Rocky Hazel may not be a famous rock star, but he’s sure treated like one in his hometown of Scotch Village.
Along with Wolfville’s Roy Thomson, the 95-year-old Hazel played a few ditties on the steel guitar for a packed house of worship at the Newport Baptist Church, in Scotch Village, on March 3.
Hazel started practicing on the steel guitar a year and a half ago.
“When I was 10 or 11, I bought a guitar for… five dollars a month. I didn’t want it. I kicked it all through the house — 14 kicks and it was full of holes. I guess we must have thrown it out,” Hazel joked, after his performance as part of Rock ‘n’ Roy.
While he has stood before an audience in the Newport Baptist Church many times, where he sang solos as a boy, he said he was nervous to share his newest hobby with an audience full of familiar faces.
He did not disappoint.
In addition to providing some entertainment, Hazel, a Wolfville resident, presented Rev. Bill Brackney with a cheque to help improve the condition of their church.
“They’re always wanting maintenance money to keep this church up and I volunteered to give them $1,000.”
Brackney called Hazel an “inspiration” while inviting Rock ‘n’ Roy back to the spotlight for an encore.
When the music stopped, Hazel bowed his head in gratitude as the audience took to their feet.
“I don’t deserve it,” he said. “It wasn’t Liberace or anything like that.”
Hazel was well sought after when the afternoon of music concluded and guests headed to the basement of the church to mingle.
He said he was happy to support the event, which was a fundraiser for the church that is in need of close to $80,000 in renovations.
