The following is the concluding article where I try to answer the question, “So why is Peterborough such a Mecca for blues music and musicians”?
In the previous article we discussed some unique aspects pertaining to Peterborough, the community both size and social history. This article will try to go further and to ensure key players get full recognition.
The pace of life can play a big role in the development of the blues in several ways. If life is too busy as it has become in most of our larger cities, then people just don’t have the time to reflect and ponder their emotions or their own history. One does need to reflect long and hard on life in order to write either soul or blues, that’s for sure. The skills associated with the blues are really only learned from others. The community must run at a pace that allows time to communicate and share, for the most part I have been witness to a blues community that shares and players do take time to show you a new lick or a unique set of cords that can make a world of difference.
Peterborough still has, for the most part, a pace of life that runs on the same clock as it did in the 70’s or 80’s and for a few people even the 60’s. Progress hasn’t forced us to bulldoze parts of our history either like the Pig’s Ear Tavern and the Red Dog Tavern. Both of these fine old establishments built in the mid 1800’s had given birth to numerous performers and supported them over the years. Performers like Buzz Thompson , Ed Pavy, Kevin Carley, Rick Fines, Al Black , The Famous Downchild Blue Band and let’s not forget the man himself, Rompin’ Ronnie Hawkins.
Now Ronnie wasn’t exactly blues but the foundation he laid for music in this area has certainly helped the blues community to grow. Ronnie did have blues hidden within some of his hits and he definitely demonstrated a love of life much like Howlin’ Wolf. He probably should be listed here as being a Texas Blues style performer with a never ending love for the bars and the party atmosphere.
Peterborough may be trying to modernize itself but it does have an old soul and lots of old souls live here. One group you must try and hear is “Mamaz Boyz” Blues Band fronted by Jane Archer the actual Mama of the band members. This group is the real thing with Jane delivering solid vocals and the passion that tells all about the blues inside of her (old) soul. Young Jessie is a real up and comer SRV style guitar artist who seems shy until he straps on those six strings.
Maybe some of the young and up coming performers can get a little bit of added inspiration from the old souls around them. I’m thinking largely of Jimmy Bowskill at this point. He may very well be one of the youngest blues singers around who is either an old soul himself or he has rubbed shoulders with some in order to sing about the topics he does and project the style of a bluesman.
Now another important influence or supporter of blues in this area is a man we will all miss. He was colorful, visible and loved both blues and this area a great deal. Mr. Al Kirkaldy was a promotion man, radio personality and a sound judge of what was real blues and what wasn’t. He brought numerous acts to Peterborough and helped many of the local performers already mentioned. He often brought us Jack De Khyser or Big Daddy “G” from Toronto and helped to bring large groups to the Holiday INN or to the Dobro so that we could appreciate some of the best in Canada. Al will be missed by many that’s for sure. I must say that signs are pointing to a number of people who are taking that extra time or making an extra effort to help fill his role to some degree. Ed Pavy is one and Phil Marshall a.k.a Mr.Delux are helping others and trying hard to keep the connections alive that Al had nurtured in order to feed our appetite for the blues. I also feel that Kevin Carley, Bo Dixon and Bridget Foley are doing their part as well to hold the blues community together and to strengthen it as well. Hats off to all of these people and to the ones I haven’t mentioned like club owners and manager and so many others.
I know that I could go on about “Why Peterborough “? , but for now I’m going to close this topic. It feels right since we have just talked about the people involved in shaping our blues community and blues is about and for people. I will probably return to this topic in the future since as said by John Maher, the young blues star (the one who is dating every Hollywood start he can) “We know the history of blues it is a rich story that has been written about many times, but we don’t know where it’s going …..but it is definitely on the move.”
Keep The Faith,
Wayne Guppy a.k.a. Doc”G” of The Blue Mood Band
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Dr. Wayne Guppy Ed.D. a.k. “Doc”G” has lived for more then 30 years in the Peterborough area and moved here from another music oriented town of Collingwood Ontario. He has been very involved with music from his early days at Midland Secondary School where he performed in numerous stage musicals and played clarinet in the band. Today he is very involved with Blues music in our area and has performed with The Blue Mood Band for the past 5-6 years. His interest has been fed by a close friend and co-founder of the band Mr. Ron Elkiw of Ennismore. Together they write original blues songs and have promoted the band and supported numerous benefits in our area. Some of the most recent were, The Band of Brother’s initiative to help wounded Canadian soldiers and their families and the Out of Ashes benefit concert to help the North End fire victims from a year ago. Wayne is very involved with healthcare reform and is the president -Elect of the VON Foundation for PVH (Peterborough,Victoria and Haliburton regions).