Johnny Langille describes himself as a real eccentric.

“My mother says I’m an original; there’s no mold for me,” he says. “It’s not always easy being unique, but I chose this road, and the love of my family and friends sustains me.”

The proud Maritimer from Lunenberg County, Nova Scotia has lived in Huntsville for the past 11 years.

Job-wise, Langille wears three different hats: church organist, restaurant server and superintendent of a housing complex. It was the position of p.m. server at Deerhurst’s Eclipse and Steamers restaurants that first brought him to town.

“Deerhurst was owned by CP at the time and I had worked for that company in the past,” he says. “The staff is a wonderful, close-knit group of people, and I love serving. Each table is a different experience with different personalities and different challenges.”

For the past three years, Langille has also been the superintendent of the Morguard Staff Residence for Deerhurst employees.

“I enjoy being around young people,” he says. “It’s particularly rewarding to meet people from all walks of life and many cultures.”

However, what he calls the work of his heart is that of organist at Trinity United Church.

Langille’s is an extremely close-knit family, and music is the thread that has always held them all together. His mother and paternal grandmother were both church organists, while his father is a fiddler who has been recognized for helping to revive the Don Messer tradition in Nova Scotia and has even played for the Queen during a royal visit.

“My parents always emphasized sharing your talent and your love of music,” Langille says. “The most important thing was always going to little community halls and helping to raise money. I have so many fond memories of going to those programs. There would always be fiddling and square dancing followed by a pie auction, with a little woodstove going in the back.”

His “grounded, down-to-earth Maritime family” also had kitchen parties most weekends, where people of all ages would gather to play music and tell stories.

In Langille’s childhood home, there were many instruments available, including a piano, electric organ, pump organ, violins, ukeleles and a clarinet.

“My mom would get up at 6 a.m. and say, ‘Hey, you kids, get off that piano!’” he recalls.

On his second day in Huntsville, Langille walked into Trinity United Church and found out they were in need of a musical director due to the grave illness of their long-time organist Ken McDowell.

Soon after that, Langille “auditioned” for then-minister John McTavish and got the job. Ever since, he has assisted in planning the music and special choral presentations each week, as well as annual Easter and Christmas cantatas.

“This is my opportunity to stay spiritually grounded,” he says. “It’s wonderful to know your music can soothe the tired soul and reach the broken heart, replacing sorrow with joy. It’s about touching the heart and getting people to reflect.”

Langille says he admires the warmth and kindness of the congregation at Trinity United. “And the choir is awesome. It has gone from 13 or 14 people to about 30. I love that choir. That’s my Huntsville family.”

With three jobs to juggle, Langille doesn’t have a lot of free time. However, when he does, his first inclination is to spend time alone. “All of my hats are very social,” he explains. Having studied history at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, he is an avid reader of history.

Langille also enjoys going out for dinner and some entertainment. “The thing I love about Huntsville is that music and the arts are alive, well and thriving,” he says. “I’m astounded by the musical talent in this town.”

When he gets a few days off, he enjoys going to Toronto or Ottawa. And every October, he spends three weeks in Nova Scotia with his family.

“As a Maritimer, there’s always the call of home, the call of the sea,” he says. “I’ve made a decision to make Huntsville my life, but my heart is always at home.”

Thanks to Ian McTavish for suggesting that Johnny be profiled. If there’s someone you’d like to see in this space, please call Paula at 789-5541 or e-mail  pboon@metrolandnorthmedia.com.