Exhibit shines spotlight on Westman music history

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This article was published 06/03/2024 (821 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Daly House Museum will be alive with the sound of music from the past to the present during its newest exhibit, which celebrates famous musicians from Western Manitoba.

Beginning this Saturday and running until Sept. 7, “The Sound of History: Bands and Musicians of Western Manitoba’s Past” highlights famous artists who lived and performed in the area, including Roy Brown, Amanda Stott, Russ Gurr, James Ehnes and Angela Kelman.

The exhibit touches on the diverse mix of music played in Westman over the years, including samples ranging from Indigenous songs and 19th century parlour music to the underground punk scene, said Kaelyn Delaurier, the exhibit’s creator.

The timeline of musical history provided the groundwork for the project and its research.

“Music is a part of all our lives, but I don’t think we really give it much thought. It’s just there, and always has been,” Delaurier said in a news release. “My hope for this exhibit is that it inspires people to look at the parts of their lives they take for granted, especially music, and think ‘how did we get here?’ Because I can assure you, even our little part of the world has quite the history!”

The museum has numerous musical collections in its archives like the Roy Brown Collection, and the exhibit is the perfect way to showcase them, stated the news release.

Roy Brown is from the big band era. He was born in Killarney in 1906 and died in Brandon in 1985.

The Roy Brown orchestra was one of the most popular dance bands in the Prairies. During the Second World War, the band played at Danceland in Clear Lake in the summer and at the Imperial Dance Gardens and Esquire Dance Gardens in Brandon during the winter.

His television show, the “Roy Brown Variety Show,” was the first live production on CKX-TV in Brandon, airing in 1955.

In 1975, Brown composed the lyrics and music for “Garden of Peace,” the song played during a dedication ceremony at the International Peace Garden.

In 1978, he wrote “Manitoba Has the Best of Ev’rything” for the Canada Games held in Brandon that year.

Four years later, in 1982, Brown penned “We’re Proud of Brandon: An Anniversary Song” for Brandon’s centennial celebrations.

Other artists featured in the exhibit — James Ehnes, Amanda Stott and Angela Kelman — have performed for audiences worldwide.

The exhibit’s grand opening is scheduled for this Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. in the museum’s second-floor gallery. There will be refreshments, live music from local violinist Rocio Luna, and a meet and greet with exhibit creators Kaelyn Delaurier and Daly House Museum curator Eileen Trott.

Funding for “The Sound of History: Bands and Musicians of Western Manitoba’s Past” was provided by Manitoba Sports, Culture, Heritage and Tourism, Brandon Area Community Foundation and Fader’s Music Inc.

» The Brandon Sun