Sometimes it’s the things that hurt the most that drive you the hardest to create art and that lead to the birth of much great art. It’s a simple truth that most of us understand and accept. But when soul pain strikes bolts into us through the loss of a loved one, it seems then to be an unfair trade.

Yet although Peter Verity is mourning the passing of his wife, best friend and number one fan —not to mention administrative/promotional adjunct— he plans to go ahead with performing at his several scheduled Winterfolk Festival appearances starting tonight at 8 and running through the weekend at Delta Chelsea Hotel (33 Gerrard St. W. at Yonge).

“If I didn’t at least try,” he said to me at the funeral home during the visitation for Diane, who lost a valiant battle against cancer Sat. Feb. 9, “Diane would crawl out of that coffin and kick me in the ass.”

While I don’t believe in zombies, I think his fear in this case may be justified!

I’ll be introducing Peter for his Monarchs Pub set at 8 p.m. tonight. Early afternoon Sat., he’ll be part of the SongTown Artists Showcase in the Listening Room, Then Sunday at 6 he hosts an in-the-round ‘road stories’ session back in Monarchs Pub.

If, at the SongTown showcase or any of the other sets he does at the festival, he should perform heartfelt tunes like “All I See Is You” from ‘SongTown 3: Nashville’, or “Blue As I Can Get” from ‘SongTown Vol. 2: The Danforth Sound’, his won’t be the only tears in the house being shed.

Pic: Peter Verity -17