REWARD OFFERED

Some may wonder why I post this year after year on this day? The short answer is that it serves to remind me, (and hopefully you) that stuff is just stuff. We get attached to our "stuff" but at the end of the day it is just that. I know this pales in comparison to what a lot of people are going through at this time . . .

It is hard to believe that 34 years ago today ~ April 1st, 1990 at around 8:00 in the morning I received a call which would radically change the trajectory of us and our young family forever. Unfortunately it was not an April Fool's joke. The recording studio space that we were renting had been broken into and almost all of our equipment had been stolen. Some good did come out of it and a lot of bad.

Many of you know the story. Someday I hope to be able to write it up and truth be told, the story would make for a pretty interesting movie! As I was reflecting again on this whole saga again last night, I realized again how determined and resilient the human spirit can be. Never once did I consider quitting or giving up. (maybe I should have!) Seriously, I felt that this career of music, recording and production was something I was meant to do and I would find a way to pick up the pieces and carry on.

In some ways it seems like a lifetime ago and in other ways it seems like yesterday. Thank you to our friends and family who stood by us at that very difficult time.I want to give a specific shout out to my late Uncle Sam Norbo (RIP) who, while visiting later that month from Ontario, slipped some cash into my pocket which he said he wanted us to have due to what had just happened. On a pastor's salary this was something I am sure he could not afford, but it helped us buy groceries that month and spoke to his generous heart. Shortly before he passed I was able to thank him again for his help at that time.

Fast forward many years later and lightning did strike twice and I had a number of instruments stolen in the Nashville area. Some of these instruments are literally irreplaceable. It is interesting how we get an emotional attachment to "stuff" for example, the Larivee' guitar was used on literally dozens if not hundreds of projects I was involved with over the years and means a great deal to me.

I am announcing this morning, April 1st, 2024 a reward of 5 thousand dollars leading to the recovery of the following instruments. You may PM me if you have any pertinent information. We have some reason to believe that these may have been sold or pawned in the Nashville area or perhaps as far away as Chattanooga, TN. Thank you!

1 - Fender Telecaster Guitar w/ original certificate, paperwork, etc., with original hardshell case. Serial Number: DZ02572711

1 - Gibson - J 185 - 12 string Guitar w/ original certificate, paperwork, etc., with original hardshell case. Serial Number: 007400411

1 - Gibson Flying V w/ original certificate, paperwork, etc,. with original hardshell case. Serial Number: 011807641

1 - Gibson Les Paul w/ original certificate, paperwork, etc., with original hardshell case. Serial Number: 9015231

1 - Gretsch 8211 with original hardshell case. Serial Number: 2-02031

1 - Larivee' Acoustic Guitar with original hardshell case. Serial Number: 0917781

1 - PRS - Bass Guitar w/original certificate, paperwork, etc. with original hardshell case. Serial Number: EB002891

1 - Sigma - Model 5259R - 6 string guitar set up as a Nashville High Strung guitar, with original hardshell case. Serial Number: 30503 

FOUR WHEEL DRIVE

 

Sometime in 1975 I purchased my very first "real" stereo. I bought it from George Martin (not the George Martin of Beatle fame!). George was a lovely, kind man who had been our neighbour up on the Prairie Crescent for many years. The stereo was a Lloyd's brand and had an AM / FM radio, a phono input and a 8-track player.

In an effort to make a more portable playback device especially targeted for vehicles the 8-track was invented. This was a tape inside a cartridge that had 1/4 inch tape with 4 stereo tracks spread across the tape thus giving it 8-tracks.

The tape was an endless loop inside the cartridge and went round and round unless you hit a button and it changed the position of the playback head resulting in an annoying snap. I loved this stereo and proudly set it up in my room and one of the very first 8-track tapes that I acquired was the BTO (Bachman Turner Overdrive) album, FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. This was my first exposure to the songs of Randy Bachman although I am sure by then I had heard the music from his major claim to fame up that point and that was the band, The Guess Who. I wore the tape out!

Fast forward many years later to when I owned and operated a small recording studio and 14 AKG 460b microphones came up for sale. These microphones had hung in the legislative assembly in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada and as such were basically in new condition. I didn't need 14 identical microphones (well, maybe I did but I couldn't afford them) so I ended up selling 2 to my friend Harold Wiens, 2 to my friend Roy Salmond and 2 to none other than Randy Bachman himself for his studio on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia. I ended up hanging on to 4 of them and sent 2 of them to Jim Williams of Audio Upgrades for his stellar modifications.

A couple of weeks passed after I shipped them out to Randy and in the mail one day came a beautiful, handwritten letter from Randy Bachman himself thanking me for the microphones. The letter was on his 1970's looking, airbrushed font letterhead. Now I sold these to him they were not a gift so he didn't really need to thank me but the impression that made on me was significant. Here was a man who had sold over 40 million records and counting and was famous around the globe and he took the time to personally write and thank little 'ole me who he didn't know from Adam. Another great lesson for me on being thankful and it also left me with the distinct impression that this was a class man.

Last evening, myself and 3 friends were able to take in a stellar night where Randy at the age of 80 shared stories about his songs, his guitars and his life and also played quite a number of his big hits with a band made up of his son Tal on bass and keys and Tal's wife, KoKo on the drums. Randy currently owns over 1000 guitars and is an avid collector. He is also a consummate story teller and if you haven't heard his Vinyl Tap podcasts you owe it to yourself to check them out!

NO POWER TO YA!

 

NO POWER TO YA! ~ stay tuned for a brand new story from the Prairie Boy about the time Petra's power was turned off . . . on purpose!

"WHERE ARE THEY NOW?" ~ #33 ~ SYD MEAD

Next up in my, "Where Are They Now?" series is PHS alum, Syd Mead.

Sydney Jay Mead (July 18, 1933 – December 30, 2019) was an American industrial designer and neo-futurist - futurist concept artist, widely known for his designs for science-fiction films such as Blade Runner, Aliens and Tron. Mead has been described as, "the artist who illustrates the future" and "one of the most influential concept artists and industrial designers of our time.

Born on July 18th, 1933 in St Paul, Minnesota, Mead was a natural at drawing and encouraged by his art enthusiast, Baptist minister father. 'By the time I was four I was drawing cars with people and by 11 portraits of my uncle Henry which were actually quite good,' he recalled in an interview back in 2015.

Syd Mead was the first Visual Futurist in film history. He contributed designs to most major film studios and worked on such feature films as; Star Trek - The Motion Picture, Blade Runner, TRON, 2010, Short Circuit, Aliens, Time Cop, Johnny Mnemonic and Mission Impossible - 3.

Among his many clients and accomplishments Syd also did design work for; Ford Motor Company, U.S. Steel, and Philips Electronics.

Syd passed away peacefully at his home in Pasadena, CA on December 30, 2019 at the age of 86.

"WHERE ARE THEY NOW?" ~ #32 ~ JONATHAN VICKERS

Next up in my; "Where Are They Now?" series is: Jonathan Stewart Vickers, (October 29, 1926 – July 10, 2015)

Known professionally as Jon Vickers, he was a Canadian heldentenor. Often referred to as, "God's Tenor", Vickers was born into the musical family of William, a teacher and school principal, and Myrle (née Mossop). Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, he was the sixth in a family of eight children.

As a youth he sang in his father's church, and his initial intention was to study medicine. He worked on a neighbour's farm and acquired the muscular stature that characterized him.

During a semi-professional production his leading lady made a recording of his voice and sent it to The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. He auditioned there with Every Valley Shall be Exalted and was offered a scholarship. In 1950, he moved to Toronto to study opera at The Royal Conservatory of Music.

In 1953 he married Henrietta (Hetti) Outerbridge. They had five children. After her death in 1991, he married Judith Stewart.

In 1957 Vickers joined London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden company. In 1960 he joined the Metropolitan Opera.

He became world-famous for a wide range of German, French, and Italian roles. Vickers' huge, powerful voice and solid technique met the demands of many French, German, and Italian roles. He was also highly regarded for his powerful stage presence and thoughtful characterizations. (Conversely, he was sometimes criticized for "scooping"—beginning a note below pitch and then sliding up to the correct pitch—and for "crooning".)

In 1968 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada. Vickers received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts, in 1998.

Vickers further sang at the 'home' of Italian opera, Milan's La Scala, as well as in the major opera houses of Chicago, San Francisco, Vienna, and at the Salzburg Festival. He retired in 1988.

The Prairie connection comes in on a couple of levels. Jonathan's parents, William and Myrle joined the staff of Prairie College where William (or Bill as he was known then) was hoping to teach. Things did not go according to plan and he ended up working in the shipping department. Jonathan's sister, Marg, married Alf Bayne who became the founder and long time director of Camp Homewood with whom Prairie has had a long association.

Vickers died of Alzheimer's disease on July 10, 2015 in Ontario, Canada.

(Thanks to Wikipedia for the help on this)

"WHERE ARE THEY NOW?" ~ #31 ~ DAVE STEVENS

Next up in my, "Where Are They Now" series is Prairie College alum (Grad of '79) and author, Dave Stevens.

When I was in 9th grade there was a group of, "creatives" who thought it would be a great idea to form a band outside shall we say the confines of the rules at the time. I got to hang around these guys when they would utilize the recording studio after hours. This was when I met Dave Stevens.

After graduation, Dave was involved in mission work in Mexico for a number of years before joining the United States Military.

Dave first began his military career as a Field Artilleryman. Once he realized the potentials that the Army Criminal Investigation Division held, Dave applied for and was accepted into their Special Agent Program where he served for seven years, posted as Personal Protection Detail to the Top Seven dignitaries in the Pentagon, plus their visiting counterparts, whenever they came into town. After this service Dave became a Warrant Officer" (when his 'writing career' was really tested).

It was in Warrant Officer School that he was given written assignments on the leadership styles of Civil War Generals - either side - it didn't matter. This whetted his appetite for all things "Civil War." Dave developed an interest in individuals, and incidents, who had lesser, or no known levels of involvement in, the Civil War.

This experience has has evolved into his passion for researching historical evidence, and putting pen-to-paper. The results has been the publication of numerous, non-fiction biographies.

Dave and his wife Lynn are retired and live in VA, USA.

"WHERE ARE THEY NOW?" ~ #30 ~ ROY and NORMA (NEILSEN) BENNETT

Next up in my, "Where Are They Now" series, is a special; "two fer" featuring two Prairie Alum. When we were first married we lived in a 4-plex where Roy and Norma Bennett also lived while they both attended school.

Norma has gone on to be an accomplished author, performing artist and speaker. If you are looking for a gift for your children or grandchildren check out Norma's series of children's books. Roy and Norma have journeyed together down some tough paths, most notably the loss of their stillborn son, Levi.

Norma has put together a book and symposium entitled Wednesday Mourning: A Theology Of Grief which has been meaningful to many travelling a similar road.

One thing I did not know until recently is how talented Roy "Stoker" Bennett is at art. We dubbed Roy this for his love of all things bonfire and campfire. Check out some of Roy's art in the link in the comments section.

Our family also vacationed with the Bennetts for several summers and believe me, there will be more stories yet to come!

www.bennett-projects.com