Learning to write our own songs.

As the 1970s wound down, 1978 through ’79, I inaugurated a series of informal
song-writing workshops with Jack De Keyzer, Ron Copple and John Lewis, mostly at Jack’s
place on Coral Drive just south-west of Upper Gage and Mohawk where down in the basement
he was learning to become a full time musician. And Jack had a simple 2 track Sony Recorder.
Between us we also had a couple of microphones, but no drummer as that would have just
got in the way. And anyway, if we needed drum sounds one of us would smack percussion
on a guitar case or a vinyl chair Excello Records style. It was a fertile period for us
beginner song writers. We all used the experience to begin to learn the craft, creating in my mind anyway, several decent though mostly unheard by the general public, original tunes. A couple of Ron Copple’s did end up being performed by Michael O’Brien and one, Ass In Dixie, was recorded by O.B. at Thunder Sound in Toronto but never found a label for release.

After the workshops wound down at Jack’s, John Lewis and myself got together at his place and he helped me complete a number of new songs I had been writing. John went on to play for Ronnie Hawkins touring England with him. John eventually wrote and recorded his own albums.

Jack also play with Hawkins. After leaving Ronnie Hawkins Jack went out on tour with neo-RockaBilly legend Robert Gordon amongst others and started the RockaBilly outfit The Bopcats and contributed several tunes to their first album. After that he was off and running and is still writing and recording to this day continuing to tour with his band. A number of his albums have been nominated for Canada’s Juno Awards in the Blues – Roots category, winning in 2003 for the album Six String Lover. He has also won several Maple Blues Awards given out yearly by the Toronto Blues Society. 

Here’s a few tunes Jack, John, Ron and myself recorded…..

John singing my One More Lovesong

Here’s me singing my tune Smooth Kid Gloves

John Lewis singing my tune Wine Senorita

and from the last session a couple more with Mike Short on piano and Rich Newell playing drums on a vinyl kitchen chair…..

Here I am with version 1 of Rhythm Rockin’ Shoes

Ron Copple singing his own tune South Bound Special

Go to the complete Ron Copple session, 6 songs, from that day here https://app.box.com/s/6zmmuq1fa75mhz7cfhfyzobac466ff3r

Here’s a couple more from those sessions that I recorded about 3 years later with a country oriented band I was in at the time led by drummer vocalist Jain Dickinson with Lance Keirnan and Trevor Eastman Sr. on guitars. Live at the Queens Hotel, corner of Ottawa St. and Cannon, Hamilton, Ontario.

This song is based on a true event back in 1965 over at a gig in Germany at The Hillbilly Bar and Grill

Jumpin’ At Jimmie Dees

All the songs were recorded live and should be considered ‘historical documents’. Best listened to through a sound system where the bass and treble can be controlled.

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