Grant Lawrence’s first crack at the news biz ended in disappointment.
Now an established author, musician and stalwart broadcast personality for CBC Music, his very first job was a bright-eyed paperboy for the North Shore News.
At 12 years old in the early 1980s, Lawrence recalls the immense pride of having his own paper route along his home street – Bellevue Avenue in West Vancouver.
“I loved my North Shore News so much,” he said. “I worshipped it.”
Holding the likes of reporter Michael Becker and editor Tim Renshaw in the highest regard, Lawrence got the idea that he should join their ranks.
“I sent a letter to the North Shore News, and they said, ‘Sorry, we’re not looking for any reporters right now,’” he said.
Undeterred, Lawrence opted for the show-don’t-tell approach.
“So what I started doing was typing out my own version of the North Shore News on a piece of paper trying to make it look like a newspaper, and I would slip it inside the North Shore News that I was delivering,” he said.
But instead of high-profile court cases or environmental protests, Lawrence wrote the hot gossip that would grab the attention of fellow 12 year olds, penning headlines such as Mr. Simpson Walks About His Home in the Nude.
While his Bellevue Bulletin got laughs from some of his adult neighbours, others were offended and wrote in to complain.
“My route manager gave me a cease and desist, saying, ‘You are not delivering your own news, and you cannot put it inside the North Shore News,” Lawrence said.
His first stint of guerrilla reporting was a strike on his record, but the final stroke came when he entrusted his paper route to a friend when Lawrence travelled with his family up Desolation Sound.
Not as committed to newspaper delivery as he was, his friend tossed the bundles marked “Grant Lawrence” onto the train tracks.
“My route manager thought that I was throwing the newspapers onto the train tracks, and they fired me,” he said.
Fast forward several decades and several career decisions later, and Lawrence will be bringing an evening of entertainment featuring homegrown tales like these to his hometown audience at Kay Meek Arts Centre.
On April 12, Grant Lawrence and Friends: an Evening of Stories and Songs is returning to the West Van performance hall.
The variety-style show is inspired by the mix of music and storytelling on the former CBC Radio program The Vinyl Café, hosted by the late Stuart McClean.
This year’s lineup of musical guests includes platinum-selling 54-40 frontman Neil Osborne, acclaimed soul singer Dawn Pemberton, female folk trio The Luckies, and singer-songwriter Jill Barber – who’s also Lawrence’s wife.
Lawrence's new kids book partially set in West Vancouver
Alternating between readings from Lawrence’s several published memoirs and musical performances, the evening will also cater to the local crowd.
“I like to make it pretty localized with stories that have happened on the North Shore. And people request certain stories,” he said.
One that you might hear at the upcoming show involves a herd of cows floating down Burrard Inlet and ending up on various beaches in West Van.
“I’m not fully committed to what stories I’m going to tell you, but I’ve have had several people ask me if I would tell that one,” he said. “I might even try to get the tugboat captain to come down for that.”
Lawrence is also likely to share glimpses of his 2024 book, Adventures in Desolation Sound, which is partially set in West Vancouver.
“It’s basically the children’s adaptation of my first book, Adventures in Solitude,” he said. “It’s a picture book about how my sister and I were obsessed with screens. But this was like in the ’70s or ’80s and the screen was the television, and we would watch all the shows, all day.”
His new publication centres on the efforts of Lawrence’s dad to get them as far away from televisions as possible.
“[That] was the wilderness of Desolation Sound, which has basically become a huge part of my life now. And I am forever indebted to my parents for doing that, because it really did plant a seed of true love for our flora and fauna of the West Coast,” he said.
Grant Lawrence and Friends: an Evening of Stories and Songs
Where: Kay Meek Arts Centre, West Vancouver
When: Saturday, April 12, 7 p.m.
Tickets: available via the Kay Meek website
[email protected]
twitter.com/nick_laba
@nicklaba.bsky.social
Want to stay updated on North Vancouver and West Vancouver news? Sign up for our free daily newsletter.
