“Our community clubs were the platforms that launched many Winnipeg music legends”
Rock, folk and country music iconoclast Neil Young began
his career playing community clubs throughout the city. One of his most enduring songs, Sugar Mountain, was written while he still lived at home with his mother on Grosvenor Avenue. Neil’s album, Harvest, was named the top album by Rolling Stone magazine in 1972. He has played Wood- stock, Farm Aid, Live Aid, Carnegie Hall and the biggest arenas and concert halls in the world on his own or with super group Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and released over 60 albums in a career that shows no signs of slowing down. Neil made his recording debut in July 1963 at radio station CKRC’s Carlton Street studio. Tose same neighbourhood community club dances gave
birth to Canada’s first rock superstars, Te Guess Who. In 1965, Chad Allan & the Expressions were renamed Te Guess Who after their raucous recording of Shakin’ All Over topped the charts across the country and dented the United States Billboard charts at #22. Following several lean years and the addition of singer Burton Cummings from lo- cal group Te Deverons, Te Guess Who scored their first million-selling single, Tese Eyes, in 1969. Te song was composed by Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings at Burton’s mother’s house on Bannerman Avenue. Tis was followed by a string of million-selling singles including Laughing, Undun, No Time and American Woman, which topped the American charts for three weeks running in May 1970, selling over 2.5 million copies. Tat same year the band sold more records than the entire Canadian music industry and performed at the White House by invitation of fan, Tri- cia Nixon. American Woman was recently recognized as the greatest Canadian single of all time. Te Guess Who con- tinued notching up hits with Hand Me Down World, Share the Land, Star Baby and Clap for the Wolfman. Winnipeg still has it
In the 1990s, Winnipeg’s Crash Test Dummies became
international stars with their quirky brand of folk rock origi- nally conceived at the infamous Main Street Blue Note club. After jamming with old band mates at that club in 1987, Neil Young named his next band and album Neil Young & Te Blue Notes. Te Dummies appeared an unprecedented three times on Late Night with David Letterman because the host was a fan of the group. Celtic music queen and world music sensation Loreena McKennitt from Morden, Man., got her start playing Win- nipeg’s Rainbow Stage and Hollow Mug dinner theatre and appeared at the inaugural Winnipeg Folk Festival. Loreena has sold more than 15 million albums and performed before Her Majesty, the Queen. Te annual Winnipeg Folk Festival has become one of North America’s premier music events drawing artists and fans here from across the continent each summer.
38 • Summer 2015 Te kids scene Winnipeg has also produced two of the finest children’s
entertainers in the world. Multiple Juno award winners Fred Penner and Al Simmons got their start together in a band called Kornstock before launching individual ca- reers. At one time, over 50 million viewers tuned in to Fred Penner’s Place on the American Nickelodeon chan- nel.
Opera to hip hop In the world of opera, Winnipegger Tracy Dahl is re-
garded as a major talent. She made her New York Metro- politan Opera debut alongside Placido Domingo. Inter- nationally recognized hip hop recording artist Fresh I.E. (Winnipegger Robert Wilson) has been nominated twice for Grammy awards and has won several Vibe awards. Dunrea, Man. born Daniel Lavoie began his career play- ing community clubs in Winnipeg before moving to Que- bec to become one of the province’s greatest singer/song- writers. He is also revered in France. Country
As for that cowboy songwriter, Winnipeg-born singer/
songwriter Bob Nolan, founding member of the legendary Sons of the Pioneers along with Roy Rogers, is responsible for penning two of the greatest cowboy songs of all time, Tumblin’ Tumbleweeds and Cool Water. Bob appeared in over 80 movies alongside Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. Tumblin’ Tumbleweeds is one of the most recorded songs of all time. Te first song Beatle John Lennon learned to play on guitar was Bob’s Cool Water. (Talk about six de- grees of separation!) Bob’s accomplishments have been honoured in the Cowboy Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, the Western Music Hall of Fame, Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Smithsonian Institute.
Oscar the Grouch And Oscar the Grouch? Winnipegger Oscar Brand is
regarded as the pre-eminent folk music authority and has appeared onstage with the likes of Bob Dylan; Harry Be- lafonte; Peter, Paul & Mary and Joan Baez. He has hosted a popular folk music radio show in New York for over 60 years and wrote the Canadian folk classic, Something to Sing About (Tis Land of Ours). As an original member of the Children’s Television Workshop, Oscar was so fas- tidious that they named the grouchy Sesame Street char- acter after him. So by extension, Oscar the Grouch is a Winnipegger, too. Bet you didn’t know that. Want to learn more about Winnipeg’s exciting music history? Sign up for John Einarson’s Magical Musical History Tour at
heartlandtravel.ca
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