Sometime in the '70s we were honoured to be invited to appear as the first group to be featured in the station's debut live colour broadcast and later anniversary specials. CKX-TV had started broadcasting in black and white on January 28, 1955, a memorable day for TV-starved SW Manitobans, but previous to this CKX radio dated all the way back to 1928. 

Sue-On, Barry and I loaded our equipment onto a plane at St.Andrews airport a little north of Winnipeg, and took off for the two-hour-long flight over the rugged Canadian Shield area. Approaching the airport we could see that the runway pretty much took up the entire land area of a small island which was separate from the other communities on neighbouring islands.

Our two shows on the Island Lake Garden Hill Reserve were in the school gym. We were surprised to see that there was no stage. We played "in the round" with the audience seated on the floor. The next day, before our evening show, saw us back in a boat, but now we were being given a guided tour around the many islands in the area -- the most popular being one on which the locals had found enough clearings and soil to plant vegetable gardens. Our flight back was scheduled for noon the next day, so we had time to visit the trading post again to purchase souvenirs and to leave a box of our record albums for them to sell. We then overloaded a canoe again and set out over treacherous waters for the island airport. 

The Pats are a rough and ready fighting force and it was an honour to be asked to play for the Grey Cup party at their club. These hardy army guys were a particularly rowdy group that night. We carried our gear in through the kitchen where we were met by a guy, bottle in hand, who had just staggered in from the dance area. He was taken aback when he saw Sue-On: "Wha da fuk ar yu doin' here." . . . we carried on into the stage area, where we had to step over bodies of two drunken combatants rolling on the floor pounding each other. One had the other by the testicles in one hand and was pounding him in the face with the other fist.

Our music seemed to settle things down a bit, but the party got pretty rowdy as the night went on. At the end of the show they were still ready for action so they hired us for two more hours overtime. By the time we packed up, those still standing were obviously primed for even more action.We heard in the news the next day that many of them had piled into cars after the dance and had driven to downtown Winnipeg where they carried out a commando raid on a hotel which they left looking like a war zone. 

PRINCE ALBERT PENITENTIARY SHOWS
and THE PA WOMEN'S PRISON

MAMA TRIED  |  CHATTANOOGA PRISON TRAIN

In the Jailhouse Now

We passed through a number of clanging barred gates -- reminiscent of the opening of the old "Get Smart" TV show. After setting up our equipment on the stage in the large auditorium, the cons were filed in. It all seemed very familiar as we were quite acquainted with Johnny Cash's Live at San Quentin show. My opening number drew thunderous applause -- I was quite thrilled at being so appreciated, until I realized I was being upstaged by Sue-On's dance moves behind me. Our buddy Kerry Morris had taken over the drums which allowed Sue-On to come up front and work the crowd. 

The show went well -- our vocals and Barry's fiddle had our captive audience stomping and applauding for well over an hour. In appreciation the  cons presented us with hand-tooled leather wallets from their shop. as well as with framed and numbered Honourary PA Convict Certificates. Mementoes we still proudly display among our show biz memorabilia from the past.

"GET TOGETHER FESTIVAL" PERFORMANCE
PORTAGE AVE., WINNIPEG 1972

LADY LUCK  |  FARTHER AWAY

We later learned that some had complained that almost all the events were youth oriented and many thought that it had become just another rock festival which could be held at other locations. In the following year - 1973 - it had morphed into a new project called Folklorama which has been a major Winnipeg celebration every year since. 

After our performance we made a hurried exit and drove non-stop all night to the Peace River Country where we were booked for a fair parade and dance the next day. Barry Forman, Kerry Morris, Sue-On and I all took turns driving through the night. As so often happens, when Sue-On took the wheel a torrent of rain descended. This coincided with the beginning of road construction. We slept while Sue-On guided the slip-slidin' vehicle through a quagmire. We made it to Peace River in time for the fair's opening day parade.

CFB Portage was a regular gig -- usually the Jr. Ranks, WO and Officers Messes. When Barry retired from the band after our US tour our first choice for a replacement was a former student -- Kevin Pahl from our hometown, Strathclair. Although very young, Kevin was a fine singer and keyboard player.

The first time Kev played with us was at CFB Portage. We had a panic first rehearsal the day of the gig -- all day -- and then over to Portage Jr. Ranks where Kevin played Sue-On's Hohner keyboard behind us for four hours. A year later Kevin was touring England with us and playing keyboards in our recording sessions.

Kevin had another talent -- he was and is an exceptional pilot. Before long we would return from distant gigs in time to drop him off at the airport where he worked as a flight instructor and crop duster. The best time for crop dusting is often at early dawn when the winds are lightest. Kevin has had an incredible career as a pilot. Years later, though, he survived a horrific crash when his duster plane struck a hydro power line and plummeted into a field. Kevin eventually recovered to fly again, but the aircraft was a total wreck.