Esplanade Avenue, Rainbow Falls, Echo Island – all three of these places are synonymous with Harrison Hot Springs, but that's not all.
Harrison guitarist Chris Rolin recently released an instrumental tribute album to the village he calls home. Esplanade Ave. is a 10-track album featuring musical love letters to places all around Harrison Hot Springs. Most of the tracks are named after places in and around the village.
Originally from Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, Rolin moved to Harrison about five years ago. He works as a freelance guitarist and teaching guitar full-time at Long and McQuade in Chilliwack. He started playing at about age 7, playing on and off throughout his youth. After school, he worked for CN Rail.
"I worked at CN for about four years and then I realized this isn't what I wanted to do," he said. "I went to music school."
Rolin earned his degree from Capilano University in North Vancouver and began teaching guitar and playing gigs for a number of acts, including an 18-year run with Maple Ridge's own Rick Tippe. Tippe is a country artist and perhaps best known for his 1996 top 10 single The Craziest Thing. He's also the son of B.C. Country Music Association Hall of Fame inductee Elmer Tippe.
"We got to tour everywhere, all over Canada," Rolin said. "We played major festivals, it was tons of fun."
Rolin is likely best known locally for his work with Todd Richard as a member of the TR Band. He and his wife, Allison, moved to Harrison as "the perfect place to retire." He also works with a couple of tribute bands, playing the music of Shania Twain and Stevie Nicks.
Over his career, Rolin estimates his music has appeared on dozens of albums. His wife encouraged him to take the leap and create something for himself.
Rolin describes the music on Esplanade Ave as "breezy" jazz great for playing in the background while enjoying a beverage outside, unwinding for the day. The album was about two years in the making.
"I have a little boat, and a couple of times I've taken the boat out and I have my old guitar on the boat. I've composed a lot of music out there," he said. "I thought of a lot of different landscapes that are around here. Some people are good at looking through the eyes of somebody and writing (music). Other people write about their life. I'm just writing about the things that were around here."
Rolin said he's always been in the music business for the love of the craft.
"I just do it for myself," he said. "Some people like golfing. I like the process of creating music. I think going into the arts (professionally) is a great thing, but you've got to want to do it. Most of my friends who have played music and have gone after money, they never seem to keep doing it. I think you have to love music first."
Esplanade Ave. is available digitally on Bandcamp and other major streaming platforms. To obtain a physical copy, contact Rolin at rolinsound@gmail.com.
