This is uncanny! I was trying to find information on Larry Douglass who played pedal steel for Ruthie and Bernie, and stumbled across this site. It certainly brings back memories.
I am from Trinidad in the Caribbean, but country music has always been my first love. When I moved to Montreal in 1965, I found the Blue Angel Cafe, and it almost became my second home for about two years.
I got to know Bernie and Ruthie McLean, their lead player Earl Martin, and their pedal steel player Larry Douglass fairly well - I spent a lot of time with them back stage between sets. I even played with Bob Fuller once in a while on his stand up base guitar. Larry built me my very first pedal steel guitar.
The Blue Angel set the stage for my stint as a country musician. I had a group "Nightshift" when I lived in Ottawa, and played the Ottawa Valley for several years - one of my favorite places to play was the New Byrne in Arnprior.
I was saddened to read recently on the web that several of my old country music friends have passed away - Larry Douglass, Earl Martin, Terry Carisse, Malcolm Long.
I now live in Louisville, Kentucky, and yes, I still play pedal steel - I own a ZB Custom which I purchased from Garney Scheels (Ottawa) - anyone remembers him?
If anyone out there remembers these folks I'd love to hear from them.
My e-mail is peter@tiad.us