Happy! - Oct 23 (Wade Hemsworth)

Subject: RE: Happy! - Oct 23 (Wade Hemsworth)
From: JohnB
Date: 24 Oct 05 - 12:13 PM

I know for sure it was not 1902, cos I saw him perform in about 1995 at Songs of Sail in Penetanguishene. He was past his best as a performer, although he did hold the audience on his "famous" songs. It was a magical night though, beautiful warm August night under the Northern Lights which strted about the time Wade was performing and went on for about 6 hours.
JohnB

Subject: RE: Happy! - Oct 23 (Wade Hemsworth)
From: Mike Regenstreif
Date: 24 Oct 05 - 10:09 AM

The correct date for Wade's death was, indeed, January 19, 2002. I've made the correction on the obit archive. The January 21 notation must have been a typo because my Folk Roots/Folk Branches playlist for January 24, 2002 indicates that Wade died the previous Saturday, which would be the 19th.

Thanks to Judge Mental for alerting me to this thread.

Mike Regenstreif

Subject: RE: Happy! - Oct 23 (Wade Hemsworth)
From: Abby Sale
Date: 24 Oct 05 - 09:11 AM

Thanks & Hi, Jeri.

Unfortunately (only for me) I didn't sing one of Hemsworth's songs at the club last night. I'll sing one or two to myself in the car.

100 years ago, I heard my first rendition of one of his songs. Perry Silverman singing "Shinging Birch Tree." It was a lovely (and I rarely do "lovely") cut and has stayed in my head. But I have no idea who otherwise Silverman is. Never met anyone who does. Any reader here know aught of the man?

Subject: RE: Happy! - Oct 23 (Wade Hemsworth)
From: Jeri
Date: 23 Oct 05 - 06:14 PM

Mike Regenstreif posted the OBIT message to Mudcat on 20 Jan 02 saying that Hemsworth had died 'yesterday' (the 19th). See his message.

Subject: RE: Happy! - Oct 23 (Wade Hemsworth)
From: Abby Sale
Date: 23 Oct 05 - 05:27 PM

Thanks for the eyeball, guys. Likely I bat .500 on this. Regenstreif is a reliable and excellent source. On the other hand, I took this from the "Calgary Herald" within a few days of the death. Hemsworth was well known to them. I don't find the article today (they only keep obits online 30 days) but The Canadian Encyclopedia agrees with the 19th.

That don't make it absolutely so - I take no bar bets on these things. I don't think I'll find a source that will give 1902, though.

Subject: RE: Happy! - Oct 23 (Wade Hemsworth)
From: Judge Mental
Date: 23 Oct 05 - 01:22 PM

The legendary Canadian folk-song composer who wrote stark and rich lyrics about the wilderness experience, died 1/19/1902.

According to Mike Regenstreif in this obituary published in Sing Out! , Wade died on January 21, 2002.

Subject: RE: Happy! - Oct 23 (Wade Hemsworth)
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 23 Oct 05 - 01:06 PM

... died 1/19/1902 -- that would be 2002, unless he was an even more interesting feller than we thought! :-)

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: Happy! - Oct 23 (Wade Hemsworth)
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 05 - 09:07 AM


Happy Birthday!

"Wade" (Albert) Hemsworth

was born in Brantford, Ont.

10/23/1916

The legendary Canadian folk-song composer who wrote stark and rich lyrics about the wilderness experience, died 1/19/1902.

"He was very modest, incredibly talented, but with a finite body of work," Anna McGarrigle, who once sang with Hemsworth in a group called Mountain City Four, said Saturday. "He only wrote about 15 or 16 songs, but those that he did write have a lot of value."

Perhaps his best-known songs are Logdriver's Waltz, The Black Fly, The Wild Goose and Story of the I'm Alone, which told the tale of the sinking by the U.S. Coast Guard of a Canadian rum-running ship during Prohibition.

Musicologist Peter Weldon described Hemsworth as a seminal influence in the Canadian folk-music scene. "He was the first really original songwriter this country produced."

© Copyright 2002 Calgary Herald

ALSO:
Katie Lee was born 10/23/1919 in Tucson (and still gigging, I understand). Go read Ten Thousand Goddam Cattle

Archibald Macdonald Fisher (aka Archie) was born 23 Oct 1939 in Glasgow.

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