At an early age, Les discovered his creative side writing music and singing in a band as a hobby. In 1960 he had a hit record “The Blamers” which knocked off Elvis’ “It’s Now Or Never” from the top of the Canadian charts and remained #1 for a record-setting 11 weeks. Shortly afterward, Les formed a partnership…
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Elmer Tippe, born in Eatonia, Saskatchewan, January 21, 1933, began began playing banjo and fiddle at the age of eight in Alberta. At 15, Tippe started entertaining professionally, playing dances up and down British Columbia’s Fraser Valley with his two older brothers, forming Ray’s Harmony Five. The group came to a tragic end in 1955…
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The 1930’s was the time of the big bands. In Victoria one of these was led by Billy Tickle, a violinist. His band played regularly at the Saturday night dances held at the Empress Hotel. In the afternoons he appeared at the Empress as William Tickle leading his string ensemble. He played during the tea service…
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Lucille Marie Raymonde Savoie was born in St Boniface, Manitoba, on May 13,1938. She was raised in Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam’s Francophone community of Maillardville in British Columbia, where she learned to play guitar, bass and mandolin. In her teens Lucille began her career by singing with the local French ensemble Les Hirondelles.