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8 - Orono Weekly Times 1937 - 2012 · Celebrating 75 Years Wednesday, February 1, 2012 Young songwriter inspired by life in a small town by Sue Weigand NEWCASTLE Jake Vanhaverbeke has really been making a name for himself lately. Following the independent release of his threesong CD of original songs, Weeks of Sleep, in December, Vanhaverbeke was named New Artist of the Year in January by the Durham Region chapter of the Songwriters Association of Canada. The young musician ­ who will be turning 16-years old on February 4th ­ was also recognized with a letter of congratulations from Mayor Adrian Foster and Clarington Council last week, as a result of his award. The letter was presented during an assembly at St. Stephen's Secondary School in Bowmanville, where Vanhaverbeke is a grade 10 student. And while most youths his age are busy with school and exams, the extra responsibility of album release parties, auditions, award shows and recognition at a school assembly has done nothing to slow this Newcastle teen down. If Vanhaverbeke's name sounds familiar, it's due to his regular appearance at The Snug restaurant, which holds an "open mic" night every Thursday. "I was at the first open mic ever at The Snug, and I don't think I've missed one since," he says, laughing, when reached by phone last week. "John Walsh, the owner, calls me his musical child. The Snug is where I started with my originals. Tom Hughes runs the open mic. He's a mentor and a buddy of mine." His age not withstanding, Vanhaverbeke has also graced the stage at Wild Wing in Newcastle, The Village Inn in Bowmanville, Murphy's Pub and The Bombshell in Oshawa, The Spill in Peterborough, and Graffiti's Bar & Grill and the Hard Rock Café in Toronto. Describing his music as "singer-songwriter folk rock," he says he has always expressed himself with music. "I've been playing music for pretty much my whole life," he allows, relating how he got his first guitar at the age of four, and lessons by the time he was five. He is simply following in the footsteps of his father, Jeff Vanhaverbeke, and uncle, Chris his Vanhaverbeke, who have both played Irish folk songs in bands for many years, he notes. Growing up, he listened to Blue Rodeo, John Denver, and Neil Young, along with East Coast and Irish music. Now he also enjoys listening to Great Lake Swimmers and Joel Plaskett, as well as local artists he has befriended on the club circuit. "Lately, I've been playing with people who are kind of my heroes: Trish Robb, The Stone Sparrows, and Tyler Smith," he says, noting his show with Robb at The Snug last month was "one of the best I've sounded." Winning the Songwriters' New Artist award has helped encourage Vanhaverbeke to write more songs. "It's really just fuelled my creative stuff," he says. "I was shocked when I won it. I'm so happy about it." And yet the award­ which was open to 15- to 30-year olds ­ was not the first time he has competed with musicians much older than himself. He first took to the stage at talent shows and country fairs, he says, and he unwittingly took on some rather tough competition at one of his earliest performances. When he was about eight-years old, he was at the Kinmount Fair with his grandparents. Noticing that there was a talent show, young Jake decided that he would enter. He didn't have his guitar with him, but he saw a man with one and boldly asked if he could borrow it. Then he went to sign up but was told that the kids' talent show was over. Undeterred, he competed in the adult talent show, and he won."I was thankful that guy just let me grab his guitar," he recalls. As one of the Songwriters' winners, Vanhaverbeke was given the opportunity to play at the 2nd Annual Songwriters' Music Festival at the Whitby Centennial Building this past Saturday. The festival is an annual showcase of singer-songwriters, which featured performers from across the province and beyond, according to organizer Ron Beer. Other winners included Kimberley Clarke of Oshawa, Songwriter of the Year; G.T. Harris of Oshawa, Performing SONGWRITER see page 11 Singer-songwriter Jake Vanhaverbeke (left), of Newcastle, received a letter of congratulations from Clarington for being named New Artist of the Year. The presentation was made by Durham Region Songwriters' Association organizer Ron Beers (right) at an assembly at St. Stephen's Secondary School on January 24th.