Chatting with Sharon Hampson of Sharon, Lois & Bram

Sharon, Lois & Bram. Photo Credit: Gordon Hay.

Sharon Hampson of the iconic Canadian trio Sharon, Lois & Bram chatted about their new album “Elephant Show Stoppers!”

This collection is set for release on vinyl on September 27, and in an extended digital version on October 18, 2024. It will be in celebration of the 40th anniversary since “The Elephant Show” first aired.

New vinyl

On the new vinyl, Sharon said, “I am very excited. I love it, I am thrilled.”

Regarding the idea for this concept, she said, “Kris Stengele and Jacy Dawn Valeras, who are grownup fans and great friends, along with my daughter Randi, recognized that it has been 40 years since ‘The Elephant Show’ and they started looking at the material that we have, and they discovered that there are a bunch of songs that were on the show but were never released on recording.”

“Bram and I were mighty surprised by all that, but we were delighted. The three of them spearheaded this, and it is fun to hear these songs,” she said.

Celebrating 40 years of ‘The Elephant Show’

On the 40^th anniversary of “The Elephant Show,” she said, “Honestly, it is hard to believe! It has been 40 years for ‘The Elephant Show,’ and it has been longer for our first record, which came out in 1978, which is over 46 years.”

“I loved doing ‘The Elephant Show.’ We were all new to doing something like that. We had a little television experience, but there was nothing like it. ‘The Elephant Show’ was unique, and doing it was a real treat. We started in 1984, and we went to 1988. It was fun.”

The digital age

On being a part of the digital age, she said, “Everything has changed, it is quite dramatic.”

“For me, it is fun to have this as a vinyl… all the songs are listed on there, and the inside is so fabulous. All the anecdotes, posters, and pictures are pretty exciting,” she admitted.

Advice for young and emerging artists

For young and aspiring artists, she said, “It’s a hard business. You have to really, really want to do it. Don’t do it for the money or the fame, you need to have the passion, and that is a reward in and of itself.”

“We were lucky in the way the world unfolded for us. We had something to offer at the right time. We were lucky in terms of timing, and people were ready to accept what we were offering,” Sharon said.

“Do it because you really love it, and because you really want to do it,” she acknowledged.

“I think we had something really good to offer, but also, we were very lucky, and for that, I am grateful,” she added.

Key to longevity in the entertainment business

On the key to longevity in the entertainment industry, Sharon remarked, “Who knows? A lot of groups break up because they don’t get along over time. We started three mature adults, we knew how to get along and how to make challenges work, and I think that worked for us.”

“The idea of doing a vinyl is so cool. I think vinyl always works best for the kids because they can relate to us a little more easily as opposed to a cassette or a CD,” she observed.

“We used to spend so much time figuring out the order of the songs for the vinyl,” she admitted.

“Also, I think we had something that engaged not just the children but their parents and families as well. We put a lot of care into what we did. We spent time and money to create really good music, really good TV, and really good concerts,” she elaborated.

“Every year, there are new babies being born, so there is always a new audience… That is pretty good longevity; we are lucky for that,” she added.

Stage of her life

On the title of the current chapter of her life, Sharon said, “Lucky Me.”

“I get to sing, which gives me pleasure, I have a wonderful family around me, I go to the gym twice a week, I go to dance class, I am trying to stay strong and healthy, and I am enjoying the pleasures of life,” she explained.

Superpowers of choice

If she were to have any superpowers, she responded, “I would keep the people close to me strong and healthy, and the second would be to have a better world where people aren’t hurting each other.”

“The world is full of troubles, and that is why I am grateful to do something that brings pleasure into people’s lives. There is nothing like people singing together,” she acknowledged.

Success

Regarding her definition of success, Sharon said, “The biggest success is getting to do something that you love. Like I was telling my friends earlier today, I never worked in any other job in my whole life. The only thing I ever did was music, so I think I am pretty lucky in that regard.”

“Also, having a home, a family, people around you that you love, and getting to work with something that gives you pleasure is the big picture of success,” she added.

Message for her fans

For her fans, Sharon said, “Keep singing and keep music in your life because it makes your life better. Once you have it, nobody can take it away from you… it is yours forever.”

Closing thoughts on the new vinyl

“I hope the fans get a lot of pleasure listening to the new vinyl, and I hope it brings back good memories,” she noted.

“Also, I hope they introduce this vinyl to their youngsters, and that a whole new group of people will get to experience the pleasure of the music,” Sharon concluded.

To learn more about Sharon, Lois & Bram, check out their official website, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.