Tiller’s Folly lead songwriter and singer Bruce Coughlan said that it was a pleasure to celebrate the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin’s anniversary in Williams Lake.
“It’s nice to know your history, and we have such dramatic history in B.C.,” he said.
“I’m not here to preach it or teach it, just to point a finger towards it; and if something in my songs captures your attention and you get on Google to find more information, that’s what it’s there for.”
He’s been writing his own music for 40 years.
“I can play 5,000 cover tunes but I felt that I had something to say as a songwriter, and that’s changed over the 40 years I’ve been doing this,” he explained. “In the last 20 years I’ve been spreading the word of local and B.C. history. More recently I’ve been trying to use my music for political change, for race awareness and consciousness.
“It’s important to celebrate and preserve our heritage — you gotta dance with who brung ya.”
The group has done more than 1,500 school shows, helping to preserve heritage for upcoming generations.
“Preserving history in music predates language, it’s what has built communities and our cultures throughout the world for thousands of years,” he said. “I feel like I’m part of something timeless.”
