A Radio Studio Performance at Hunters Bay Radio

Bet Smith and The Currie Brothers with James Carroll after their live performance on Hunters Bay Radio.
Photo by Shauna Leigh Taylor

Note: to Part 2 of our business biography originally published on December 23rd 2015

A SPECIAL STUDIO PERFORMANCE TO THANK HUNTERS BAY RADIO HOST, AND WELL KNOWN CANADIAN ACTOR, JAMES CARROLL

HONOR FOR MUSICIANS, BET SMITH AND THE CURRIE BROTHERS, MEETING RADIO HOST, WHO HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATIONAL MENTOR

Did you know, that the CBC television series, "Wind at My Back," was loosely based on stories written by Max Braithwaite. I wanted to interview the well known Canadian author numerous times, when I was feature editor of The Muskoka Sun, and The Herald-Gazette in Bracebridge. At that point, he was living and writing at his cottage on Brandy Lake, in vicinity of Port Carling. The closest I got to him, was when he was at a staging of a play he had written, for Muskoka Festival, and on that occasion, I played the part of bumbling idiot, awkwardly trying to introduce myself as a writer colleague, talking to him over the back of his chair, but failing miserably in a mumble jumble of misspoken words. I greatly admired his work, and the folksy comings and goings of the citizenry of New Bedford, which had many of his characteristic features, moods and plot swings. I was attracted to the series because of its Depression era depictions, a time of great family hardship, that my parents used to talk about, mostly on special holidays when we were flush with cash, with lots of food in the house. I found the series to be pretty close to the life and times they described, growing up in Toronto. 

It was the afternoon break I looked forward to, on weekday afternoons, at last pulling the final few paragraphs of that issue's newspaper column, from the tight roller, of my dear old Underwood manual; the one with a defiant attitude, working smoothly one day, not so much the next. It had a personality of its own, but it was part of the creative process, and I very much feared that if I sank it into the lake, like my writing colleagues had surrendered, during the onset of the computer age, I'd be done as a writer, and have to become a golf pro, my backup career. That, or backup to the backup goalie of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

I knew him first as the soft spoken, stalwart, enthusiastic "Mr. Sutton," a convincing teacher-kind, dedicated to the cultural, recreational enhancements of his students, with a budding passion for after-school radio broadcasting, and all that the pre McLuhan era could offer, one liberal inch at a time, to get the media message to an ever-expanding audience; hovering close to the speaker of the floor model parlor cabinet, with the warm orange glow through the fingerprint smudges, on the glass cover over the channel selector.

We closed our Gravenhurst music and antique shop today. Sorry for any inconvenience to our customers. We're going to stay open later tonight to make up for the absence. But we couldn't miss this incredible opportunity, arranged for our merry band of musicians, in the spirit of reciprocal kindness, and oh yes, Christmas spirit, by our good friends at Hunters Bay Radio Station, in Huntsville.

It was intended to be a surprise. The band from Gravenhurst, the radio host from Huntsville, meeting in-person for the first time, as a heartfelt thank-you for his generous helping hand; and in the music business, getting a positive review from a radio host, is a courage builder for all the tough challenges that lurk ahead. And at times, it is a perilous path, with many discouragements encountered along its winding course. It was a case of mutual respect, today, warm handshakes and pats on the back bestowed, and indeed, it was, what they say; a get-together of kindred spirits, that was indeed, all about the music! 

As the writer of this story, I am literally on the "outside looking in," you might say. At the time of writing this facebook page story, today, I have just delivered two thirds of the band, "Bet Smith and the Currie Brothers," to the Hunters Bay Radio Station, in Huntsville, for their noon to one, in-studio, on-air, you betcha, live performance. And they were anxious to meet the radio personality, who has, on his regular programs, offered so much encouragement to the band, and played songs from their CD, "Loose Ends". A popular show, by the way, that has been doing a terrific, but under-praised mission, promoting many local musicians, who have previously, had very few opportunities to reach a serious, involved, and identifiable audience.

When the band was offered a time slot to play, at the Hunters Bay Studio, for the benefit of community-spirited host James Carroll, who had expressed interest in seeing the group perform live, it was unanimous; "We're going to Huntsville to see our friend." It didn't matter that they had never met him before; they had heard his voice many times, on television, and during his popular broadcasts from the Victorian era building, perched prominently on the hillside overlooking Hunter's Bay.

What has made it all a double honor, for all of us associated with the band (I'm the auxiliary driver, occasional publicist) is that James Carroll is a radio host with a few (well many) outside credits, that include being part of the cast of the well respected, CBC historic drama, "Wind At My Back," which aired in the late 1990's. In the show he played the vice principal / teacher, and part time radio host, set in the 1930's, in the Canadian community known as New Bedford. His credits are numerous in film, stage and in recent years, he has become well known as a popular radio host, and most significantly, a mentor via the electronic media, to many aspiring musicians, who have greatly benefitted from his years of on-stage, on-movie-set experiences. A man with a commanding, folkish, honest, comforting voice, who captivates his audience, with a wry sense of humor, embedded subtle jokes and clever wit; and when he offers an opinion, or in Bet Smith's case, an editorial plume, it's worth a king's ransom, to the performers, who most often only know their critical worth, by the sale of CD's, and how many patrons show up at special events. And, admittedly, sometimes that's small in comparison to the artist's dream-fed idea of what a good audience actually looks like when the curtain is pulled back. Today, an audience of one, was just perfect, and it was James Carroll, who was, to the group, a crowd of hundreds.

Truth be known today, Bet Smith and the Currie Brothers (Andrew and Robert), were here at the station to play for this talented, accomplished man; James Carroll. The group would have shown up to play for him alone, just to show their thanks to a patron of local culture, and a kindred spirit to the performing arts. In the days leading up to this special in-studio performance, all of us have been refreshing ourselves about James Carroll's highly successful career on stage and in film, and have become entranced all over again, with a truly brilliant show that should have run a decade longer. "Wind At My Back," was a charming, provocative drama, and we are now trying to get the box set, to watch every episode over again. As a sidebar, when I wrote at Birch Hollow, our Gravenhurst home, I used to stop work when the show was aired mid-afternoon on CBC. I viewed it as a drama for the benefit of the historian, "me", and I well remember James Carroll's performances, especially the episode with the radio-studio "whistler," performing "Flight of the Bumblebee"; and meeting with the school board trustee, regarding program cut-backs due to education budget restraints. How ironic that he is hosting today on Hunter's Bay Radio (88.7 FM). And school funding cutbacks to art and recreation programs, in the contemporary sense of tight budgets, are still nagging concerns for the local Board of Education. Some things, as they say, never change.

I am waiting anxiously, now being three minutes to noon, for the start of Mr. Carroll's afternoon show, and the performance of the band, probably pretty nervous right now, about to perform for their newfound mentor, commanding in the chair overseeing this studio; this stage set in a small, modestly appointed, but well respected community radio station, serving north and central Muskoka listeners.

"The After Show," is the title of James Carroll's well supported afternoon show, and it has just begun. I have to fiddle with the controls of the car radio to get the best sound. (The Fresh New Sound of Muskoka). Mr. Carroll opened his show by acknowledging that his friends at Hunter's Bay, had surprised him with the live performance, and son Andrew told me earlier, that staff had tried, without going fully monty, employing chains, locks, and spikes hammered through the woodwork, to keep him in his office a little longer, before the show was to start, in order to allow for the set up of equipment; it was supposed to be a surprise for him. But he was able to free himself without having to go all-Houdini-like to mount an escape; and that was his first meeting with the band he has only heard electronically. He was glad to see the group, setting up in the studio, and knew Andrew immediately, by the sound of his voice. The two had talked on the phone just a few days earlier.

"Signs of Hostility" was the first song performed by the three piece band, haling from both towns of Bracebridge and Gravenhurst. He referred to Bet Smith as a "renaissance woman," and she laughed. "That's what you've called me on your show," responded the lead singer, with a smile and a nod, that it was a characterization that pretty much fit, her style and interest in making music, that has a distinguishable soul, and a haunting, romantic, guilty pleasure embedded; as if bringing home the ages, and interpreting their poetic thrust, in the course of just one well received CD.

The band has played two numbers, and I've had to start the car, so as not to drain the battery. I've had the show turned way up, and I was getting a little nervous we would have to push the van back home after the show. "They have done a wonderful thing," said James Carroll, "I'm overwhelmed," about the surprise performance the station had given him, for his afternoon show. He then asked the band to perform another song, which Bet Smith obliged, with "Talisman." Then came Dynamite," an admittedly dark piece, with a pulse of its own. I am looking out over Hunter's Bay as it plays, and the barren branches of the leaf-less hardwoods on the hillside, with the still grey water in behind, the tree line ruffling at the sky, looking beautifully barren and pleasantly haunting, as a dreamscape of a place, of once, we may have had a relationship; a picturesque townscape that is neither one decade or another, but all at once an historic scene. The host makes mention of the tangible aura of the district, or as he calls it, the nurturing "Muskoka Muse" as representing a special place on earth, inspiring "an incredible plethora of artists;" asking Bet Smith her feelings about the area's allure to creative enterprise, and the encouragement for the performing arts. She agreed whole heartedly, that the Muskoka network of musicians, as one example, is uplifting to the artists sometimes struggling within, for recognition and opportunity. Generous support freely given to up and coming performers, by those creative mentors, the veterans of the entertainment scene, who like James Carroll, give generously to enhance cultural initiatives and support programs. She also pointed out that all the folks, including upwards of fifty volunteers at the station, have made Hunters Bay a well respected name amongst local musicians particularly, benefitting from the local content, and the benefits of recognition from listeners, who may eventually decide to attend one of their concert venues, and consider purchasing their CD's. Carroll reminded the band and listeners, how many at the station contribute to the quality of these music programs, working side by side local musicians, to enhance broadcasts like his own. Bet followed this by performing her solo version of "Lone Wolf." "What Matters Most," was the new single performed next, which the host admitted, having heard it before, "I love it."

It's hard to believe it has been an hour since the show began, because I've been absolutely absorbed by the show, the host and the performance; and that takes a lot, for this writer, who is distracted easily by interesting passing cars, passersby wearing strange pointy hats, and shiny objects I see sparkling in the distance. Today, this afternoon, I was unusually (for me), spellbound; this is the part where I have to declare the pretty obvious and flagrant nepotism, on my part, cheering for this band, made up, on a ratio of two to one, of my sons. Bet is family as well, as son Robert and her are dating these days. "We're so grateful for your support," says Bet Smith, at the start of her final song of the show, thanking James Carroll and all the Hunters Bay Radio staff and volunteers, for such a nice afternoon social in North Muskoka.

I want to make special mention of Jamie Oppenheimer, and Shauna Leigh Taylor, station supporters / volunteers, and the duo who Carroll refers to as his special angels, for the kindness they have shown him, as both friends and radio partners. It was the handiwork of these two Huntsville and Muskoka music advocates, through my son Andrew, who inspired and helped initiate the special live performance for James Carroll, at the Hunter's Bay studio.

The band wrapped up the show, having a brief social time with the host, over a container of cookies, brought from Momma Currie's home kitchen (that would be my wife and business partner, Suzanne), and it was just one of life's memorable occasions, between good friends and significant others, that will serve the musicians well, as inspiration, for many years to come; especially, in the spirit of mentorship, demonstrated by James Carroll. In turn, rest assured, it will all be shared as experience by each of the three excited musicians, when it is their turn to inspire and mentor the coming generation of indy musicians, looking for their place in the social / cultural mosaic of this region, and this country. I know I will be talking and writing about the experience with enthusiasm; because, on hearing of the offer to perform live, I was the one who demanded the store be closed, and the adventure be undertaken; and it was, methinks, a most enlightening afternoon in splendid company. Now the boys are vibrating the van like a cocktail shaker, loading-up the sound equipment and guitars, as we Curries have done, hundreds of times, since the boys first gigs, way back on the high school stage. We're about to head home now, collectively feeling we really did network music today, in a most productive way, and made new friends in the process of sharing and benefitting from a deep well of creative energy.

Thanks James Carroll. Thanks Hunters Bay Radio, Jeff Carter and staff, for making this opportunity available to Bet Smith and the Currie Brothers, and this writer, glued to the radio, in the black van parked outside. Aye, the life of the roadie.

In the words of former Toronto Sun columnist, and occasional beer pitchman, Paul Rimstead, "This ones for you," James!

To be continued........