Ian Tyson performing with Quartette

[Station Master]

that should be interesting...also wonder if Gordon will be attending any of the shows at Hugh's Room this week, would sure love to go but don't think it will happen (what a rare treat that would be, great venue for his CD release )

also wonder if JJ Cale will be there tonight with 'his' clones... is that why his touring band is using the name The Guess Who (because nobody knows who the other guys are, lol) instead of Burton and Randy?


TORONTO STAR

GREG QUILL
ENTERTAINMENT COLUMNIST

At 71, and having realized a greater proportion of his boyhood dreams than most men ever will, Ian Tyson should be a happy, satisfied soul.

The singer/songwriter's compositions "Four Strong Winds," "Someday Soon" and "Summer Wages" earned him a spot in the pantheon of Canada's great musical poets almost four decades ago. Then he walked away from music to reinvent himself as a cattle rancher in the Alberta high plains featured so vividly in those songs.

In recent years, Tyson re-emerged as a writer and performer of magically realistic working-cowboy songs, producing a series of memorable albums that, late in life, have made him a cultural legend.

Not that Tyson likes to hear that kind of talk. He knows good and bad go hand in hand, that every victory is tainted by loss, and that icons crumble and rust away. Having just completed an album he considers one of his finest — Songs From the Gravel Road — and the first sold-out tour of his career, through Nevada, Colorado, Utah and Alberta, he's back home contemplating the ruins of his 20-year marriage.

"It's divorce hell, as acrimonious as these things get," Tyson sighs. "Still, we'll get through it, even if it means giving up half the ranch. Time will take care of the rest."

A special guest at tonight's second annual Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame Awards — he'll be performing with his first wife, Sylvia Tyson, and her group Quartette — at the John Bassett Theatre in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Tyson is unusually happy about making the trip to Toronto, a city he generally finds easy to ignore, for the distraction it will offer.

He's not among this year's inductees, though he'll be singing two songs — Winnipeg singer and Hollywood movie cowboy Bob Nolan's "Cool Water" and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" — that are being added to the Hall Of Fame's roster.

"There's talk about being inducted next year," he says flatly. "I don't pay much attention to awards ... they look nice up on a shelf. I can't really connect with them. I'm leery of them. I don't like spin. And awards don't relate to the gravel road on my ranch, where I do all my walking and make up my songs.

"If I do get one, I hope it isn't posthumous."

At tonight's event, Guess Who songwriters Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings and native roots artist Buffy Sainte-Marie will join Nolan as inductees to the Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame along with Quebec's Claude Leveillée, Raymond Lévesque and Serge Deyglun, and Amherstburg, Ont. pianist and composer Shelton Brooks.

Among Canadian songs to be honoured at the gala, which will air live tonight at 8 p.m. on CBC Radio One, are "American Woman," by Bachman and Cummings; folk singer Ed McCurdy's "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream"; the national anthem, "O Canada," written by Calixa Lavallée and Adolphe-Basile Routhier; the traditional ballads "I's the B'y" and "A Huron Carol" and "When You and I Were Young, Maggie," by George W. Johnson and James Butterfield.

Tickets are available at Ticket Master, 416-870-8000, and online at http://www.ticketmaster.ca.

Tyson is also performing tomorrow through Friday at Hugh's Room on Dundas St. W.

Half of the folk/country duo Ian & Sylvia, Tyson emerged in the 1960s as a formidable songwriter whose talent and career would soon be shaped by New York entrepreneur Albert Grossman, Bob Dylan's manager. Tyson and Sylvia Fricke married in 1964 and recorded 13 albums together before calling it quits in 1975, when Tyson headed for the Alberta Rockies.

But in 1983, with Old Corrals and Sagebrush, he came to the attention of organizers of the first National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nev., and the album was picked up for national release. Since then Tyson has recorded seven cowboy albums.

Songs From the Gravel Road came quickly, if not easily, he says.

"Hank Williams got it right. Heartache doesn't hurt your songwriting any. Most of the songs on this album came right in the middle of the worst of it.

"Divorce and pain created these songs. They're not the kinds of songs I thought I'd be writing at this time of my life. But as bad as I feel, I know it will all be resolved."

(i'd love to send my folks to Hugh's Room to see Ian, but there's no way they'd make it down those stairs to the washrooms! )

[jj]

that should be interesting...also wonder if Gordon will be attending any of the shows at Hugh's Room this week, would sure love to go but don't think it will happen (what a rare treat that would be, great venue for his CD release )

also wonder if JJ Cale will be there tonight with 'his' clones... is that why his touring band is using the name The Guess Who (because nobody knows who the other guys are, lol) instead of Burton and Randy?


TORONTO STAR

GREG QUILL
ENTERTAINMENT COLUMNIST

At 71, and having realized a greater proportion of his boyhood dreams than most men ever will, Ian Tyson should be a happy, satisfied soul.

The singer/songwriter's compositions "Four Strong Winds," "Someday Soon" and "Summer Wages" earned him a spot in the pantheon of Canada's great musical poets almost four decades ago. Then he walked away from music to reinvent himself as a cattle rancher in the Alberta high plains featured so vividly in those songs.

In recent years, Tyson re-emerged as a writer and performer of magically realistic working-cowboy songs, producing a series of memorable albums that, late in life, have made him a cultural legend.

Not that Tyson likes to hear that kind of talk. He knows good and bad go hand in hand, that every victory is tainted by loss, and that icons crumble and rust away. Having just completed an album he considers one of his finest — Songs From the Gravel Road — and the first sold-out tour of his career, through Nevada, Colorado, Utah and Alberta, he's back home contemplating the ruins of his 20-year marriage.

"It's divorce hell, as acrimonious as these things get," Tyson sighs. "Still, we'll get through it, even if it means giving up half the ranch. Time will take care of the rest."

A special guest at tonight's second annual Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame Awards — he'll be performing with his first wife, Sylvia Tyson, and her group Quartette — at the John Bassett Theatre in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Tyson is unusually happy about making the trip to Toronto, a city he generally finds easy to ignore, for the distraction it will offer.

He's not among this year's inductees, though he'll be singing two songs — Winnipeg singer and Hollywood movie cowboy Bob Nolan's "Cool Water" and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" — that are being added to the Hall Of Fame's roster.

"There's talk about being inducted next year," he says flatly. "I don't pay much attention to awards ... they look nice up on a shelf. I can't really connect with them. I'm leery of them. I don't like spin. And awards don't relate to the gravel road on my ranch, where I do all my walking and make up my songs.

"If I do get one, I hope it isn't posthumous."

At tonight's event, Guess Who songwriters Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings and native roots artist Buffy Sainte-Marie will join Nolan as inductees to the Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame along with Quebec's Claude Leveillée, Raymond Lévesque and Serge Deyglun, and Amherstburg, Ont. pianist and composer Shelton Brooks.

Among Canadian songs to be honoured at the gala, which will air live tonight at 8 p.m. on CBC Radio One, are "American Woman," by Bachman and Cummings; folk singer Ed McCurdy's "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream"; the national anthem, "O Canada," written by Calixa Lavallée and Adolphe-Basile Routhier; the traditional ballads "I's the B'y" and "A Huron Carol" and "When You and I Were Young, Maggie," by George W. Johnson and James Butterfield.

Tickets are available at Ticket Master, 416-870-8000, and online at http://www.ticketmaster.ca.

Tyson is also performing tomorrow through Friday at Hugh's Room on Dundas St. W.

Half of the folk/country duo Ian & Sylvia, Tyson emerged in the 1960s as a formidable songwriter whose talent and career would soon be shaped by New York entrepreneur Albert Grossman, Bob Dylan's manager. Tyson and Sylvia Fricke married in 1964 and recorded 13 albums together before calling it quits in 1975, when Tyson headed for the Alberta Rockies.

But in 1983, with Old Corrals and Sagebrush, he came to the attention of organizers of the first National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nev., and the album was picked up for national release. Since then Tyson has recorded seven cowboy albums.

Songs From the Gravel Road came quickly, if not easily, he says.

"Hank Williams got it right. Heartache doesn't hurt your songwriting any. Most of the songs on this album came right in the middle of the worst of it.

"Divorce and pain created these songs. They're not the kinds of songs I thought I'd be writing at this time of my life. But as bad as I feel, I know it will all be resolved."

(i'd love to send my folks to Hugh's Room to see Ian, but there's no way they'd make it down those stairs to the washrooms! )

[bjb]

Ian Tyson is very cool!
Cool Water and Tumbling Tumbleweeds are wonderful songs that I have known and loved since I was a kid and there were real cowboys around...

[bjb]

oops, that didn't come out right. The cowboys my Dad rode with were around in the 60s, not the 1880s...

[SilverHeels]

Ian Tyson 71! I would sure love to be at Hugh's Room for this outpouring.
Thanks, JJ, for posting this. I still enjoy listening to Ian and Sylvia and would love to see them perform together again.

[Restless]

I missed Ian when he played here in town a few weeks ago to a sold out 400 seat crowd. Im sure it was awesome.
n

[ELizabeth]

I remember seeing Ian and Sylvia at the Cellar Door in the early 70's (GL played there also). I thought they were the most beautiful and handsome couple I had ever seen. Their voices were to die for. I think I have every one of their released CD's. As I have mentioned here before I had all of their LPs but foolishly threw them out. Wish I could go see/hear them together again in Toronto(?). In the early 70's I thought GL was a knock out also. Loved those curls.

[Janice]

quote:Originally posted by jj:
also wonder if JJ Cale will be there tonight with 'his' clones...

jj, I know JJ Cale was not the focus of your topic, but you brought some fond memories to the surface mentioning his name. One of my all time favorite songs is one of his called, "Magnolia"

I've heard his version a few times over the years, but know it best by Poco and a long ago friend's band in Louisiana. Great song!! I really like his songwriting style.

Anyhow, thanks for causing me to remember this song. I'll have to drag it out and give it a listen - it's been far too long

[Station Master]

LOL, glad you got some memories out of my post, Janice! i meant Jim Kale, must have been self-absorbed again with 'jj' on the mind as i typed away ...probably better if i cut and paste from now on and pass on the paraphrasing, lol

______________________________________

Guess Who members tussle over name

Don't hold your breath for a Guess Who tour this summer with guitarist Randy Bachman and singer-keyboardist Burton Cummings in the lineup.

Original bassist Jim Kale -- who dropped out on the eve of the band's highly successful 1999 reunion trek -- still owns the rights to the name.

"We tried very hard to get it together for this year, for '05, because it is very 'anniversaried' for us," Bachman told the Sun recently.

"It would be the 35th anniversary of American Woman, and Takin' Care Of Business was '75, Shakin' All Over was '65. There are all these anniversaries. We tried very, very hard, and it was undoable. We couldn't get a proper business arrangement on the name. ... It's one of those unfortunate things. I don't think it will ever happen now."

Bachman says Kale is currently touring the U.S. with his own lineup of musicians.

"They're touring with a clone band down in the United States and that just breaks my heart," says Bachman. " 'Cause we just spent the last few years rebuilding up the name and reputation and we toured the States and just did phenomenal. We could have done a massive tour, but now there's a couple of clone guys in the band and they're touring and playing lesser gigs, can I be polite?"

Still, Bachman has plenty of other projects to keep him busy: He's recording a "weird, prairie, country-rock, wedding" album with Toronto's The Sadies, and another solo jazz album.

Cummings, meanwhile, told the Sun he's about halfway through a new solo album in L.A. that he expects will be released in the mid-to-late summer with a solo tour to follow.

Bachman and Cummings are being inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame on Tuesday night in Toronto.
__________________________________________

[This message has been edited by jj (edited February 08, 2005).]

[jj]

LOL, glad you got some memories out of my post, Janice! i meant Jim Kale, must have been self-absorbed again with 'jj' on the mind as i typed away ...probably better if i cut and paste from now on and pass on the paraphrasing, lol

______________________________________

Guess Who members tussle over name

Don't hold your breath for a Guess Who tour this summer with guitarist Randy Bachman and singer-keyboardist Burton Cummings in the lineup.

Original bassist Jim Kale -- who dropped out on the eve of the band's highly successful 1999 reunion trek -- still owns the rights to the name.

"We tried very hard to get it together for this year, for '05, because it is very 'anniversaried' for us," Bachman told the Sun recently.

"It would be the 35th anniversary of American Woman, and Takin' Care Of Business was '75, Shakin' All Over was '65. There are all these anniversaries. We tried very, very hard, and it was undoable. We couldn't get a proper business arrangement on the name. ... It's one of those unfortunate things. I don't think it will ever happen now."

Bachman says Kale is currently touring the U.S. with his own lineup of musicians.

"They're touring with a clone band down in the United States and that just breaks my heart," says Bachman. " 'Cause we just spent the last few years rebuilding up the name and reputation and we toured the States and just did phenomenal. We could have done a massive tour, but now there's a couple of clone guys in the band and they're touring and playing lesser gigs, can I be polite?"

Still, Bachman has plenty of other projects to keep him busy: He's recording a "weird, prairie, country-rock, wedding" album with Toronto's The Sadies, and another solo jazz album.

Cummings, meanwhile, told the Sun he's about halfway through a new solo album in L.A. that he expects will be released in the mid-to-late summer with a solo tour to follow.

Bachman and Cummings are being inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame on Tuesday night in Toronto.
__________________________________________

[This message has been edited by jj (edited February 08, 2005).]

[Janice]

quote:Originally posted by jj:
LOL, glad you got some memories out of my post, Janice! i meant Jim Kale, must have been self-absorbed again with 'jj' on the mind as i typed away ...probably better if i cut and paste from now on and pass on the paraphrasing, lol


I was kind of wondering how JJ Cale fit in the picture, but I wasn't gonna knock a gift horse in the mouth

[Station Master]

heh, well both their first name's start with J and last name's end with e, lol

their singing Tumblin' Tumbleweed was a big hilight for me, but the show went over so my tape ran out, lol...wonder if there's an mp3 of GL yet?

nice how this site has a 'flash' of Gord (lol) for it's intro but it's needs to be completed, i wanted to see the pic gallery!


http://www.cansong.ca/

[jj]

heh, well both their first name's start with J and last name's end with e, lol

their singing Tumblin' Tumbleweed was a big hilight for me, but the show went over so my tape ran out, lol...wonder if there's an mp3 of GL yet?

nice how this site has a 'flash' of Gord (lol) for it's intro but it's needs to be completed, i wanted to see the pic gallery!


http://www.cansong.ca/

[Bill]

I interviewed Tyson about 12 years ago for a video project in graduate school...met up with him in Ft. Worth Texas. Very gracious man, no pretense, and looked to be much younger than his then 60 years. Love his cowboy tunes!

[Station Master]

interesting stuff, Bill, what a treat

after a mild strecth, it's now snowing again up here...i'll bet it will be a warm atmosphere tonight at Hugh's Room...i'd love to watch him walk right in there off the city street with snow covering the brim of his big hat... then again, maybe in reality he just wears a goofy coloured touque like the rest of us, lol

i can't believe he's 71, must be good air on that ranch

[jj]

interesting stuff, Bill, what a treat

after a mild strecth, it's now snowing again up here...i'll bet it will be a warm atmosphere tonight at Hugh's Room...i'd love to watch him walk right in there off the city street with snow covering the brim of his big hat... then again, maybe in reality he just wears a goofy coloured touque like the rest of us, lol

i can't believe he's 71, must be good air on that ranch

[Station Master]

quote:Originally posted by jj:

Original bassist Jim Kale -- who dropped out on the eve of the band's highly successful 1999 reunion trek -- still owns the rights to the name.


i thought Gord might have come out and done a tribute tune during his Guess Who intro and kinda return the favour from years ago...he may have called it "Bachman" or maybe "Cummings"

"The sidemen come out first,
Jim Kale, bass guitar..."

naw, that wouldn't work out, lol

[jj]

quote:Originally posted by jj:

Original bassist Jim Kale -- who dropped out on the eve of the band's highly successful 1999 reunion trek -- still owns the rights to the name.


i thought Gord might have come out and done a tribute tune during his Guess Who intro and kinda return the favour from years ago...he may have called it "Bachman" or maybe "Cummings"

"The sidemen come out first,
Jim Kale, bass guitar..."

naw, that wouldn't work out, lol

[charlene]

i just wish the shows were on a weekend night...i'd be there. Tyson is still lookin' and soundin' good...amazing!

[charlene]

i just wish the shows were on a weekend night...i'd be there. Tyson is still lookin' and soundin' good...amazing!

[Station Master]

http://www.iantyson.ca/

holy, all along i though we were talking about THIS guy, lol

seriously, i was looking for an old tape today and found a 1994 Canuck awards show tape from Calgary that had so many great moments (the Rankin Family with John Morris still with us, performing Tramp Miner flawlessly - a young unknown Shania, just married - Family Brown rockin the joint, etc, etc) but then Quartette came on stage (with Colleen Peterson still with us ) and then our man, Ian Tyson came on and sang as smooth as can be...that was 11 years ago and he looked the same as today!

if he ever hangs ups the geetar, he should go into infomercials and let us in on the "Tyson elixir"

[jj]

http://www.iantyson.ca/

holy, all along i though we were talking about THIS guy, lol

seriously, i was looking for an old tape today and found a 1994 Canuck awards show tape from Calgary that had so many great moments (the Rankin Family with John Morris still with us, performing Tramp Miner flawlessly - a young unknown Shania, just married - Family Brown rockin the joint, etc, etc) but then Quartette came on stage (with Colleen Peterson still with us ) and then our man, Ian Tyson came on and sang as smooth as can be...that was 11 years ago and he looked the same as today!

if he ever hangs ups the geetar, he should go into infomercials and let us in on the "Tyson elixir"