Victoria musician Kenn Coutu faces off against artists across the country this week as a finalist in the competition for Canada’s next great hockey song.
Coutu’s The Underdog Anthem, inspired by his great-grandfather, Billy Coutu, has been named to the Top 10 in CBC’s Song Quest contest.
“Whenever I think of hockey, I think of stories we were told as kids about our great-grandfather and how he was the first one to be banned from the NHL for fighting a ref,” Coutu said.
Billy Coutu played defence for the Montreal Canadiens in the 1920s. In addition to the infamous brawl, he also helped lead the team to the Stanley Cup in the 1923-24 season.
“We were always told our name was on the Stanley Cup, so that gave me a connected feeling,” said Coutu, 39.
Almost 1,000 artists submitted songs for this year’s competition, which asked for rink-worthy anthems. The Song Quest winner will record a studio version of his or her song with rocker Joel Plaskett. The track will air in a prime-time montage at the beginning of Hockey Night in Canada.
Coutu said he tried to write a song that captured both the feeling of team spirit and the triumph of overcoming obstacles as an underdog.
“I just thought, what would it be like to write a song about guys skating out on the ice and having to really come together and rise to the occasion,” said Coutu, who has played as a member of Armchair Cynics and Bucko & Toad.
“I think we all sort of see ourselves as underdogs and whenever we accomplish something, we surprise ourselves.”
Voting continues through Monday at music.cbc.ca/SongQuest. The winner will be announced Jan. 1 during the Hockey Night in Canada Winter Classic.
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