Stirling John is an Ojibway country singer/songwriter who currently resides in Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada. A police officer serving since 2007, he also serves as a Helicopter Tactical Flight Officer serving primarily the Province of Alberta however at times elsewhere if needed in Canada. A musician at heart, Stirling was raised in a musical family in Ontario, however, work and life took a step ahead. It was years later that music would revisit his life after the totality of several traumatic calls he was involved in through the course of his policing career. Stirling writes and records songs inspired by some of the scenes he has attended including human trafficking, addictions and domestic violence. Making a difference in this lifetime is his sole purpose and developing soulful music with the message to always be there for others has become his focus.li
2020 was Stirling’s breakout year. Despite working fulltime during the pandemic as a frontline essential worker, he remained proactive with writing and recording. The Distance, For You, Never Meant to Be, and Record Time are four singles he professionally recorded and digitally released in 2020. The Distance was written and released for his children in March 2020 and voices that no distance should come between those who you truly love. For You was released in April 2020 with a message to be a light for others. Stirling was inspired to write this song in December 2019 after attending a shift call for a family domestic situation. Never Meant to Be is a song about lessons learned in love. Record Time, an edgy country rock song about a failed relationship, is his fourth and final single of 2020. It was a pitch from Nashville written by Aaron Goodvin, Craig Campbell, and Bart Butler and was released to Canadian Country radio on November 9, 2020. Stirling released two more singles in early 2021: Believe, a song promoting mental health and This I Know, which encourages people in relationships to always work together and be the best version of themselves.
Not only a solo artist, Stirling also performs with the band Hometown Stereo. Through Hometown Stereo he wrote and released a song in February 2020 called Angel in Disguise, shedding light on a person’s struggle with addiction which ultimately affects their family that loves them. It is also a song which brings light to the issue involving missing and murdered Indigenous women. Stirling has also had the opportunity to work with ACMA and CCMA award-winning session musicians who have performed in the Roadhammers and Gord Bamford Band. He has also been mentored by top shelf music and video producers Rob Hewes and Johnny Gasparic from MCC Studio in Calgary, AB. Through these connections he has taken on new music from singer/songwriters Aaron Goodvin and Buddy Owens in Nashville, TN which he plans to release in 2021.
A hardworking emerging artist, one of Stirling’s early influences in life was Garth Brooks. With the range of Vince Gill combined with the musicality of Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban, Stirling’s powerful voice is very soothing and captivating within his songs and has thus created a loyal fan base. His long-term plan is to leave policing by 2024 and pursue a professional music career.
The future looks very bright for Stirling who is dedicated to honing his craft. He would like to continue to write about real issues as well as perform his heartfelt songs that have meaning in his life and others. He strives to continually focus on his musical future and also hopes musicians receive the support they need to release songs independently without a major label record deal. Being nominated for 2020 Songwriter of the Year and Community Spirit Award through Country Music Alberta has been a highlight in Stirling’s career so far and he hopes to continue this successful music-making streak.
