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Heritage Old-time Country Music Association of the upper Ottawa Valley
Please click on refresh to get the most current page info. underlined words are links to more info! last update: November 2, 2008 What's going on right now? Email us about events the members might enjoy. The July 2008 Newsletter is in see News. HOTCMA’s Tribute to The Loggers On Saturday October 18, 2008, the Heritage Old Time Country Music Association (HOTCMA) presented a tribute to the loggers of old with a five-hour program consisting of traditional shanty songs at the Legion in Eganville, Ontario. The shanty theme was greatly enhanced by a display of literature and shanty-era logging and river-driving tools, such as crosscuts, broad axes, cant hooks, pick poles and peeves. As well, many of the participants, along with the band, came dressed in lumberjack garb. Bandleader, keyboardist and expert singer of songs Guy Jamieson worked
long and hard to come up with an extremely interesting program and a top-notch
group of musicians consisting of Hubert Corriveau, Dennis Harrington, Al and
Ilean Cruise. Dominic Darcy, the Singing Policeman, opened the show with his
entertaining routine. Another special guest was step-dancer Barry Gilchrist, son
of Donnie Gilchrist, one of the best step-dancers to ever put leather to the
floor in the Ottawa Valley or any where in the world. Barry performed his
father’s Broad Axe Dance, created for Canada’s 1967 Centennial and performed
in 27 countries around the world during that year. Though the band kept the 150-plus crowd in a sweat with polkas, waltzes,
round and square dances, the lumbering theme was woven throughout the program.
Guy performed many of Mac Beatty’s Valley numbers while Wes Bomhower and Garry
Ferguson delivered their renditions of some old shanty songs. Brian Crook also
added to the theme with his own river-driving compositions of the Ottawa. With
an aim to paying tribute to the shanty men and river drivers in our area, Larry
Graham, Preston O’Grady and Garry Ferguson presented short histories of the
Ottawa, Bonnechere and Madawaska Rivers as lead-ins to Guys songs. This tribute to the shanty boys was one of the most successful HOTCMA
programs ever staged and it drew the attention of Gerald Tracey of The Eganville
Leader who published an excellent account of the event in the October 22, 2008
issue. Wes Bomhower of Calabogie and Patricia Strong of Matawatchan won the
prizes for the best Lumberjack and Lumberjane dress.
The Third Matawatchan Jamboree
Garry
Ferguson The third annual HOTCMA Matawatchan Jamboree, held on August 24, 2008,
again went over big in this southerly part of Renfrew County, Ontario. The old
Matawatchan Hall was crowded with people from as far away as Pembroke, Renfrew
and Barry’s Bay who mixed with local music fans. It was gratifying to HOTCMA
organizers, including MC Stan Callaghan, to realize that almost half the number
in attendance were musicians who’d traveled great distances to participate. The house band, made up of Rick Sernoskie and June Biggs of Barry’s
Bay along with fiddler Gordie Brohart of Eganville appreciated Gerry Letang’s
efforts after he’d arrived merely to observe but wound up spending his whole
afternoon on the business end of a rhythm guitar. Step dancer Kelsey Verch, of
Eganville, accompanied by fiddler Dan Mighton, of Hanover Ontario, wowed the
crowd with her flashing feet. Dan was in this part of the province to
participate in Fiddlefest and the Pembroke Fiddling and Step Dancing Contest.
Annabell and Gerry Marshall, two local step dancing fans, sponsored Kelsey’s
trip to the Jamboree. One of the HOTCMA directors who traveled from Addington Highlands to participate in the event, remarked on the friendliness of the crowd. It seemed that everyone she encountered smiled. This friendliness, above all, has ensured that this annual event has been a success and will again be on HOTCMA’s calendar for 2009. see
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