A Final Stage Captured Forever: Stan Rogers’ Remarkable Performance of “Three Fishers” Just Days Before His Passing
A rare concert recording from May 28, 1983 continues to hold a special place in the history of folk music. Filmed by Alan Kanter at McCabe’s Guitar Shop in Santa Monica, California, the video captures Canadian folk singer and songwriter Stan Rogers performing “Three Fishers” during the first of two shows that evening. What makes the footage especially significant is the knowledge that Rogers would tragically lose his life only five days later in the Air Canada Flight 797 disaster.
The performance stands today not only as a musical document but also as one of the last professionally recorded glimpses of an artist whose influence on folk music remains profound decades after his death. Rogers was accompanied by an accomplished group of musicians that night. His brother, Garnet Rogers, played fiddle, while Jim Morison provided bass and Steven Hayes contributed guitar and piano. Together, they created the rich and expressive sound that had become a hallmark of Rogers’ live performances.
“Three Fishers,” based on the famous poem by Charles Kingsley, is a song deeply rooted in themes of the sea, sacrifice, and the uncertainty faced by fishing families. Rogers’ interpretation brings an added sense of gravity and emotional depth to the piece. His powerful baritone voice, combined with the understated support of the accompanying musicians, transforms the traditional narrative into a moving reflection on courage and loss.
Viewed through the lens of history, the performance carries a poignancy that could not have been recognized on the night it was recorded. There is a quiet dignity in Rogers’ delivery, a quality that had long distinguished him from many of his contemporaries. The recording preserves not only his voice but also his stage presence, musicianship, and ability to connect deeply with the material he performed.
More than four decades later, the video remains an important reminder of Rogers’ enduring legacy. It captures an artist at the height of his abilities, fully engaged in the craft he loved. While the tragedy that followed has inevitably become part of the story, the lasting impression left by the recording is one of artistic excellence rather than loss.
Forty five years after that performance, “Three Fishers” continues to resonate as both a memorable interpretation of a timeless song and a powerful testament to Stan Rogers’ place among the most respected voices in modern folk music.