'Godfather of Cape Breton Running' has theme song created after him
Cape Breton singer-songwriter Jordan Musycsyn was recently asked to create a theme song for the documentary The Last Leg.
The short film tells the story of how Peter Hanna, a man many call ‘The Godfather of Cape Breton Running', completed the Cabot Trail for a second time at the age of 80, while battling prostate cancer.
"I got a really good sense of who this guy was, and he's just a very inspirational man," Musyscyn said. "Persistence and determination. This man never stopped.”
The documentary's producer says the song, titled One Foot In Front Of The Other, sums up Peter Hanna's accomplishments perfectly.
"Peter, I think he kind of says it at one point in the documentary," said Herbie Sakalauskas, producer of The Last Leg. “He was having a rough day on Leg 6, and he said something like, 'Don't look back. Keep one foot in front of the other and keep going.'"
Both the man behind the movie and the man behind the music say the song and the message behind both aren’t only about running. It’s a fitting metaphor for all of life's challenges lately.
"I think everybody's kind of just living day-to-day, and I think that's the message I kind of wanted to get through here," Musyscyn said.
"Do what you love. Do what you're passionate about in life," Sakalauskas added.
Without a doubt, Hanna, 81, has done just that.
As for the new song, it's hot off the presses. The track and its accompanying music video were released to the public Friday. It's been shared plenty online, but there was one person's feedback Musyscyn was waiting for more than anyone else's.
"I was thrilled to hear that Peter heard the song himself," Musyscyn said. “I was very nervous for him to hear it and I got word that he smiled the whole way through it."
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