PHOTOS: Ray and Lenny Breau - Hal Lonepine Show
http://www.hillmanweb.com/odyssey2/bend.html

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CURTOLA TOUR: 1964/1965

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Our success in backing Newbeats and opening for Roger Miller and Everly Brothers in the Winnipeg Auditorium led to even greater gigs.
We were hired by Bobby as his backup band for a Western Canada tour in 1964 and 1965.
Since we had been the house band at the Brandon roller rink it was a thrill to do the New Years Eve dance there with Bobby.

Most of Bobby's hits were written by the Hurdon Brothers of Port Arthur who discovered him at age 16 and managed his career.
We never met the Hurdons but Marie Martell was Bobby's road manager-- she ran the shows with an iron hand and the shows went very smoothly
Mrs. Martell had small daughter, Ava, who grew up to become a beautiful lady. Bobby married Ava 10 years later.

Bobby recorded in Nashville and the sessions were very professionally done -- many of them were produced by Ray Stevens.
Top session musicians and the Anita Kerr singers were on the sessions.
These sessions turned out a long string of hits -- both nationally and internationally.

By the time we did the tour he had a good number of hits to draw from.
He had all the right stage moves, well dressed and groomed and was always in good voice.
We were met with packed houses and screaming teen fans at every venue.
Bobby was a terrific role model and fans and parents alike adored him.
Bobby had written and performed the song "Things go better with Coca-Cola" in 1964 for their ads and he also served as a pitchman for the company.
In fact he was also given a spot in the Coca-Cola Museum.
Since Coke were a major sponsor, there piles of cases of Coke in our trailer and on and backstage -- The only "drug" that was ever touched on the tour.
A U-Haul trailer carried the PA and our equipment which included my Gretsch guitar and Fender Twin Reverb amp.
We opened each show with guitar instrumentals and hits of the day and then brought Bobby on to screaming applause.

Floppy promo disc of Bobby's Coke commercial  Bobby sings The Real Thing

On stage in Portage La Prairie -  Part of our '64/'65 tour with Bobby. More info and photos at: www.hillmanweb.com/hbc1.html

Bill Hillman with lead Gretsch  Warren Hannay on drums  John Bishop on bass Delkeith Dubbin on rhythm

A few months later in Spring 1965 I took my fiance Sue-On on a date to see and meet Bobby when he played in Minnedosa.
We had a good chat backstage and he gave autographed photos to each of  us.
Sue-On was impressed when Bobby shouted "Hey, Red!" from the stage as we walked in the door.
He had asked us to carry on to tour in US with him but I was going to University - other guys were starting careers.
We had to turn down the offer - a very difficult decision to make.
So eventually he asked another Brandon band, since he had good luck with us, his first Brandon Band.
Brandon's Challengers went on to tour as Martells - a name that his backing bands were often given that was based on his manager's name.

click for larger images "To Bill ~ Best Regards ~ A Swell Tour! ~ Bobby Curtola" "To Suzie ! Love and Hugs xxxx ~ Pretty As Ever ~ Bobby Curtola"

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He married Ava in 1975 and they settled in Edmonton.
Their two sons, Michael and Chris, were born and raised there.

Starting in 1990 he played on the Love Boat for the Princess Cruises for 12 years.
Bobby was a philanthropist, raising money for numerous charities, including his Bobby Curtola Foundation for Children in Ecuador.
He also received Canada’s highest honor, the Order of Canada, and the Gold Medal of Merit in 1998.
There is also a street named after him in his hometown called Bobby Curtola Drive.
He received many awards for his music and his charity work, but somehow he was slighted and never entered into Canada's R & R Hall of Fame.

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The Brandon Sun had just run a newsstory showing Bobby and his car with the Elvis plate
They were in town to scout out an unfinished truck stop development along Trans-Canada highway.
Bobby wanted a '50s style diner and truck stop in the yet unfinished structure.
(They backed out of the deal because the owners owed too much on it)

Two mafia type guys in black with earbud phones entered and were ushered to more private room in the back.
A customer said he thought it was Bobby Curtola.
Sue-On had met him 50 years ago but it was too long ago to remember.
So she sent Barry Forman's Sister-in-Law who was working for us -- to ask if he was Bobby.
She said my boss played for you on tour.
Yes
It was Bobby and his chubby "Elvis" manager, Robert Hubbard
(We had met Robert years before - he ran a booth at the Boggy Creek Festival
and we had worked with him on the Boggy promo booklets)
Sue-On called Bill to come down to join our guests.
They talked old times and Bobby presented us with merch: book, CD, photos, etc.
This was the start of a long reunion and four year association after they moved to Brandon.

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VIRDEN SHOW

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They invited us to a show in Virden Auditorium
It was an impressive show done to taped music tracks, but with full costume and many guests
One of the guests was Elvis's cousin - we added her book to our Elvis collection
As with all of Bobby's shows we had seen, he spent a long time meeting fans, signing autographs and selling CDs

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BUSINESS DEALS

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A short time later they moved to Brandon to construct and promote a water purification system.
They had a Hutterite colony manufacture this large unit that could turn dirty sewer water into drinking water.
Many investors got on board - mostly farmers -
They formed a company called Home Farms.
The invention and business venture looked promising with contracts in US but failed when US and world economy took a nosedive.
Robert was a character - and he had many colourful stories about their many deals and investments.
There was a Caesar cocktail called SeaCza, bottled water, CDs, booklets, property, the headlining of ocean cruises, etc.
There were stories of owning Vernon Presley's house behind Graceland . . .
. . . almost getting the James Bond franchise during its low period
. . . mining operations in Asia
Robert had married an Indonesian girl and built a mansion over there, but she and the kids were with him in Brandon.

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YEARS OF GET TOGETHERS IN BRANDON

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During their years in Brandon we had many get togethers at our house - birthdays - events - dimsum.
Meals, chats and show and career planning -- Bobby was almost one of the family for the next 4 years
Bobby lived in a mobile home for a while in Brandon.
When they bought Kadambi's Office complex mall on 18th Street, part of it became Bobby's office and career museum.
Bobby moved into the upstairs suite in the complex.
We dined and partied at many restaurants in Brandon and Winnipeg
. . . and made many visits  to the Hutterite colony that manufactured the water purification machine
Bobby shared many CD booklets, posters, clippings, notes, etc. for the Website I created.
He had sketched out many life events for a bio and gave me the rough notes -
We planned to put a draft on the Web and then expand it into book form
Unfortunately, business difficulties arose and he moved East before we could finish these projects.

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SOCK HOP REUNION - BRANDON

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During Bobby's stay in Brandon I was hired by Brandon University to teach three sessions in Pukatawagan First Nation for 4 months.
I flew home every 10 days and flew back after 4 days at home.
(This led to my being hired on campus as a Prof with office and two computer classrooms)
We planned a Sock Hop Reunion show during these trips home.
I had been jamming regularly at a private club in the country - Ken Daniels' Cantina
We rehearsed there for the Sock Hop show.
I flew home in a raging blizzard to join Bobby for radio promo show with CKLQ's Bill Turner
Two of our old DOVERMEN band members flew in from Alberta:
 Warren Hannay and John Bishop -- Sue-On played congas -- jam buddy Doug Matthews joined us on keys and rhythm
2002 Sock Hop Reunion took place at Brandon's Keystone Centre
It was a huge sellout crowd - there was great response.

Show had classic car displays, two Brandon backup bands:
We - The Dovermen were first band he hired out of Brandon.
Another Brandon Band: The Challengers toured as the Martells backup band named after manager Marie Martell.
The support act was Ray St. Germain - a great reunion in itself.
Our son Robin was in the Brandon University Jazz band -
he enlisted some of those band members, including Scott Grills Dean of Arts, to form a horn section for Bobby.
Back-up singers were Bobby's wife Ava, Birdie, and Robert's wife Wulan.
30 of my BU students from Puk heard our NCI radio ads in the North and got excited about the event.
Bobby and I gave them free tickets and they came down from Puk - Ice roads and Bullet Train - and then vans from The Pas.
My students had worked hard at raising money for the trip: fish derbys, bake sales, auctions, etc.
The students had a great time and partied in front of the stage all night

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JAM SESSIONS
Bobby Curtola demolishes the Cantina stage

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The rehearsal sessions had gone so well at the Cantina that we returned for jams.
It was great fun jamming all the old rock classics . . . into the wee hours.
One night was particulary memorable:
Two of Bobby's business partners had joined us that night.
The three of them gathered around one mic and were bouncing up and down to the beat.
This was too much for the stage floor -- we heard a loud crack!
Turning around we saw that Bobby and his buddies had fallen through the stage floor.
They were still standing upright - but in a large hole in the stage.
We all went into laugh hysterics, and eventually everyone, including Bobby, autographed the stage slab.
The slab took an honoured place on the Cantina wall.
http://www.hillmanweb.com/jamathop.html

Bill ~ Sue-On ~ Ken ~ Ray ~ Robert ~ Bobby
Wild jam finale before Bobby and crew broke through the stage floor

Autographing the stage floor slab

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OUR CURTOLA WEBSITE
www.hillmanweb.com/curtola

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Bobby and Robert spent many hours scanning a large collection of Bobby's career photos.
They passed them on to me I used them to help created a huge Website.
(Years later when Bobby moved to the Liverpool area, NS, and formed a company with sons they took over his Website.)
I kept my creation

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CASINO WINNIPEG

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Bobby appeared at the Winnipeg Casino with another working Brandon band backing - Big Dyck Cadillac
Sue-On's conga percussion had worked well at the reunion show in Brandon so she played the Casino gigs.
This was a great chance to explore backstage and see the workings of the Casino
Bobby put on his usual polished and entertaining show.
We all stayed at a major Winnipeg hotel.
For a follow-up show the next year Bobby used a hometown Thunder Bay show band.

When Ray St. Germain played a later gig at the Casino he invited Bobby and us as guests.
It was the St. Germain family show - his very musical offspring - and even Chet Breau (Lenny's son - Lenny had married Ray's sister)
We had a wonderful time visiting backstage and sitting in reserved tables in front of stage.
Excellent show.

During our many Winnipeg visits we stayed at good hotels and ate at many restaurants including the Keg
Bobby had to make at least one visit to the Salisbury House for old time sakes to order a Hamburger Nip that he remembered so fondly.
I usually drove us all home in Robert's Lincoln with the ELVIS plates

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MOVE TO NOVA SCOTIA (Port Mouton 'Port Mah-TOON'/Liverpool)

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Eventually after his divorce, the failure of the purification company, and the sale of his Alberta home Bobby moved to Liverpool, NS
He started splitting his time among homes in Edmonton, Nova Scotia and Las Vegas.
We kept in touch for quite awhile. Bobby sent many show pics and pics of the Liverpool home.
He even made a few calls from Las Vegas - one time while celebrating out on the strip with the party goers.
Another time he called about finding a new partner he was going to marry.
Eventually we drifted apart - I never met his new partner, Karyn Rochford
It was a shock to hear that she had died in a car accident on December 15, 2015
Bobby moved to Edmonton in early 2016 after Rochford's death.
Half a year later we got the shocking news that Bobby too had died suddenly on June 4, 2016 at his son's home in Edmonton.
We have many regrets that we hadn't gotten together at least one more time before he died.

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Bobby and partner Karyn Rochford
 

PART II: ODYSSEY EXCERPTS
Anecdotes and photos previously shared in our book:
BILL AND SUE-ON HILLMAN: A 50-YEAR MUSICAL ODYSSEY
www.hillmanweb.com/book

GIG NOTES 2: THE SWINGIN' SIXTIES
 http://www.hillmanweb.com/book/gigs/02.html

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Curtola Mania I

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www.hillmanweb.com/cards/60/curtolaall.jpg
A highlight of our rock days in the mid-'60s was our tour as back-up band for Canadian teen idol, Bobby Curtola. We started this a few weeks after our Dovermen performance at Winnipeg Auditorium where we opened for the CKY Fall Festival of Stars with headliners The Everly Brothers and Roger Miller.  We had seen the crowd go wild for the Everlys and now on the Curtola tour we experienced more shades of Elvis/Beatles mania as teens packed every venue we played.

The girls pushed in a frenzy against the stage trying to touch their idol and later to get autographs. This winter tour took us into Saskatchewan -- the Regina Armoury packed in the largest crowd there -- and east to Portage La Prairie. The most exciting date was in our home base at the Brandon Roller Rink -- on New Year's Eve. Bobby was about our age and was a super guy to work with.

Bobby's manager, Marie Martel, ran the shows with an iron hand so things never really got out of control. Bobby had sung some of the first Coca-Cola singing commercials (he is in their Hall of Fame), so Coke sponsored the shows and made sure there were always huge cases of Coke backstage. This was back in the days when ODing on coke had a slightly different meaning than it does today.

I saved the set lists from these tours, written in Bobby's hand, and they are featured on our Curtola Webpages. I had a reunion with Bobby 40 years later and those shows are also described on our Curtola Webpages and later in this saga.

PART VI: WHAT A RIDE
 http://www.hillmanweb.com/book/gigs/06.html

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Curtola Band Reunites at the Cantina

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For many years now the regular house band for the Cantina jams has consisted of owner Ken Daniels (bass), Ken Storie (guitar), Doug Matthews (keys and guitar), John Fulgaris (drums) and myself (guitar). We have welcomed a long line of jam visitors over the years -- and even Sue-On (drums) and son Robin (drums and bass) have made numerous visits.

Although we specialize in rock and heavy blues it's always fun when our visitors bring other styles of music to the jam and we've tried to make it known that visiting musicians from near and far are welcome. Ken has generously opened the doors to many other bands who have used the facility to party and rehearse.

Back in the '60s I had toured as lead guitar player in Bobby Curtola's band and it was a real thrill when Bobby moved to Brandon for a few years in the early 2000s. We had some great chats about old times over many of Sue-On's special meals at our house. Out of some of our late night chats came plans to put on a rock 'n' roll band reunion at Brandon's Keystone complex.

The natural place for us to rehearse was the Cantina. Two members of our old Dovermen band -- Warren Hannay (drums) and John Bishop (bass) flew in to do the show and we enlisted Cantina jammer Doug Matthews to play keys and Sue-On to join us on congas. We had a great get-together and the show played to a packed house.
 
 

GIG NOTES VIII: FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS
http://www.hillmanweb.com/book/gigs/08.html

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Bobby Curtola or Bust

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Around the time I was teaching Brandon University courses up North in Pukatawagan, Canadian pop idol Bobby Curtola moved to Brandon, where he sank roots for a few years. During that time we got together many times, chatting over Sue-On's home-cooked meals.  Since two of Bobby's back-up bands from the '60s had been from Brandon: our Dovermen and The Challengers (renamed the Martells while on tour), we planned a "Sock Hop Reunion" Show at Brandon's Keystone Centre.

My students in Puk heard all the radio promos and all 30 of them started to raise money to attend the show and see their old prof in action. They held money-making events: fish derbies, bake sales, garage sales, raffles, etc. I sweetened the pot by giving them 30 complimentary show tickets courtesy of Bobby.

On the day of the show they took "The Bullet," a slow train to The Pas (spring weather had made the winter roads impassable). At The Pas they crowded into vans to complete the trip south to Brandon. The show was a sell-out and it was a treat to see my Puk friends reelin' and rockin' near the front of the stage all night. Our original band members, Warren and John flew in for the reunion gig and my jam buddy Doug Matthews played keys. Sue-On rounded out our sound by joining us on congas and vocals.

I had to make the trip home from Puk a few days earlier for press and radio interviews and to help with the planning, but ran into a major problem. A blizzard hit. My teaching stint at Puk had just ended and I had to get home. All flights out of Puk were cancelled. A few of us managed to talk a daring pilot into flying us into the teeth of the storm to reach The Pas for a connecting flight where the weather had cleared a bit. The Pas has two airports and after a white-knuckle flight we landed at the one miles from where the departing plane was waiting for me.

I hired a cab to rush me over to the other airport. The obliging cabbie broke all speed limits to get to the waiting plane. We slid to a slippery stop in front of the terminal and I jumped out just as a hose broke under the hood of the taxi. I left the poor driver scratching his head, while standing in a billowing cloud of steam and swirling snow. A few minutes later we were in the air and headed for home. Goodbye Puk -- Thanks for the great memories and friendships.

www.hillmanweb.com/cards/roots/curtola2all.jpg

 
 

GIG NOTES IX: WINNIPEG
http://www.hillmanweb.com/book/gigs/09.html

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Casino Ventures

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When our old '60s group, The Dovermen, re-united to back Bobby Curtola in his Sock Hop Reunion show, Sue-On joined the band on congas. This went so well that when Bobby and his regular band played the casino in Winnipeg she was asked to join them in the show. Bobby has invited us to a number of Casino shows, and hanging out backstage and in the dressing rooms is always a fascinating experience. Through the years I've always maintained that the best seat at any show is backstage or in the wings. I get very restless and even uncomfortable sitting out front with the sit-down audiences.

A few years ago Manitoba music legend, Ray St. Germain, generously invited Bobby and us to be his special guests at one of his Casino shows that featured the whole talented St. Germain family. Another memorable Casino visit was the 50th Anniversary show of the Ventures group -- a group we had met and worked with almost 50 years ago in the Brandon Roller Rink where we worked as the house band. There are two surviving members of  this world famous group that seem to be more popular than ever -- a great chance to get my rarest Ventures albums autographed.

www.hillmanweb.com/cards/21/boball.jpg
Rockin' with Bobby Curtola

 
 

GIG NOTES X: TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS ON THE TRAIL
 http://www.hillmanweb.com/book/gigs/10.html

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Bobby Curtola Demolishes the Cantina Stage

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www.hillmanweb.com/cards/21/jamall.jpg
Popular Canadian singer, Bobby Curtola who I toured with in the '60s, lived in Brandon for a few years in the early 2000s, which made it possible for us to get together again after so many years and to plan and play numerous Manitoba special events and casinos. Even more fun were our numerous jam sessions at the Cantina club. They were always rockin' nights.

One night while really getting it on Bobby called his manager and a business associate to the stage. We plunged into a loud and raucous old rock song that everyone knew. Bobby and his two buddies shared one mic and were having a great time belting out the lyrics and stomping to the beat. The stage was bouncing from the weight of the three exuberant singers.

Suddenly there was a loud "crack" and we looked around to find the cause. The stompin' trio had partly disappeared. There was a large hole in the stage where they had fallen through. Since no one was hurt it really was a hilarious scene and all of us, including the embarrassed singers, rolled on the floor in laughter. Bobby, always the great sport, autographed the big chunk of stage, which was later hung in an honoured place on the Cantina wall.

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Off-Site Refs

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http://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2016/06/06/basil-and-dyer-hurdon-brothers-behind-bobby-curtola
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/bobby-curtola/
https://www.discogs.com/artist/1874176-Dyer-Hurdon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Curtola
Locked inside car
http://globalnews.ca/news/2404257/karyn-rochford-wife-of-canadian-singer-bobby-curtola-identified-as-victim-in-highway-103-crash/
http://www.rockabillyhall.com/bobbycurtola.html
https://twitter.com/bobbycurtola
https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Curtola-Official-194711267255466/
http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7393603/bobby-curtola-dead
http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/canadian-singer-bobby-curtola-dies-during-edmonton-visit
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/former-canadian-teen-idol-bobby-curtola-dies/article30280523/
http://www.tbnewswatch.com/news/national/390238/Former_Canadian_teen_idol,_Thunder_Bay_native_Bobby_Curtola_dead_at_73

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OFFICIAL RELEASE OF BOBBY'S DEATH FROM HIS SONS It is with heavy hearts that we confirm the passing of our father, Bobby Curtola. He was an amazing man who did so much for the people in this world, but even more as a father, uncle, godfather and Nono. His entire family requests privacy at this time while they grieve their loss.

To his fans...he loved each and every one of you more than you will know, and never took for granted the life you gave him. He would want you to do something kind for one another today and each day. He would also want you to know he loves you, and that you have another angel watching over you

- Chris and Michael Curtola

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