Hamilton Folk Clubs In The Sixties (Ontario)

Subject: Hamilton Folk Clubs In The Sixties
From: PHJim
Date: 07 Sep 15 - 07:26 PM

We have been trying to compile some of the folk clubs in Hamilton, Ontario during the sixties.
We can recall attending The Black Swan, The Happy Medium and The Ebony Knight. Was there a Bohemian Embassy in Hamilton? I know there was one in Toronto. There was a club in a basement on Emerson Street in West Hamilton whose name I can't recall.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Folk Clubs In The Sixties
From: GUEST,Lin
Date: 07 Sep 15 - 08:06 PM

I don't have any information about the clubs you mentioned but just wanted to ask if you remember if Canadian folk singer, Bonnie Dobson ever sang at any of those clubs? I believe in those days she lived in Toronto but not sure what clubs she sang at. Or Joni Mitchell as I kninow

Subject: RE: Hamilton Folk Clubs In The Sixties
From: GUEST,Lin
Date: 07 Sep 15 - 08:09 PM

OOPs, my message accidently got sent before I finished my message.

To finish my sentence, I was trying to type that Joni Mitchell may have played at some of those clubs in early/mid-60's before she ever released an album and famous. Do you remember if Joni played any of those clubs in those days?

Subject: RE: Hamilton Folk Clubs In The Sixties
From: PHJim
Date: 07 Sep 15 - 09:47 PM

The first time I saw Joni Anderson (later Mitchell) was at the 1964 Mariposa Folk Festival with David Rea. It was held in Maple Leaf Stadium.
I believe I saw Bonnie Dobson in Orillia at one of the first Mariposas. I didn't see either of them in Hamilton.
I did see Al Cromwell, Jackie Washington, The Greenbriar Boys, Josh White Jr. and a bunch of other folks at Hamilton clubs.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Folk Clubs In The Sixties
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jun 24 - 03:19 PM

Joni Anderson aka Mitchell played at the ebony knight she had just given birth to her daughter so it was around 1965. She was in Toronto village at the time.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Folk Clubs In The Sixties
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 27 Jun 24 - 01:26 PM

ach, wrong Hamilton!! My immediate reaction was Hamilton, Lanarkshire (Scotland) where I went to secondary school - and my initial intention was to mention Jack Foley..... then I realised it was wrong country/Continent so - I ditched the suggestion!!!

Subject: RE: Hamilton Folk Clubs In The Sixties
From: GUEST,peter rowles
Date: 05 Aug 24 - 04:02 AM

I saw Joni play at the Ebony Knight in 1965. The club was operated by Bill Powell. Following the Ebony Knight, Bill opened Knight II coffee house on Augusta Street in Hamilton. Everybody and their dad played there. Ray Materick, Stan Rogers, Jackie Washington, Willie P Bennet, me.
To the best of my knowledge there was no Bohemian Embassy in Hamilton.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Folk Clubs In The Sixties
From: weerover
Date: 05 Aug 24 - 04:19 AM

Gallus Moll, I thought the same as you. I met my wife of 44 years in Hamilton Folk Club (then the Glen Hotel in Auchegramont Road). I also have the recording of Eric Bogle there in 1976 (his first gig in Scotland?), on which recording I also sing a couple of songs.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Folk Clubs In The Sixties
From: weerover
Date: 05 Aug 24 - 04:20 AM

Auchengramont!

Subject: RE: Hamilton Folk Clubs In The Sixties
From: GUEST,Jack Campin
Date: 09 Aug 24 - 05:19 AM

I was in Hamilton, New Zealand at the time. There was no folk club but several pipe bands, and at the end of the 60s, a bluegrass band started by a guy who was an overt CIA agent. They ended up as the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band (there never has been a Hamilton County, it's Waikato). I moved to Auckland (which had its own folk scene, probably also involved with the CIA since one venue was the basement of the United States Information Service).so I never heard them, but they got my brother interested in bluegrass mandolin for a while.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Folk Clubs In The Sixties
From: GUEST,Trina Inglis
Date: 07 Jul 25 - 10:55 AM

Saw Joni Mitchell at the Ebony Knight think it was February 1965. Paid a dollar to see her.

Also hung out a lot at the Black Swan. That's where I met my husband.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Folk Clubs In The Sixties
From: GUEST,Kevin Hall
Date: 04 Aug 26 - 10:48 PM

There was a Bohemian Embassy or Bohemian Consul in Hamilton, but not for long.   There was also a female-oriented club out in Westdale, 'The Coven'. I remember taking Linda Doucette there on the back of a borrowed motorcycle. That one didn't last long either.   Paul Campbell, who was a pretty decent picker and singer himself, opened 'Campbells' where I saw Leon Redbone and a few others.
I left Hamilton in '74 to go build Ruby banjos in the back of Ring Music in Toronto,   so can't speak for anything past then.
Bill Powell, who had the Ebony Knight and later the Knight 11, put on a show in a hall above a mens shop on Upper James; a one night deal to showcase Lenny Breau. A very nervous Charlie Robichaud, who was well known to the late night regulars at the old Ebony Knight opened for Lenny. That must have been about '68 I think.
Breaus' parents, Hal Lone Pine and Betty Cody used to pop into Waddingtons Music where I worked for a while.   Lots of big acts came in there.   I was there from just after Christmas '71 to '74.
The main drum teacher at Waddingtons at that time was a very good jazz drummer, Chuck Woods.   He came to town with Billie Holiday, got sick and stayed. He was nursed back to health by the sister of the infamous wrestling Gallagher brothers.
Waddingtons had a pretty staid image, thanks to the owner, Ron W., but back then it was a nest of interesting and somewhat eccentric character.   Does anyone remember Morgan Thomas and his wife Bernice
? Great folks. KH

Subject: RE: Hamilton Folk Clubs In The Sixties (Ontario)
From: meself
Date: 05 Aug 26 - 11:27 AM

That story of Chuck Woods has the makings of a novel ... or, sounds like the 'tease' for a movie: "Jazz drummer Chuck Woods comes to Hamilton with Billie Holiday for a week-long engagement, but gets sick and must stay behind when the band leaves. He is nursed back to health by the sister of the infamous wrestling Gallagher brothers, but little does he know that ..... "