Music

Sudbury immortalizes Stompin' Tom Connors with a statue

by Jeremy Mersereau

Stompin’ Tom Connors is the author of anthems to both hockey and Sudbury. He has long been venerated all across Canada, but didn’t have his own statue… until now.

The oversight has finally been corrected by the residents of Sudbury, Ontario, who collected the funds for a 600-pound bronze statue of the Canadian folk and country music legend.

The statue depicts the New Brunswick-born Connors in his trademark stomping pose. Stompin’ Tom, who died in 2013, was especially beloved in Sudbury for his 1970 song detailing what a weekend night entailed in the community. The statue was created by sculptor and Connors fan Tyler Fauvelle, who told the CBC he’d “become even more of a fan and a great admirer for what [Connors] stood for as well as just the music, his fight for Canadian artists and Canadian music as a whole.”

The statue was paid for through a fundraising campaign performed by a committee. Though successful enough to pay for the statue’s construction, they are still looking for a bit more help from the public. If you’ve ever stomped along to “I’ve Been Everywhere” or “Big Joe Mufferaw” and want to pay it forward, you can send your donations here.