The History of The Great North Wind


Copyright © Steve Fruitman, 1999.

Log truck

How It All Came About

The Birth of The Great North Wind

The Shows

About Steve Fruitman

1988    1989 1990    1991  1992  1993  1994    1995

1996 1997   1998  1999

The Great North Wind began to blow on CIUT on June 13, 1988 under the name 'Mariposa Radio Folkwaves'. Since then there have been hundreds of programs devoted to exploring the folk-culture of Canada through its incredible musical traditions. The program delves into the vast pool of artists that contribute to our cultural heritage. We bring back the grey hairs, bring on the long hairs and those who've lost their hair along the way. Singers, songwriters, authors, players, folklorists and collectors of folklore are featured. Even the bookers and grand pubahs. On Thursday, March 12 we began broadcasting a two hour program after nearly 10 years of one hour Monday shows.Finally, on June 18, 1999, after 11 years and two weeks The Great North Wind signed off the CIUT airwaves for the very last time.
 

How It All Came About

In February 1987 I was elected to the board of directors of the Mariposa Folk Foundation. I was concerned about the state of our folklore, mainly because it didn't seem to be reaching vast audiences. With the exception of Joe Lewis' "Folkmusic and Folkways" program heard on CJRT 91.1 and a few 'here today, gone tomorrow' folk programs on the CBC, there wasn't much to cheer about. TV had long abandoned the music of the people; I used to love watching the Messer show, Sing-Along Jubilee, and even the Pig and Whistle. The few college radio folk shows we had tweaked in and out of existence without much fanfare.

I was seeking something alternative in nature. I wanted to hear music made by Canadians and I didn't care what style it was, what tradition it came from: as long as it was for and about our people. We need to hear ourselves on our so-called 'public airwaves' and yet there was nothing much to celebrate; our airwaves were in the hands of non-Canadian program direction units programming mostly American music that appeals to the lowest common denominator: ratings (which =s money). For so long I had been listening to the wise words of Stompin' Tom Conners so I set about doing something about it myself. Why just whine and complain?

CIUT had just lost three poorly produced folk shows and CKLN, our cousin station at Ryerson University, had just lost a good one: Acoustic Espionage with Tim Harrison. Steve Pritchard was doing a good job with his Radio Boogie program on 'LN and is still there today at his 10 pm Wednesday time-slot. And Joe Lewis was playing clean folk music - the same thing every week; I wanted to hear something different and exciting.

I approached the CIUT programming committee and was immediately embraced and put on the air. The original idea was to get Mariposa its own folk radio program that would let people know what the Foundation was doing. We would also highlight artists that would be performing at the festival as well as anything else that would fit into Mariposa's mandate. My time-slot would be Monday nights at 10 and I would co-host the program with Mariposa's 'Axleman' John MacIntyre.

John dropped out, scared shitless after flopping through a few shows. That left it entirely on my lap and I wasn't sure if I could carry it through. I had to produce, engineer, interview and program a weekly hour of programming! But somehow I thrived on the challenge and the program survived and still does to this day.
 

The Birth of The Great North Wind

I broke with Mariposa the following summer of '89; they were doing nothing to support 'their' radio program. It was then that I conceived of a new direction for the show: It would be no longer a "folk music program", but instead it would look at Canadian folklore through the music of the people. I would change the name of the program to reflect this and the only thing I could come up with, over and over again, was the title of a wonderful song from the Grievous Angels cassette 'Toute Le Gang'. I proposed the idea of using this name and the song as my theme with creator Chuck Angus. In August 1989 the program officially became 'The Great North Wind'.

In September of 1993 the program was moved to its second parking spot:  8 p.m. on Monday evenings.

In March, 1998, The GNW expanded to a two hour format on Thursday nights at 8 where it remained until June 18, 1999, the night of the final broadcast.



 

The Shows

Almost all of the names appearing on the list below performed live-in-studio. In fact, over the years I have made it a rule that my musical guests must bring instruments and perform. Sometimes we have just one person in the studio; other times it's a full blown band.

If I had to pick a few of the all-time most important features it would have to start with my 1989 live-to-air telephone interview with Stompin' Tom Connors. It was to be the second media interview with the man who had been in self-imposed exile from the music scene for 12 years, protesting the lack of Canadian content on our airwaves. (Gzowski got him just before I did for Morningside).

Another was my recent telephone interview with Stevedore Steve from Saint John, NB. I had gently encouraged him over the years to get back into the recording business, convincing him that things could be done differently now.

Likewise, the release of Glen Reid's new CD 'Heritage River' was most gratifying for much the same reason. Rick Fielding and I had been encouraging him for years to get back into music and this was the result!

The Save the Rails campaign was great! And so was the Walter Ostanek's 35th Anniversary (in show biz) gala at Lulu's in Kitchener featuring the great Frankie Yankovik. The Eleanor and Graham Townsend show was a blast too. And how about our 5 hour folk extravaganza from the basement of St. Vladimir's church which saw the likes of Toronto's finest folk artists!

The show that scared me shitless the most: The Bruce Cockburn appearance which co-incided with my last Monday night broadcast in March, 1998. Once the theme music started I felt just fine.

In the past couple of years of I became close with Graham Townsend. When I learned that he had terminal cancer in the summer of 1998 I dedicated the fiddle spot, to open the program, to music made by him. He passed away on December 3 just a week prior to being awarded the Golden Porcupine.


About Steve Fruitman

[The weird art of writing about one's self but here 'tis]

I'm probably one of the luckiest people! Although I make no money doing my show every week, I have a hell of a lot of fun doing it. It's been a great gig!.

Over the years I've met some of the nicest people in the music scene. As well, I've been able to see some of the greats play live right before me eyes, which is always a blast: best seats in the house for free. I've had some amazing shows, some I'd rather like to forget, and others that have been indispensable. With each program my world grows into another dimension. I have learned so much from the people I've interviewed and the things I've needed to research. It made me realize that "the more you know, the more there is to know" and that's what drives me onward.

I am from the North, from the Porcupine region of Ontario, the mining community of Timmins. My family were in the lumber business and I spent a lot of time in the bush, going to the lumber camps, watching logs floating down the Mattagami River, and hanging around the saw mill. The sweet smell of freshly cut sawdust and chips wafting out of the big burner filled my mind. I was told many stories by the men and women who worked the bush, the mill, and the office, about the pioneering days of the Porcupine.

The skyline was always trees and the headframes of the mines: The Hollinger, MacIntyre, Dome, Preston, Paymaster, Pamour, Aunor, Delnite, Buffalo Ankrite, The Jupiter, The Carium Mine. The town of Schumacher is just a mile east of Timmins; South Porcupine and the Golden City (Porcupine) just 5 miles further.

When I was 12 the young, a tall itinerant folksinger, Tom Connors, started his playing career in the Skyway Room at the Maple Leaf Hotel. He would soon have his own radio program broadcast over the local station CKGB daily. He recorded a few singles on the station's own record label. The songs he sung were about The North and we all loved him for doing it. I was then stricken forever with the bug of wanting to hear the music of my own land.

The Canadian Shield has those deep black lakes of northern running waters, the scent of the jack pines and red spruce and birch trees, the low grey cloud cover in the mornings and the rich mineral composition that brought in the mines. This is my spiritual home, the one I carry around in my heart. It has become my spiritual centre as I've expanded my homeland in my travels and discoveries of Canadian folklore. This is what I try to bring to 'The Great North Wind'. 


The List

Here are some of the features presented on the Great North Wind over the years.

1988

-Paul James Toronto Blues Man

-WOMAD in Toronto SPECIAL 
-Ron Sexsmith

-Norm Hacking Toronto singer/songwriter
-Kevin O'Shea actor, of Toronto Irish Players
-Lewd Folksongs w/ Richard Flohil
-Two: Mary Ellen Anderson & Sandy Stubbert Toronto via Thunder Bay
-Anne Walker Whitby based singer/songwriter
-Bobby Watt Whitby based Scottish musician, founder of the Vital Spark Folk Club

1989

-Tribute To Stompin' Tom Connors w/ Chuck Angus of the Grievous Angels
-Stewart Cameron Tribute w/ Paul Morris
-Tribute to Stevedore Steve w/ guest Stompin' Tom Connors
-Jackson Delta Trio Peterborough blues band
-Suzanne Pasternak folklorist and composer from Long Point, Prince Edward County, Ontario
-Peter Eastmure Toronto singer/songwriter
-Ana Coutinho Toronto based singer/songwriter
-Cheryl Gaudet singer/songwriter now living in Nova Scotia
-Animal songs with Sir James Cunningham of Toronto
-Wiz Bryant Canadian singer/songwriter from Penticton, BC
-Kevin Blackmore of Buddy Wassisname & The Other Fellas telephone interview from Newfoundland
-Peter Cotton The Songs of Lonnie Donegan
-Marcello Puente Chilean singer/songwriter and poet
-Chuck Angus & Michelle Rumball of The Grievous Angels
-Jeff Weed - Toronto Morris dancer on the significance of May Day
-John Allan Cameron The Cape Breton Ambassador himself, live in Studio
-Cynthia Namaro & Rob Minderman Toronto based singer/songwriter and her guitarist
-Axelman John MacIntyre singing the blues
-Willie P. Bennett The legendary singer/songwriter, now living in Peterborough, ON when not on the road with Fred Eaglesmith
-CANADA DAY w/ Wiz Bryant Canada's roving troubador
-Topaz Amber Dawn & Steve Marchant of the Jailhouse Cafe
-David Warren a.k.a Mr. Mariposa
-The Hillside Festival: Sue Richards, A.D.w/ Tim Hadley and Michelle Rumball
-WOMAD '89 w/ Derek Andrews, Artistic Director
-SUMMERFOLK FESTIVAL w/ Neil Glenn, Artistic Director
-The Flying Cloud Folk Club w/ Steve Pritchard, booker
-Eric Anderson: the legendary Thirsty Booter himself, just in from Sweeden
-Michel Hasek the $100,000 blues man
-Special: The songs of Northern Ontario
-Hurdy Gurdy Man Steve Starchev Toronto Hurdy Gurdy specialist
-Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot
-Bobby Watt on the songs of Robbie Burns
-The Toronto Blues Society's Women in Blues w/ Linda Partingon

-SAVE THE RAILS HOOTENANNY w/ Michelle Rumball, Peter Jellard, Pete Duffin, Tim Hadley, Reno Jacks, Stephensteve of the Big Smoke, Da Doo Dads & Rick Fielding. A jam session blow out!!!

-NORTH ONTARIO SAVE THE RAILS TOUR: The Grievous Angels, Stephensteve, High Lonesome, No Mean Feet, Positively Stompin' Andy Maize, The Rheostatics and Cajun Ramblers. Tape of the Northern tour from Cochrane and Kapuskasing.

-Tribute to Edith Fowke w/ David Warren


1990

-Greg Hoskins & The Stick People Peterborough singer/songwriter and his band
-Faith Nolan Toronto singer/songwriter
-Possibly Stompin'' on a TTC Streetcar with Ted Trebner and Murray Heyward
-MINING SONGS
-Stephensteve  - Steve Wooler & Stephen Andrews of Guelph
-Cajun Mardi Gras w/ Peter Jellard Toronto Cajun Freak
-Jonathan Lynn of Tip Splinter, Toronto
-Thomas Brooman Co-founder of WOMAD, in from the U.K.
-The Steel Wool Band with Laine Hoogstratten
-Joe King King of them Hurtin' Blues, host of Saturday afternoon jams at the Country Music Store
-Washboard Hank the legendary Peterborough Honkey Tonkin' Donkey singer
-OTTAWA VALLEY SONGS
-Ian Bell of Paris, Ontario - curator and folk collector and all round fun guy
-Linda Brietag of Quebec City based Josephine
-Brean Derg Muc - Field recording of the Merkin Gerkins
-The Return of Sir James Cunningham, PhD L
-Concert:The Cajun Ramblers

-LIVE FROM ST VLADIMIR'S: A 5 Hour Special Hosted by Rick Fielding, Alan Baekland and Steve Fruitman, Featuring:

 
Rick Fielding
Stephen Byers
Al Cromwell
Fred Robertson
Sonny Petersen
It Ain't Pretty
The Steel Wool Band
Cate Frieson
The Celtic Gales (renamed Mad Love)
Brean Derg Muc: The Merkin Gerkins
Willie P. Bennett
Norm Hacking
The Old Peculiar Jug Band
The Cajun Ramblers
Pat Temple and High Lonesome
Mose Scarlett
-Don Freed - now Joni's beau
-The Wakami Wailers of Picton and Peterborough
-The World Radio Debut of Suzanne Pasternak's Folk Opera Minerva
-Trout Fishing in America who just happened to be in town

-FOLK ON THE ROCKS - Yellowknife, NWT - Taped Highlights featuring

 
Grievous Angels
Cajun Ramblers
Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band
The Dots
Frank Cockney
Jimmy Ekho
Fort Good Hope Drummers
Uvagut
Simione Keenainak
Charlie Panagoiniak and Lorna Tassoer
Attima Hadlari and Rose Marie
Cape Dorset Throat Singers
-Two Penny Opera who used to be known as Two
-Ken Brown of Anderson & Brown from Guelph
-Mendleson Joe - the legendary, extraordinary, one and only
-Steve's Trip to the Maritimes: a reconstruction of my trip, a slide show on radio
-The Music of Chang Mai w/ Kenneth Puley - Music he brought back from Thailand
-Klezmer with the Flying Bulgars, Toronto's best known Klezmer band
-Bill Bourne & a drunken McLeod - I don't even want to talk about it, but let's just say that Bill was great dispite his worser half

-On Air Hootenanny featuring:

 
Bobby Watt
Brean Derg Muc
Danny Bakkan
Ken Puley
Mary Ellen
Rick Fielding


-Metis Fiddling W/ Lawrence Teddy Boy Houle - Manitoba fiddler and Elder
-The 1st Annual Porcupine Awards


1991

-Tailspin: Catherine Crowe & Martin Gould, Half of this Hamilton/Toronto band

-Bobby Watt on Robbie Burns again
-Oliver Schroer - The Frank Zappa of Canadian fiddle
-Derek Andrews on the Juno Awards - Roots/Traditional catagory
-The Last of Sir James Cunningham
-The Harbord Trio: Don Ross, Kelly McGowan & Oliver Schroer
-Creole Music w/ Peter Jellard
-John Ferguson of McGinty in from Halifax
-Bob Snider - One of Canada's Great wordsmiths
-St Jean Baptiste Day - I actually did it all in French!
-Grit Laskin - luthier and singer/songwriter extraordinaire
-WOMAD special
-Lorne Brown, storyteller
-The Big Squeeze Accordion Festival special
-Tom Lewis and his modern day shanties in from BC
-Cheryl Gaudet: Artistic Director, The 1st Eaglewood Earth Festival
-Suzanne Pasternak & Alec Lunn in from Picton

-2 Of Us - a young Celtic duo from Toronto who seem to have dissappeared
-Valerie Mindel on folk dancing
-Tom Mawhinney - Kingston based singer/songwriter
-Tex Konig - another legendary songster about his Greenwich Village days
-Marie-Teresa Lawlor: Women of the Porcupine - a glimpse of pioneer women of the Porcupine gold camp of Northern Ontario
-Mac Beattie Tribute: The songs of the Ottawa Valley
-Jamie Snider & Brian Tahany - from Tip Splinter
-Anne Lederman - Toronto musician and folklorist
-Socially Unacceptable Folk Songs - One could get kicked off the air for airing these
-Bobby Watt without sheep jokes

-The 2nd Annual Porcupine Awards

1992

-The Celtic Gales: Audrey Vanderstoop & Alan Beardsell of Toronto who changed their name to Mad Love shortly after the program
-Brydon From Brantford who broke up shortly after the program
-Dick Nolan - The man who gave us "The Night We Stole Aunt Martha's Sheep"
-Roy Payne - Another of Newfoundland's best singer/songwriters
-The Folk Quiz Show
-Jim Martin & Don McLean - Jim has a Newfoundland/Irish voice that can shatter glass
-Ken Brown & Mary Anderson
-Harmonicas w/ Larry Chaddock of Bolton
-Brigand - Toronto based Celtic Rock band
-Margaret Christl & Michael Johnston - in from Pennsylvania
-Rodeo du Camion, in Notre Dames du Nord, Quebec - ever been to a truck rodeo, Billy?
-Trevor Randall - I honestly can't remember this show
-Songs of Pain and Agony
-Gentleman Jim Ediger - wonderful fiddler who now resides in Japan
-David Turner - singer/songwriter in from the UK
-The Songs of Mac Beattie - The epitome of the Ottawa Valley
-Geoff Butler - ex-Figgy Duff accordionist, in from Brandon, Manitoba
-Barney McCafferey from Wilno - singer and accordion player from Canada's first Polish Settlement
-Glen Reid & Ron Jones - Billed as Glen-Jones from Burk's Falls and Scarborough
-Walter Ostanek of St. Catherines ON, just prior to his winning 3 Grammy Awards for Polka music
-David Stone - songs of herring and potatoes
-Live from Lulu's: Walter Ostanek's 35th Anniversary party featuring Frankie Yankovik and Myron Floren, Tony Prakocic and the Black Forest Band - taped highlights from Kitchener ON, home of Octoberfest in Canada 

 

 
 

-The 3rd Annual Porcupine Awards


1993

-Hank Williams Special: It's Been 40 Years since he left us
-Focus on Prince Edward Isle
-Focus on Saskatchewan
-Donna Dunlop - Toronto singer/songwriter
-Les Tetes Cubee - or The Cube Heads, short lived Toronto outfit featuring Chris Rawlings
-Danielle Martineau & Rockabayou - in from Montreal
-Debut of a New Song: Lifeline by Glen Reid of Burk's Falls, performed by Rick Fielding
-Pirate Jenny - featuring October Browne, Jamie Snider and Kevin Fullbrook of Toronto
-Urban Acoustic: Keith McKie & John Jackson of Toronto
-Focus on Nova Scotia
-Mark Haines & Tom Leighton of Toronto
-Tex Konig returns
-Focus on Ontario
-The Freres Brothers - Alex Lunn and Rick Bauer of Picton/Belleville
-Tribute: Don Messer
-Focus on Northwest Territories with Simon Qittagiatuq
-John Allan Cameron returns
-10th Anniversary of The Flying Cloud Folk Club: Toronto's traditionally oriented folk organization
-Ian Bell of Paris, Ontario
-Holmes Hooke - poetry to music
-Chris Wood & Andy Cutting visiting from the UK
-Focus on Alberta
-Stompin' Tom in Matheson, Northern Ontario - taped highlights of the show
-Ken Knights fiddle family w/ Ruthie Steel of Nashville
-Richard Knechtel and his Northern Lights Band from Walkerton, Ontario
-Focus on Labrador
-The Serious Side of Stompin' Tom: Two part series on Connors' serious songs
-Hockey Songs
-Watershed: debut of a new CD from the Grievous Angels
-Earl Heywood - Star of the CKNX Saturday Night Barndance from Wingham, Ontario
-The Blues Heads W/ Rick Fines of Jackson Delta
-Focus on Northern Ontario
-The 4th Annual Porcupine Awards

1994

-Square Dancing w/ Bill Russell (caller), Bernice Cameron-Hill (caller), Ed Langois (fiddle) and Michael Jack (piano)

-Slim Gaynor: The Electric Washboard Man of Pefferlaw w/ Fred Winfield on guitar
-Focus on The Yukon
-Inuit Music W/ Simon Qittagiatuq of Toronto
-L'ensemble Annonymous - in from Quebec City
-Special on La Bottine Souriante
-Nathan Curry in from Ottawa
-Focus on Cape Breton
-Randy Morrison: Canadian fiddle champion
-The Black Donnelleys w/ Earl Heywood - Canada's most infamous rural feud
-James Bay Fiddling - Native fiddlers of the Moose Cree
-Oliver Schroer: He wrote the Porcupine Reel
-Mark Haines & Nancy White
-The Willies of Toronto
-May Ip - of Hong Kong, now living in Sauble Beach, Ontario
-Morgan Lefaye - Toronto based Celtic-Rock band featuring Jamie Snider, October Browne and Pat O'Gorman
-Eleanor and Graham Townsend - Two hours featuring these two Canadian fiddle legends
-Artisan in from the UK
-Ian Bell on the Fiddle Sticks Folk Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake
-Rusty Leach Memorial Show - tribute to an Ottawa Valley folksong collector
-Profile on the career of Andre Marchand of Joliette, Quebec
-David Stone's Fare-the-well To Nova Scotia - moving from Toronto
-Tom Lewis returns
-Rejean Archambault of La Bottine Souriante telephone interview
-The Nationals - Toronto based blues band
-Tailspin - Toronto/Hamilton Celtic quartet
-The Worst of the Great North Wind - simply the worst music I could find from my collection
-The Rick Fines Band
-Pat O'gorman - piper and flutist of Rare Air and Morgan Lefaye
-Dan Penny & Lorne Buck - two icons of the Canadian country and bluegrass scene of the 1950s  

 

 

-The 5th Annual Porcupine Awards


1995

-Ken Brown unveils a brand new album
-Tamarack - Their first visit to the Great North Wind - what took them so long? James Gordon, Alex Sinclair and Carol Leclair.
-Songs of Toronto
-Roy MaCaull & Jim Martin - Jim sings to the fabulous mandolin picking of one of the Original Blue Diamonds before Roy moves to PEI
-Barney McCafferey from Wilno - Round Two
-Alan Baekland subs for me w/ guest Ron Sexsmith
-Eileen McGann & David Knutson in from Calgary
-Honey Novic & Charlie Roby - separately
-Derek Andrews & Dan Meany: Porcupine Award recipients for the Folkbuilders catagory
-Ghosts!!!!! - a look at spooks in folksong
-Jughead - Toronto's Motorgrass jug band
-A look at the life of Joseph Montferrand - Canadien hero
-Dave Wilson - singer/songwriter based in Toronto
-Derek Andrews of Harbourfront Centre - our attempt to save its funding which eventually did succeed
-St Jean Baptiste Day Show (in English this time!)
-Robert & Susan in from Victoria, BC
-Gene Wilburn - book launch for Northern Journey
-Diane Maracle Band - local singer/songwriter
-Mendleson Joe retrospective of his 25 year recording career - without Mr. Joe being there
-James Keelaghan live in studio
-Brian Tahany & Loretto Reid just back from a festival in Labrador
-Steaphane Hannigan in from the UK
-Lee Murdock - Songs of the Great Lakes - in from Illinois
-Brian Morton & Anne Walker
-Jeremy Greenhouse Band in from Victoria, BC
-Marie-Teresa Lawlor - Women of the Porcupine book launch & Northern Ontario Music
-The Quebec Refererndum Special: telephone interviews with Heidi Fleming of Montreal, Danielle Martineau of St. Melanie & Jean-Paul Loyer of Joliette, Quebec 
-Stevedore Steve telephone interview from Saint John, NB

-Carlos Del Junco & Champaign Charlie - The blues in action
-Stan Rogers Tribute w/ Paul Mills, Bill Garrett & Brian Morton
-The 6th Annual Porcupine Awards

1996

-Robert Service Special
-Mose Scarlett - Toronto's best eccentric singer and guitarist
-Tamarack returns with Molly Kurvink
-Gene Wilburn - he sings too!
-Bill Garrett and Curly Boy Stubbs - an inkling of Borealis Records
-The Yukon: 100 years since Klondike
-Focus on Claude Methe of Quebec
-Ken Whiteley & Paul Mills - so what's Borealis?
-Fred Eaglesmith & Ralph Schipper - just off the road
-Cec Fry of Labrador Black Spruce - telephone interview from Labrador City
-The Return of David Stone
-Modabo in from Fredricton, NB
-Chuck Angus and Rick Conroy: world debut of The Grievous Angels new CD 'Waiting for the Cage'
-Edith Fowke Tribute: telephone interviews with Beverlie Robertson (Waterloo), Estelle Klein (Bloomfield), Ian Bell (Paris, ON) and in studio guest Maureen Redden 
-Celebrating 26 years of True North Records with label founder Bernie Finkelstein

-26 years of Bruce Cockburn
-True North Now with Bernie Finkelstein
-Mill Race Traditional Music Festival with Brad McQuewen, Artistic Director
-Jan Zollars Live telephone interview with from Brittanie's Festival Interceltic
-Tim Harrison - Toronto's singer/songwriter and folk festival inventor
-Return of Steaphane Hannigan back from the UK
-Glen Reid from Burk's Falls -John Switzer - profile on a folk music producer
-3 Part Series on The Music of Northern Ontario
-Murray McLachlan - Gulliver's Taxi CD Release
-Borealis Recording Company - the launch of a new Canadian folk music label
-Brian Morton - The CD Launch that never happened! This was before he dissappeared
-Doug Cox & Tammy Fassaert in from BC
-Rick Fielding - a profile on my favourite partner

-The 7th Annual Porcupine Awards

1997

-Loretto Reid and Brian Taheny - Just back from Ireland
-Jughead plus Oliver Schroer and a phone calle from Bill Bourne from Nipigon
-Artisan Just in for the Folk Alliance, plus Kieran Halpin from Ireland via Scotland
-Tamarack, The Return Of
-Erin Benjamin & Dick Van Raadshoovan in from Sudbury
-Bill Usher in from the Bain Co-op
-Lenny Breau Speacial with Randy Bachman
-Bill Elliot with Scott and Kendra Woods
-Tranby Croft in from London, Ont.
-Eric Wilson's old Canadian 78s
-Phyllis Silver-Cavallini: CD Release
-Melissa Deebold, Brian Buchowski, Willis McNeilly and Bill Oja: Another Fiddle Night
-Manny Pitson - CBC TV producer (Singalong Jubilee, Don Messer and other programs)
-Oliver Schroer - Stewed Tomatos CD Release
-Ivan & Vivian Hicks - Champion Fiddler in from New Brunswick
-6 Hour Special: Live from The Horseshoe Tavern - Caledon Folk Fest Preview
James Keelaghan 
TimHarrison 
Glenn McGuire 
Holmes Hook 
Glen Reid 
Norm Hacking and many, many more.
-Special on Festival Memoire et Racine, Joliette QC with Mario Forest (AD) and Andre Marchand

-Mike Reganstreif of CKUT-FM Montreal - guest host
-Doug Cox & Ken Hamm in from Vancouver Island
-Pete Handley - former folk show host from North Bay
-Jan Zollars reports from Lorient, Brittany - Festival Interceltique
-Derek Swain - Rodeo Records - Singer/Songwriter
-Tim Harrison on Eaglewood Folk Festival
-Stephen Fearing - CD Release and live in studio performance
-Graham Townsend - on George Wade and His Cornhuskers
-Strada - in from Quebec City
-Cate Friesen - host of Absolutely Folk, CJRT-FM
-Charlie Chiarelli - songs about growing up Scicilian in Hamilton
-Noah Zacharin & Tim Harrison - contemporary singer/songwriters from Toronto
-Lee Murdock - the Cap'n returns
-Sharlene Wallace - World Champion Harpist
-Michelle Rumball - singer of the GNW theme song

-8th Annual Porcupine Awards Show


1998

-Mark Haines & Tom Leighton - The Magical Duo
-Garrison Creek - Local Toronto Can-trad band now called Flapjack
-Tamarack - for the first time in '98
-Sandy MacIntyre - virtuoso Cape Breton fiddler
-Bruce Cockburn  - just back from Africa (This was the Last Monday Night Show of the GNW)
-Donna Marchand - debut of her CD (First Thursday Night GNW Show)
-Beverley Robertson - folklore writer and singer
-Dave Hadfield & Gerald Levine - from Barrie, ON
-Steve Patterson - Singer/songwriter
-Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield - from Houston, TX w/ brother Dave Hadfield & Gerald Levine
-Tom Nunn & Northern City Limits Bluegrass  - from Brantford, ON
-Doug Cox, Ken Hamm & Vox Violins - CD Debut
-Greg Lawless, Jory Nash & Tim Harrison - for funding drive
-Robert Priest - Toronto poet singer
-Daisy DeBolt - high priestess of accordion rock
-Lenny Gallant - PEI singer/songwriter
-Holmes Hooke - poet's poet
-Pamela Morgan - from Newfoundland
-Greg Lawless - on his own
-Gray Townsend - Graham Townsend special, the unreleased tapes
-Don Bird - Summerfolk A.D.
-Glen Reid - on the Heritage River Music Festival
-Christina Smith - Jean Hewson's musical partner, fiddler, from Newfoundland
-Doug MacArthur & Jeffra - singer/songwriting duo from California
-Moxy Fruvous live in studio
-Eric Wilson on Wilf Carter
-Tim Harrison on Eaglewood FF
-Don Bray - Singer/songwriter from Barrie, ON
-Eve Goldberg - CD debut
-John Gardner & Richard Knechtel - stories & song
-J.P. Cormier & Hilda Chaisson-Cormier w/ Graham Townsend telephone interview
-Megacity Choir - barbershop singing explained
-The Mummble Ducks - from Newmarket, ON
-Bill Usher on Ontario Contact
-Doug Cox & Chuck Brodsky
-The Wailing Aztecs - from The Soo
-Trans-Canada Train Special
-Charlie Sohmer - singer/songwriter from Ottawa, ON
-Stevedore Steve  - special featuring telephone interview with the man from Saint John, NB
-Penny Lang - in from Montreal
-Tamarack - second time in '98
-Andrea Koziol - Toronto based singer/songwriter

9th Annual Porcupine Awards Presentation
 




1999

-Randy Morrison - fiddler
-Jory Nash - Toronto singer/songwriter
-Ken Brown - Celtic guitarist
-Chuck Angus - Highgrading again
-Laura Repo - CD Release
-James Keelaghan - CD Release
-Katherine Wheatley - Toronto singer/songwriter
-Mike McKenna - Toronto Blues Guitarist
-John Borra - Toronto singer/songwrite
-Enter The Haggis - Toronto Celtic Pop band
-Sirens - singing trio from London, ON
-Swamperella - Toronto Cajun Band
-Mike Helms - The man with the original Stompin' Tom Rebel Records
-Terry Tufts - telephone interview from Ottawa
-Pierre Schryer - Canada's Great fiddler
-Tanglefoot - Canadian folk band
-David Teichroeb - Singer/Songwriting owner of DROG Records
-Cathy Miller - singer from Calgary
-Sam Baardman - Singer/songwriter from Winnipeg
-Holmes Hooke - Toronto's folk poet
-Peter Sabourin and Brian Hebert - fiddling from the Ottawa Valley
-Oliver Schroer - releases a new album
-Ron Nigrini - tribute to Norm Hacking
-Mike McKenna and Mainline - GNW 11th Anniversary Party
-James Gordon - solo


Steve Fruitman
 
 

 "I don't know what folk music is these days,
but I do know what it isn't."

 

 

...Steve Fruitman (on the Bluenose II)

steve@backtothesugarcamp.com


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