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HOTCMA
NEWSLETTER The
Heritage Old Time Country Music Association: December
2008 President’s
Notebook Hello
again folks: As 2008 draws to a close, we can look back at what we’ve accomplished over the last 12 months with a great deal of pride. In addition to our traditional annual programs, we held jam sessions or jamborees in places like Barry’s Bay, Quyon, Hardwood Lake and Matawatchan and of course participated in the series of Sunday-evening summer programs at the amphitheatre on the Pembroke water front. Our tribute to the lumberjacks in Eganville on October 18, 2008, “Logging in the Valley,” struck a harmonious chord with valley folk and is thought, by many, to be the most successful HOTCMA event ever
staged. Though space doesn’t allow me to list their names here, I want to thank all the people who so readily responded throughout the year and stepped in to organize, perform, provide lunches and to help us in dozens of other ways. Our Reps, general membership and the patrons who attend these functions are also vitally important to us. They are the ones who support and motivate us to do greater things and for
them we are thankful. As the Christmastide approaches, may I take this opportunity to wish you and your families a “Merry Christmas” and
a “Blessed New Year.” Other HOTCMA Goings On Pembroke Waterfront The Waterfront Live series of programs under the auspices of the City of Pembroke, took place every evening through July and August. The venue is one of the most interesting in which HOTCMA bands have performed. The stage, a spacious gazebo-like structure, is part of a large amphitheatre that will accommodate an audience of several hundred people. Since the project coincided with the city’s 180th anniversary celebrations, special attention was given to it. For the second year, our HOTCMA members came through in a big way. They brought talented people from distant points on both sides of the Ottawa River to stage programs on four of the evenings which made us a major contributor to the
endeavour. RIck Sernoskie brought the Bay Connection, Everett Ward, the Country Airs and Garry Ferguson, Highway Forty-One along with Maurice Gervais. Brian Hebert brought his friends. Some of these people traveled considerable distances-in one case from Cloyne, Ontario at their own expense to make sure that our own music was
promoted and heard. Tribute to The Shantymen On Saturday October 18, 2008, the 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 tools such as broad axes, pike poles and peavies. As
well, many of the participants, came dressed in lumberjack garb. Bandleader Guy Jamieson came up with a top-notch group of musicians. This band consisted of Hubert Corrivean, Dennis Harrington, Al and Ilean Cruise. Dominic D’Arcy, the Singing Policeman, opened the show with his entertaining routine. Another special guest, Barry Gilchrist son of step-dancing legend Donnie Gilchrist, performed his father’s Broad Axe Dance created for Canada’s 1967 Centennial and performed, by
Donnie, in 27 countries around the world during that year. 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 Matawatchan Jamboree The third annual HOTCMA Matawatchan Jamboree, held on August 24, 2008, again went over big in this part of Renfrew County. The old Matawatchan Hall was crowded with people from as far away as Pembroke, Renfrew
and Barry’s Bay who came to mix with local fans. 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 Matawatchan stepdancing fans, sponsored
Kelsey’s trip to the Jamboree. Dominic D’Arcy By:Garry Ferguson During my very first telephone conversation with Dominic D’Arcy, a woman kept interrupting, at his end of the line, by singing in Chinese. She paused occasionally to inform me, in heavily-accented, and broken English, that she wished to singing some Chinese country music for me. It took me a while to figure out that I was talking to only one person. It was a good beginning to our
acquaintance. Dominic was born 1939 in Sheenboro, Quebec to parents Patrick and Mary (Walker) D’Arcy. His parents, as well as most of the siblings in his large family (13), played instruments or sang, so Dominic was immersed in music from the day he came into the world. Talent apparently came at him from both sides of the family. His parents were musicians. His father played violin and an uncle, Remi Walker, was renowned throughout the Pontiac, and beyond, as a top-notch fiddler. With such family genes, it’s not surprising that Dominic began performing on stage at the age of 14. He grew up and went to school in Sheenboro before going out into the world. In 1964, Dominic married Noellie Larose of Ottawa. They have two adult sons, Anthony and Darren. Because he had two brothers and four brothers-in-law on police forces, it is also not surprising that he eventually chose law enforcement as a vocation and so in February of 1965 joined the Ottawa Police Department. In spite of a lively sense of humour and a penchant for observing the lighter side of life in general, Dominic evidently did well in a type of organization that encourages uniformity. During his 36 years on the Force (retired 1999) he worked the streets, in Traffic Division, as a detective and as a Youth Liaison Officer. He was promoted to Sergeant and in 1985 won the Police Officer of the Year Award. It was sometime early in his career that he became known as the Singing Policeman. Since that time, many years later, Sergeant D’Arcy has taken his mixture of song and social message to audiences around the world. Those audiences included local youths, dignitaries, prime ministers and heads of
state or monarchs from at least 13 countries. in spite of his international renown, the passion
of this writer, singer of songs, musician, actor and humorist he claims to joke only about Catholics, cops and bald people because he’s of all three persuasions - is to perform for and work with youth, bringing his motivational message concerning safety and personal responsibility. His programs encourage youth to get involved in their communities and to avoid drugs, cigarettes and alcohol. He conducts a No Bullying Program and also founded both the Rising Star Program and The Dominic D’Arcy Development Foundation in order to guide young performers toward a career in entertainment. He provides exposure, experience and guidance by having them join him on television, stage or in recording sessions. His own TV show, D ‘A rcy ‘S Beat, that lasted for five seasons and won the Can-Pro Award, did just that. Some of the young folk he’s helped bring to prominence include Alanis Morissette, Polly Shannon, Stephanie Cadman and Meredith Henderson. Performing 150 shows annually across North America, the Caribbean, England, Ireland, the former Soviet Union, China and even at the north pole, has brought him
into contact with such notables as ‘Nana Mouskouri, Peter Fonda, The Rovers, The Nylons, Shania Twain, Rich Little, Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana. Though his name became known in international entertainment circles, it was the unselfish commitment to his own community that has won him the most accolades enough award certificates to paper the walls of a barn-sized room. He maintains (with a poker face) that when presented with the ‘Key to the City of Ottawa,” he told Mayor Chiarelli that he didn’t really need a key when he already had a gun. Since 1985, various levels of governments and community organizations have presented Dominic with the Ottawa/Hull Hospitality Award, The Solicitor General’s Police Officer of the Year Award, The Community Service Award, Celebrity of the Year Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Community Builder’s Award. Beside these attaboys, hang two Governor General Awards and a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal. As a token from the city, to show appreciation for all that Dominic has done for Canada’s capital, it marked two Dominic D’Arcy Days. (May21, 1999 and November 05, 2006) He even got to ride in the 2000 tulip Festival’s Rideau Canal Flotilla as the Grand Marshall. In addition to numerous appearances on radio and television, Dominic has acted in four movies with folks such as Dolly Parton, Barbara Niven and Paul Gross. He completed a video, Don ‘1 P£z~’ the Pusher, intended to be a pail of a curriculum for anti-drug programs aimed at school-aged children. It was developed with the assistance of post-graduate students
from Queens University and the Ottawa Board of Education. It was however, Dominic’s music along with one of those high-octane personalities required to elevate successful entertainers above the mob of wannabees - that originally propelled him to prominence and provided a platform from which to voice his message regarding social issues. His music accomplishments include two LP’s, six cassettes, 13 singles, a music video and six CD’s - his seventh will be released next month (December, 2008) in time for Christmas. Many of his one hundred-plus songs and recordings have risen to the top of charts around the world, including those in Canada, Europe and Australia. His most recognized songs include “1 Love You More Than Peanut Butter,” “My Son,” “I’m Going Back” and “My Canada.” “My Son” was written when his son Darren left home and is a tribute to family, “I’m Going Back” on the trip back from his mother’s funeral after visiting his home town. “My Canada,” a tribute to his native land,
details a trip across each province. If all this wasn’t enough, Dominic has just Manuscripted his memoirs for a book entitled Stop or I’ll Sing I expect that a lot of wit, anecdotes, advice and wisdom aimed at our younger generation will be packed between the covers. At 69 Dominic D’Arcy has just hit his stride, so expect him to be front and center for a long time and if I know him, a good time as well. If you would like to invite Dominic to speak or
perform at an event, contact; Dominic D’Arcy 613232 1945 domnic®dominicdarcy.coin www.dominicdarcy.com For Women Why is Christmas day just like a another day at the office? Because you do all the work and the fat guy in the
suit gets all the credit HOTCMA Nuts’n Bolts Our Area Reps: Rolly Bernier Bristol, QC 819 647 5043 Bill Brennan Sheenboro, QC 8196892949 Carry Cummings Bryson,QC 8196482736 Gary Juby Haley Station, ON 6134326283 Robert St. Michael Renfrew,ON 6134321312 Pat TalIon Isle Du Allumette, QC 819 6892676 Al Utonki Renfrew, ON 613 4325248 Jim Allen Aylmer, QC 8196851280 Ed Carbonell Pakenham, ON 6136245962 Don Kennedy Thomasburg, ON 613 4786486 Harold Kaufmann Denbigh, ON 613 333 2329 Our Reps are HOTCMA’s knowledgeable representatives in their respective areas and are local sources of information. A Matawatchan woman, who loved to sing country music as she worked, recently became very up-set with her husband. “Why do you go out on the veranda every time I sing?” she asked. “Don’t you like to listen to me?” “It’s not that” he said. “I just want to
make sure the neighbors can see that I’m not beating my wife! It’s That Time Again If you are like Yours Truly, you tend forget a lot of things in the fog of everyday living. Easily forgotten are renewals of memberships in clubs and other organizations-including the HOTCMA. We have a hardworking Board depending on your support, so if you have not had the opportunity to renew for 2009, please take the time to complete the form on this page and send it-along with $10.00-to our Membership Chairperson. If you’re scratching your head wondering what to buy as a stocking stuffer for that fan of old-time music, look no farther. Barb would be happy to play Santa Claus and send him/ her a shiny new membership card. A no-hassle gift for ten loonies has to be the best Christmas bargain around. Note All official be kudos, suggestions or complaints must be directed, in writing, to the HOTCMA President at 9 - 170 Catherine St. N.
Pembroke, ON K8A 1V2. Members (in good standing) may request that item be tabled on the agenda of a scheduled directors’ meeting and at that time, may make representation
in person. MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION IMembership fee is $10.00 per person and expires
each year on December 31 Name (s) Address (include postal code and civic address number) Phone Email $ Enclosed Make cheques payable to HOTCMA Mail to: Barbara Callaghan, Apt. 9, 170 Catherine St. N., Pembroke, ON K8A 1V2 Phone: 613 735 9682 Email: info®hotcma.cam Visit our web site at www.hotcma.com |