IBEW and Ampere Ltd. ensure he is properly wired for sound.
Country music artist Jason McCoy is not only an award-winning entertainer, but he’s also a handyman, and fans can get to see his skills at work in a new video that tracks the build.
The video – A lot on the Line – takes viewers through McCoy’s journey to create a recording studio in his home. It’s part comedy, part educational and part cautionary tale.
“I always felt I was handy and could do a lot of things,” he says proudly.
Indeed, even his daughter agrees that dad has had success with many home projects.
But this new project meant plenty of electrical work, including the installation of a massive Music World sign surrounded by light.
“I had always dreamed of building a home music studio so I could spend more time with my family while I worked on my songs,” he explained.
The project was coming along nicely with some fine handywork from McCoy until he got to the electrical portion of the job.
“Originally I thought this was going to be like running a plug for a light. It’s a bigger monster than that,” he admits. “I was working with electricity and given the complexity of this project I realized it was time to bring in the pros,” said McCoy who is best known for his music both as a solo artist and with the Juno award-winning Road Hammers.
He decided it was time to call a licensed electrical contractor at Ampere Ltd. for help.
“I was working with electricity and given the complexity of this project I realized it was time to bring in the pros,”
– Jason McCoy, Country Music Artist
Time for Help
Dean Peltier, an IBEW certified electrician who works for Ampere arrived on the scene with Local 353 Business Manager Steve Martin who was invited along as the goal was to video tape the project to help others learn from his experience.
McCoy’s eagerness to get the studio built prior to consulting certified professionals meant some work had to be done again. “Now we have to take a few steps backward,” said Peltier.
“Most of the time if someone who isn’t qualified tries to do their own wiring they end up changing so many things that it is never done to code and that is dangerous,” said Martin.
Peltier noted that there were 106 electrical connections in the studio that all had the potential to cause a fire if done incorrectly. This studio was attached to McCoy’s home and his children’s bedrooms were right above the studio.
McCoy did the right thing by turning to professionals to get the electrical work done safely and professionally, added Martin.
“We have a saying, everyone’s an electrician – until you burn your house down,” added Peltier.
Now that the work is done, McCoy is enjoying the fruits of his labour with a beautifully designed home studio and the proper electrical wiring to make sure the sound is correct, and he and his family are safe.
He says he developed a new appreciation of what is involved in electrical work and with the music studio complete, he can spend more time at home while still working on his songs.
“It’s nice that I now have just a door separating my real world for my creative fantasy world – my music world.”
