Inuvik (Oct 15/04) - After six years of playing his music on the road and recording, the long and winding road has brought Aengus Finnan to Inuvik as Sir Alexander Mackenzie school's new music teacher.

Interestingly enough, it was working as a teacher in Moosonee, Ont., where Finnan got the inspiration that would eventually propel him into a music career.

"One day, a student of mine got very upset and decked me," Finnan said. "I was upset by the incident and then I got a phone call at home. It was the boy calling to apologize."

Impressed with the courage it took for the student to call -- and then to share the story of his troubled life -- Finnan says it was the catalyst for writing his first song called Fly Away.

Drawn to the storytelling power that folk music provided, Finnan decided to leave the teaching profession to try to make a go of it as a musician. Cashing in his pension, Finnan bought an old Volkswagen.

He hit the road, "playing every church basement, lady's auxiliary tea, legion and coffee house. Anywhere that would have me."

"I would drive five hours to play a 15-minute open stage and then drive five hours back home," he said of the two years of hard work it took to get some kind of recognition playing music.

Finnan's musical talent matched with dogged persistence paid off.

Though his success can't be measured so much in financial terms, the critical acclaim he has received for his music and performances over the past six years is highlighted by his inclusion on the recording "Beautiful, a tribute to Gordon Lightfoot."

Joining the likes of Blue Rodeo and The Tragically Hip, Finnan's contribution to the project was his original tune "Lightfoot," written for a man he considers to be the most influential songwriter ever to come out of Canada.

On Thursday, Finnan will again hit the road along with a dozen other artists for a one-month Lightfoot tribute tour.

Filling in during his time away from the classroom -- Finnan is on contract as a part-time teacher -- will be the Inuvik Drummers and Dancers.

But not to worry kids, because he will be back in the classroom come November with more tales from the road and, hopefully, a few more new songs in his repertoire.