now that I know it was there I am going to have to go through a little pain.” Jackson said.

The music video for ‘Lost Souls’ was produced by Don Metz. Jackson said the video portrays the message of truth.

“The substance of what came out was dangerously honest, and I realized it wasn’t honesty. It was truth,” Jackson said. “Okay, well now we know what happened. We may have known before but now it’s right in front of us. What are we gonna do with what happened?”

Jackson said there is one clear theme in the song.

“Amplify love. There are silent voices but in that silence there is a volume.” Jackson said. “I am going to suggest asking for action, what does that mean? That doesn’t mean the word love, it means the verb love. It’s a tragic thing that happened those children, okay got it. I’m listening, I’m learning it. Now what am I going to teach my children?”

Jackson is also the founder of the Huron Carole which is a seasonal music tradition. This year the message of that tour is angels without wings.

“I had a visitor when I was in a dark time, you know what I am talking about, the weight sometimes on your shoulders of the world. The visitor said I am going to bring you an angel and that angel is going to be worse off than you. If you help that angel I am going to help you.” Jackson said. “That was 33 years ago. I have seen a lot of angels that are worse off than me.”

Lost Souls by Tom Jackson is now available for streaming on Spotify, Youtube and Apple Music.

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Rachel.May@pattisonmedia.com

On twitter: @RachelMayFM