Red Shea has died-June 2008

[BILLW]

Originally Posted by charlene

I don't think it's the Lightfoot style- there never was a mention of Barry at Massey..altho he was never far from my thoughts..

That's what I was thinking... thanks Char.

Bill

[Sundown17]

It might be emotionally too much when it's a close friend, but Gord has been known to acknowledge the passing of a well-known person.

In July 1979, Gord performed at Tanglewood in Lenox MA. It is the summer home of the Boston Orchestras. That day, Arthur Fielder, the famous conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra, had died. Gord mentioned it and dedicated TWOTEF to him.

Tonight I will be at my first Gord concert since the passing of Barry and Red. There will be many thoughts of both of them.

[Bill]

I interviewed Ian Tyson back in 1992 and he said that Red taught him and Gordon a lot about playing guitar.

[lighthead2toe]

Originally Posted by Yuri

It certainly is sad that it takes a death to once again appreciate all that an individual has contributed to our world, whether musical or otherwise. I had always wondered what Red was up to in the post Lightfoot years and would only rarely hear his name mentioned.

Not having heard of John Stockfish’s demise, is anyone aware of his current whereabouts and endeavours?

Yuri, the last time I saw John Stockfish he was playing bass with Toronto singer songwriter Ron Nigrini. This would have been sometime during the late seventies or perhaps early eighties. I remember my head doing a double take when during the gig Ron said. "Now John is going to sing a song." John clearly is a much better bass player than a singer. I always thought he made a fine contribution to Gord's music though especially in "Song For A Winter's Night."
Ron Nigrini is on the calendar at Hughes Room in Toronto presently. He's a fine entertainer and a true gentleman as well. Ron J.

[charlene]

Ron Nigirini was at one of the Lightfoot trib shows at Hugh`s Room a few years back..still sounded great..

[Yuri]

Thanks Ron & Char. It's nice to know that he is still around and plucking the 'ol strings. Everyone who ever added to that Lightfoot sound holds a high place in my book.
Yuri

[banjobench12]

At a concert in detroit with John Denver, Harry Chapin and James Taylor Gord discussed the fact that Bing Crosby had passed away a day or so before. He and Denver then did a duet of Tura Lura Lura

[jj]

Originally Posted by lighthead2toe

... the last time I saw John Stockfish he was playing bass with Toronto singer songwriter Ron Nigrini. This would have been sometime during the late seventies or perhaps early eighties..

could he still be playing with him 20 years later? ie. is this Stockfish bass on the Nigrini 2002 release? http://webhome.idirect.com/~nigrini/...of%20roses.mp3

[Robby Lake]

Originally Posted by Calgary Dave

Hi all. My Dad and I were very close to Red and his family. Red was my Dad's very best friend. We flew out to see Red just a couple of weeks ago. Red was laughing and joking, all the while in extreme pain. One of the last photo's of Red: My Dad on the right.

Thank you so much for the picture.
I am 35 years old and Gordonlightfoot is my favorite singer/songwriter/rhthym guitarist
Guess who my favorite lead guitar player of all time is?
RED SHEA
I met Terry Clements a few years back, after a concert Gord did here in florida.
We talked and drank.He's great,humble...he was bewildered when I asked him to sign my 12 string!I love his playing,along with Doc Watson,Steve Stills,Jimmy Page,Tony Rice...
Red was and will always be the best. "May Gods' grace and love keep you safe and may you always remain...forever young."
Thank you to al who posted.
Love and be loved.
Robby Lake

[JohninCt.]

Thanks, that is great for us to see that picture. Good to know that near the end he was still in good spirits and with friends. I talked to Gordons Bass player, Rick Haynes a few days ago and he was also very saddened by Reds passing, as he also was a close friend of his. He didn't have to be playing a part in the band anymore to still be one of their family, he will always remain with them.

[johnfowles]

Originally Posted by vlmagee

Another view of Red Shea, from his original home town:

www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=144167&sc=4

Particularly interesting is the confirmation (although the article doesn't mention it) that the mysterious "Les Pouliot" whose songs Lightfoot recorded is indeed Red's brother.

Err Umm

Indeed very interesting Val.
BUT.... BUT..
the article does state:-
"National media reported his real name was Laurice Milton Shea but former local residents recall his last name being Pouliot."
Also
"Former CKBI production manager in Prince Albert Jack Cennon remembered the Pouliot family.

Cennon recalled Red's father Alf Pouliot was a photographer in Prince Albert.

He also remembers a young Red and his brother Les coming into his office one day wanting to get a start in the media business.
Red and Les formed a music group called the Red and Les Trio. Red went on with a very successful music career and Les also had great success as a television producer.
Shea's relationship with Lightfoot began in 1960 when they met while working on the CBC-TV music series "Country Hoedown......

The next thing I know Pouliot (Les) is the producer of the Tommy Hunter Show"
it prompted me to do a google and I found on:-
http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/artists/r/red-2000.htm
details of a single release by:-
Red & Les Trio
Red Shea and Les Pouliot.
after that I was astounded to read this:-
Acknowledgments: Shawn Nagy
Astounded because after my initial Massey visit back in November 1999 I ventured on to Colourful Colourado to stay with Sue Bloo(mer) and her aunt.. Following which I rented a car and drove on to make my Buddy Holly pilgrimage to Lubbock Texas, where I stayed overnight with Shawn Nagy, who is originally from Saskatchewan, Canada, and who I had come across as the owner of a comprehensive Buddy Holly web site (which included a Holly fan chat room),and which was initially on a free (angelfire) web site but is now part of the Bill Griggs (respected Holly authority) web site system at http://www.buddyhollyonline.com

reminds me I must contact Shawn and find out why he is credited on a site refering to Red. Shawn I know returned from a temporary life in Lubbock to Duluth Minnesota soon after I saw him.
see:-
http://www.buddyhollyonline.com/legal.html

"This site was produced in 1997 by Shawn Nagy.
It is the longest running Buddy Holly site on the internet.
The right of Shawn Nagy to be identified as author of this
work has been asserted by him. All rights reserved."

Shawn has an oldies group he founded in 1988 called:-
The Shackshakers
see also:-
http://www.shackshakers.com

Shawn is now embroiled in a battle with Buddy's widow who seems to spend all her time trying to ensure that nobody but nobody not even the city of Lubbock can use Buddy's name without her getting paid for it, despite or perhaps because of her next big challenge which will arise in February 2009 when under the copyright rules of many countries copyright on all of Buddy's recordings expires under their 50 year limit rule.

Hens teeth it will be 50 years since his untimely death in a light plane crash!!Just where did the time go!!!

[Jesse Joe]

In the movie Harry Tracy it is Les Pouliot that wrote that beautiful song, " My Love For You." Im asking here does anyone know for sure if this is the same guy ? Also did he write any other great songs that I dont know about ??

[SherylKat]

Originally Posted by joveski

i loved the way he had an effortless look on his face while playing those complicated guitar parts from what i've seen on youtube... R.I.P Red

Hi, I'm a "newbie" to corfid but a long-time GML fan. I totally agree with your comment. I had the privilege of seeing Red Shea in concert at my first GML concert. Even though I never met him personally, his death came as a real shock.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4anOSSGm6U has a great shot of The Band playing "Saturday Clothes" and then the camera wheels back and shows GML looking at him and them both smiling. RIP, RED!

[Jesse Joe]

Hi SherylKat and welcome to Corfid. Hope to be hearing more Lightfoot stories from you !

[johnfowles]

Originally Posted by Jesse Joe

In the movie Harry Tracy it is Les Pouliot that wrote that beautiful song, " My Love For You." Im asking here does anyone know for sure if this is the same guy ? Also did he write any other great songs that I dont know about ??

I mean come on Omer, whilst I know that there are about a hundred Omer L.....s living in Moncton, but who would invent an alias like Les Pouliot??
a vibrant name like "Red Shea" would be much more likely!!??

If "Pouliot" was good enough for his own father its good enough for me!!
Amongst songs that Gordon has recorded is the ditty on "Early Lightfoot' entitled
"Negotiations"

[OldDan]

Sorry to hear about Red Shea. At my very first Lightfoot concert, in 1971, Gordon introduced a young (and long-haired) lead guitarist named Terry Clements who would be taking Red's place on the road. That's the only opportunity I had to see Red accompanying Gordon in live performance. I sort of lost touch with his whereabouts after Terry came on board, but then he re-appeared on the Gord's Gold album in 1975. I'm pleased he went on to play with Ian Tyson's band and had a long association with the Tommy Hunter Show on CBC, as well. Rest in peace, Red.

[johnfowles]

and whilst talking of peoples names guess what Peewee has a son named Jesse see:-
http://news.therecord.com/Life/article/371430
"He's the one playing the haunting opening bars on The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, one of Lightfoot's few radio hits in a career exceeding 40 years."
"Ringwald has nothing but heartfelt praise for Lightfoot, whom he looked upon as a brother. He describes Lightfoot as "a down-to-earth, caring, shy type of person."
"He treated me and all the musicians in his band like family. It was unusual for musicians to be paid a full-time salary rather than paid by the job. It was the best gig a musician could have."

[SherylKat]

Originally Posted by Jesse Joe

Hi SherylKat and welcome to Corfid. Hope to be hearing more Lightfoot stories from you !

Thanks, Jesse Joe, for the greeting. Too bad we had to "meet" on a bleak note!

On the brighter side, I was lucky enough to get to go to all four nights of Massey May this year. It was fun meeting some of the Corfidians: Char, Sir John, and a woman named Ann from Portland, OR whose e-mail I lost and I hope she reads this and contacts me. Gord and the Band were great, and each night was like a big family party. It was great to see and talk to the guys in the band, too, after many, many years, and Gord looked like he's going strong and seemed much happier than I remembered him. I'm sure you've heard or read all the comments about Massey May a month ago, but I just had to put my two cents in!

I had an absolute ball in Toronto, as always. The people are so friendly there. I've been to every province in Canada except Yukon Territory and Nunuvit (?). Used to do a lot of hiking, particularly in Alberta. Remember going to New Brunswick during the Fall, my favorite time of year. I think I'll try to remember that today, since it's going to be about 103 degrees (sorry, haven't learned celsius yet!) on the West Coast of the States today...

Happy Canada Day coming up!

SherylKat

[Jesse Joe]

Thanks for the response SherylKat... Canada Day = Gordon Lightfoot Day, to me anyway !

[Jesse Joe]

Originally Posted by johnfowles

I mean come on Omer, whilst I know that there are about a hundred Omer L.....s living in Moncton, but who would invent an alias like Les Pouliot??
a vibrant name like "Red Shea" would be much more likely!!??

If "Pouliot" was good enough for his own father its good enough for me!!
Amongst songs that Gordon has recorded is the ditty on "Early Lightfoot' entitled
"Negotiations"

That's true John I do have The Two Tones, and come to think of it your right about the name Les Pouliot. I should have known better.

Because on The Two Tones at the village corner,

Songs: "We Come Hear To Sing", "Summer Love", and "Lord I'm So Weary," were also written by Les Pouliot...

[Jesse Joe]

And on {Early Lightfoot} the song "Day Before Yesterday" and of course "Negotiations" like you did mention are written by Les Pouliot...

[Jesse Joe]

Originally Posted by johnfowles

and whilst talking of peoples names guess what Peewee has a son named Jesse see:-
http://news.therecord.com/Life/article/371430
"He's the one playing the haunting opening bars on The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, one of Lightfoot's few radio hits in a career exceeding 40 years."
"Ringwald has nothing but heartfelt praise for Lightfoot, whom he looked upon as a brother. He describes Lightfoot as "a down-to-earth, caring, shy type of person."
"He treated me and all the musicians in his band like family. It was unusual for musicians to be paid a full-time salary rather than paid by the job. It was the best gig a musician could have."

I did read everything about Peewee his son Jesse, and I knew he was from my second home of Kitchener Ontario. Great place to live...

[johnfowles]

Originally Posted by Jesse Joe

And on {Early Lightfoot} the song "Day Before Yesterday" and of course "Negotiations" like you did mention are written by Les Pouliot...

Not so fast Omer. Yes I did forget that The day Before Yesterday was a;lso a Les Pouliot composition is in point of fact the one Chateau single that failed to be included on the AMF "Early Ligfhtfoot" album.
Another interesting point is that my old acquaintance in the UK Brian Walters as part of a frenzied effort in the 1999 time frame to colleect everything by Gord found a rare copy of the UK release of this single:-
when he reported this single's existance to EMP Brian was amazed to be told that they were unaware of it!!

Anybody who followed up my link to the Red and Les Trio will now know that there is yet another Les Pouliot composition around

I now know why my old Holly friend Shawn Nagy is credited on that page and that he was trying to contact Red about that single when he died
Shawn did however supply a 32 second clip of the "A" side" (Marlene)
http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/ss/34/ss34774.mp3 ??m ??

such profound lyrics too!!
"I have never seen a girl like you Marlene"
I'll say no more of his other tentative and frustrated plans for GL material as I do not want to steal his thunder so I'll now reply to him to encourage him to become a member here and elaborate

[Jesse Joe]

That Les Pouliot was some great songwriter. That last link didn't work for me John...

http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/ss/34/ss34774.mp3 ????

[imported_Next_Saturday]

I always thought the lyrics to Spanish Moss were:


Georgia pine and ripple wine
Kisses mixed with moonshine and Red Shea
Spanish moss, wish you knew what I was saying