We have crossed paths with Reg Bouvette quite a few times on Awards Ceremonies and Playhouse Theatre Shows. He recorded for the Sunshine label. In 2001, from January through April, I flew into Pukatawagan every week to teach Brandon University classes. While there I met and jammed with many northern musicians - some of whom had been featured on the the Puk Talent Search CD which was also released on Sunshine Records. The most popular song on the CD was The Pukatawagan Song by Sidney Castel and was high on the NCI Radio playlist for many months. While up there I wrote my own Puk song: The Pukatawalkin Blues. Sidney was a real character and I invited him to my "bear pit" classes numerous times where we swapped tall tales, songs and guitar licks in front of my BU Communications and Journalism classes. Near the end of my term my students were excited to hear the NCI ads for the Bobby Curtola Sock Hop Reunion show I was doing with Bobby. He gave me 30 complimentary tickets for them and they started a blitz of fundraising activities to raise enough money to travel to Brandon to see the show. 

Ray St. Germain came to our Bend Theatre in Strathclair a number of times when I was a kid. He was part of the Hal Lonepine / Betty Cody Western show. They played shows on a Winnipeg radio station promoting their live appearances around the country in the mid-late '50s. Ray was a skinny teenage Elvis. . . and a really good one. I was/am a tremendous Elvis fan so Ray's appearance was the highlight of the show for me. The other exciting part of the show was the backup guitarist: Hal Lonepine, Jr. -- later known as Lenny Breau, one of the greatest guitarists ever. I was just starting guitar at that time so I was mesmerized by his amazing Chet Atkins finger style playing on a Gretsch guitar. My first "big name" guitar HAD to be a Gretsch
Lenny Breau and Chet Atkins 

Years later I don't believe that Ray ever knew how thrilling it was for us to join him in the running, numerous times, for the MACA Entertainers of the Year Award. It's been fascinating to follow his incredible career through the years: hit records, TV and radio, tours, concerts, songswriting, commercials, and DJ work. In recent years we finally appeared on the same bill for the Bobby Curtola Rock 'n' Roll Reunion Show at Brandon's Keystone Convention Complex. The show was doubly rewarding as Sue-On and I got together with The Dovermen, our old '60s rock band that toured with Bobby way back then, and backed him for his show. Coincidentally, I remember buying Ray's and Bobby's first hit singles in same month back in the '50s.

We also shared the bill on many Opry North radio shows broadcast nation-wide from the Playhouse Theatre. 

We hired C-Weed and a few other Winnipeg acts to play at the Boggy Creek Festival. These artists dominated the Award Shows.

See the MACA programme: 
St. Germain, Reg Bouvette, C-Weed, Harvey Henry, Red Wine, Errol Ranville . . .