2010

Doug Chase

Doug Chase was born in Fredericton in 1927 and made his home in Stickney. Doug was a member of Valley Ramblers and Carleton County Fiddlers. As a young boy he taught himself to play the fiddle and later the guitar, then in his 60’s he learned to play the banjo, but his favorite was the fiddle and Down East style.

 

He was awarded a plaque in recognition of having participated in 50 of the 55 Old Home Week contests; winning and placing in the top three several times and the People’s Choice award for the 60 and over category. He has also been a judge at this event.

 

After Doug’s retirement as welder, he decided to try his hand at making fiddles and in a CBC television interview, he explained how he made his fiddles from making his own tools to selecting the wood and the approximately 500 hours of labour. He handcrafted 17 fiddles and donated two to raise money for area people in need of a little help due to medical reasons.

 

He also donated countless hours of entertainment throughout his lifetime to nursing homes and fundraisers.

 

He was a regular guest on ‘Open House’, a radio program on CJCJ Woodstock and a frequent guest on WOZI Presque Isle, Maine doing a live radio variety show with his group called ‘Doug and Friends’

 

 

Dwane Drost

Dwane Drost was born in Toronto in 1957 in ON. His parents moved back to Nackawic, NB when he was very young.

 

Dwane, singer/songwriter, is a very honest, humble, God fearing and caring person who has a wonderful resume of music accomplishments to his credit. He has written and released 3 full length CD’s all of his own original recordings. He has had 2 single releases to Nashville through the H.M.G Higgins music group and songs on the charts in both Europe and North America. The song he wrote for our Veterans, ‘Thank a Vet’, brought him quick recognition internationally and he received letters of appreciation from Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair.

 

Dwane performed regularly on the Aubrey Hanson & Friends TV show. He has also signed a contract with Magic Dolphin Music Group out of Nashville. Dwane helps out many needy organizations and donates money from sales of his CD’s to help wherever he can.

 

 

 

Shirley Haines

Shirley Haines was born in Bath in 1946 and has been involved in country music for over 30 years. Shirley sings old time country, bluegrass and gospel and plays piano/keyboard, fiddle, guitar, accordion, some mandolin and harmonica.

 

She entertains solo and with bands all over NB and in Maine, playing at several Bluegrass Fesitivals.

 

She has recorded two CD’s, ‘Meadow Rue’ and ‘After All These Years’.

 

Shirley also MC’s and for the last ten years has held a weekly country music jamboree in Woodstock, which gives others a chance to display their talents,. People from many parts of NB and Maine participate. She gives of her time and talent to many fundraisers in her community as well.

 

 

 

Herbert & Lorraine Isbill

Herbert & Lorraine Isbill began singing duo in 1970 until Lorraine’s untimely death in 1998. They were both born in Saint John in 1939. Herb plays guitar and sings and Lorraine operated the automatic drummer and sang solo and harmony.

 

In the early 60’s, Herb was convinced by Lorraine to enter a talent contest put on by Art Marr Jamboree, which he won. He was a guest on Earl Mitton, River Valley Boys and the Capital Co-op Jamboree. Lorraine only started singing after marrying Herb. They created a repertoire of over 2000 songs and appeared with Hall of Famers, Harold O’Donnell and Randy Vail, for a few years and then decided to perform on their own and was in constant demand.

 

Over the years, Herb has played with Dick Curless, Hall of Famers Vance Patterson, and George Hector. They played numerous Legions and appeared regularly at Mama George’s Restaurant in Midland and played a number of benefit shows.

 

In the last few years, Herb has been getting back to playing again mostly for benefits and has been appearing on Marie Short Concerts.

 

 

Lawrence LaFrance

Lawrence LaFrance was born in Tilley in 1939. He was lead fiddler and guitar player for the George Maunder Dance Band until the 1980’s.

 

In addition to his long career as a musician, Lawrence has composed over a dozen fiddle tunes, and part of his reasons for them has been to celebrate his Victoria County and his Province of New Brunswick. He has also written tunes about members of the Wednesday Evening Fiddlers and their friends, where he has played piano with the fiddlers and performed with them in hundreds of locations including nursing homes, churches and many other places since 1989.

 

Lawrence has guided young and mature fiddlers and with his vast knowledge of country music and fiddle music, his expertise has been appreciated by them. At the age of 70, he is playing music even more often than he did 10 years ago. Whether or not he would like being called ‘a resource’, because of his memory of what may now be thousands of tunes, that is what he is.