Year: 2016
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Remembering Bobby Curtola
Bobby Curtola’s death Saturday at 73 came as a real shock. I will always remember his youthful enthusiasm and how he loved to perform. Bobby was Canada’s first singing idol. Ottawa’s Paul Anka moved to the U.S. and in hindsight Bobby should have gone too – most of his early recordings were made in Nashville. He…
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Alan Young’s Vancouver Connection
Alan Young (above left), a veteran actor who was best known as Wilbur on TV’s Mr. Ed (1961-1966) and as the voice of Disney’s Scrooge McDuck has died. He was 96. Young’s family moved to West Vancouver when he was 6. He started his career doing impressions on CJOR in 1937 while still in high school.…
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Johnny Cash, 1959
I first met Johnny Cash when I worked at KGW Radio-TV in Portland in 1959. He played the Division Street Corral, a landmark country dance hall in East Portland. We got along famously and later I was to learn that I had a lot in common with most of the southern music stars. When Johnny came…
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Thomas At The WCRA This Weekend!
Who doesn’t love trains? My late grandfather was an engineer on CPR’s Vancouver Island lines at the turn of the century. His last steam engine – MacMillan Bloedel 1044 – is still on display in Chemainus today: Everybody’s favourite “steamie”, Thomas the Tank Engine returns to West Coast Railway Heritage Park for another fun family event this weekend, and the park is…
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The Lancers at CKWX, 1957
This photo of me with The Lancers was taken in the old CKWX studios at 1275 Burrard Street in Vancouver. In those halcyon days recording stars were constantly dropping in to visit. This white Coral Records doo-wop group was formed by all four guys: Jerry Meacham, Dick Burr, Bob Porter and Corky Lindgren. The Lancers…
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Remembering EXPO 86 And The Legends Of Rock’n’Roll
Has it really been 30 years since EXPO 86 changed Vancouver forever? I saw it as an opportunity to highlight the best of rock and roll. In 1985 we did a test run at the Pacific Coliseum with Freddy Cannon, Chuck Berry, The Chiffons and Bobby Curtola to see if the concept was valid. A small…
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West Fine Art Show At The Rodeo This Weekend!
The West Fine Art Show opens this weekend at the Cloverdale Rodeo and runs May 20-23. My friends and artists Murray Phillips and Brian Croft have been running this show for the past seven years and at each show they outdo themselves connecting people with fine art. Partial proceeds go to CH.I.L.D. Foundation which does vital work…
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Stanley Park Train Mystery Solved!
Have you ever wondered where the original Stanley Park train went? In the late 1940s, Provincial Chief Engineer John Armstrong built a miniature steam engine and train in his basement in Victoria, cutting a hole in the wall of his house to get it out onto tracks laid in the neighbourhood. The railway soon became…
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Red Around Town, May 2016
Carole and I recently returned from a cruise around Australia and New Zealand. Thirty four days at sea, but it was a once in a lifetime trip and high on our “bucket” list. Upon returning I could not believe the number of my favourite personalities who have passed away. The list to date is unbelievable.…
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The Crickets in Vancouver, 1962
Did you know producer Norman Petty arranged for the Crickets‘ records to be marketed under two separate names? Solo vocals went out as “Buddy Holly” and songs with backing vocals were issued as “The Crickets”. This photo of the Crickets shows the entire band after Buddy Holly’s death. L-R Glen D. Hardin, Sonny Curtis, me,…