Canadian Robert Pilon is a professional singer whose grandfather was born in the hamlet of Kepnal, just east of Pewsey in 1890. To mark his association with the area and honour his ancestors, Robert Pilon is mounting a charity concert at Pewsey Vale School on June 8.
He will be bringing a 30-member Canadian choir – The County Town Singers. They will be coming straight from singing at Juno Beach in Normandy for the seventy-fifth anniversary of D-Day – in honour of the Canadian troops who took part in the invasion of Nazi occupied Europe.
They will be joined by the Swindon Citadel Singers of the Salvation Army and a number of other performers – including Dr Draw, Claudio Vena and David Atkinson.
It is a fundraising concert that will benefit three charities: the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, the Salvation Army in Swindon and the Pewsey Carnival – which in turn distributes proceeds from its events to several local charities.
Robert Pilon is well known in Canada for his stage and television performances and as a recording artist. He has played the lead roles of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables and The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera in Toronto and across Canada.
Robert Pilon’s grandfather was George John Rutt. His mother took him to Canada when he was very young, he stayed in Canada and had a family of sixteen children. One of them became Robert Pilon’s mother – Rita Rutt Pilon.
The Rutt family included many musical talents. His mother became a professional singer – and entertained troops during the Second World War.
Robert Pilon has called his concert Songs for my Grandfather: “My grandfather was larger than life. A man with a beautiful voice and nature. I have fond memories of time spent with him.”
“The community of Pewsey and Wiltshire has embraced me as I have dug deeper into my heritage. I am grateful for their support.”
“I look forward to the opportunity to bring focus to this community in the spirit of honouring my ancestors.”
Tickets can be bought from Ticketsource here