B.C. musician inspired by late father to realize Abbey Road dream

Sawatsky Sign-Off: Justin's Songs Adam finds out how a Westshore man was inspired by the soundtrack of his youth to realize a musical dream.

As he plays ‘Come Together’ on his acoustic guitar, Justin Hewitt recalls how he first learned to play songs by The Beatles as a way of connecting with his Fab Four loving father.

“Dad loved that,” Hewitt smiles, remembering how they would play and sing together when he was young. “He was always saying keep doing it. Don’t give up on it.”

The experiences inspired Hewitt to eventually write his own songs and release two independent albums but, after a decade of baring his soul in local bars, the artist was burning out.

“You don’t lose your love for it,” Hewitt says. “But you kind of need to take a break.”

Hewitt stopped making music for years, until he lost four friends and family members during the pandemic, including his dad.

“And after all that death,” Hewitt says. “I needed something that made me feel alive again.”

Committing to living without regrets and daring to dream big, Hewitt began asking about recording in the same studio his dad’s beloved Beatles did. After working hard to earn the privilege, Abbey Road finally said yes.

“You’re scared, because part of you is like, ‘What am I doing here?!’” Hewitt says of working in the iconic studio. “And the other part of you is like, ‘This is awesome!’”

Hewitt and his band couldn't have felt more fortunate for the opportunity to play on the same piano Paul McCartney played, and sing into the same microphone John Lennon sang.

“Don’t give up,” Hewitt says. “Just keep going until something happens.”

Now Justin’s album, Love Will Disarm You, is being streamed around the globe, with international critics calling it an “emotional masterpiece” with “virtuosic storytelling."

“I’m very grateful,” says Hewitt. “And really happy with how it’s being received.”

The musician says he has no doubt his dad is looking down with pride, especially after he followed tradition and wrotea message on the wall of Abbey Road saying ‘Dad, I love you. See you on the flip side’, followed later by ‘I did it!’ There is also no doubt this boy is grateful for how his father inspired him to fill his heart with song again.

“Life can be hard,” says Hewitt, "but try to find the things that make you happy, keep doing those, and hold on to them.”