REFLECTIVE MOMENTS Favourite band on tap for our annual Irish day

This year I am ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day — wearing my green top and my green sweater, green earrings, and my shamrock pin with the initials CSB.

“CSB?” someone will ask. “Yes, CSB,” I will reply with a smile, recalling all the many years we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day at what was then called the Centre of the Arts in Regina, listening and singing along to the band on stage, and then standing around after the concert to have a visit with the band members.

The band on stage on March 17 or a day as close as possible to March 17 in those years was The Carlton Showband — explaining the CSB initials on my shamrock — a well-loved and guarded souvenir of a 30-plus year friendship with many of the band members.

My first introduction to the band was watching the television show, The Pig and Whistle, a musical show that featured the Carlton Showband as the house band in a traditional pub setting. The band performed several songs a show, complementing the music of regulars, John Hewer, Kay Turner and Billy Meek. Those three didn’t interest me much but I do confess to a bit of a teenage crush on certain members of the band.

Watching the show was a family evening, with my Mom expressing her dislike for one of the regulars, and my For Moose Jaw Express Dad expressing interest in certain members of the Roland Dancers. As we sat and watched in those first years of the show, it never entered our minds that someday we would actually become friends with band members.

After leaving home for work I was without my own television but my brother’s TV was available on Pig and Whistle night, and then I met Housemate, we married and we had our own TV and he joined me in being faithful watchers of the show.

One day, while ironing shirts (I really did do that in the early years of our marriage), the country radio station played a Carlton Showband song and announced that the band would be in Regina for a March 17 concert. I immediately phoned the box office and had two tickets set aside.

Housemate was excited, thinking he would see the Roland Dancers in person. I was more excited by actually seeing and hearing the band in person. And maybe even getting an autograph — to perhaps display next to my autographed photo of Bobby Curtola.

I was delighted by the concert, hearing all the songs the band performed on the TV show, plus many others. Housemate was a bit glum when he realize the Roland Dancers were not part of the tour. But eventually he got into the spirit of the evening, and despite not being Irish, decreed at the end of the concert his happiness that I bought us the tickets. He went home without seeing Roland’s Dancers and unfortunately it was late and we couldn’t linger for autographs, but did buy a cassette tape to play at home.

The next day I wrote a review of the show, sent it off to the address I found in some promotional material and heard back fairly quickly: a thank you from Chris O’Toole, the band’s leader and drummer at the time. My name was put on a list to receive complimentary tickets to future concerts through the Molson Brewery.

And thus began a long friendship. We attended every time the band was close by; I hired the band for many appearances in Moose Jaw; took some band members under our wing, taking them here and there, and to hospital on a couple of occasions when they felt under the weather. As band members changed and some passed away, we got to know the new members and in one instance I was incorrectly identified as the mother of the latest addition. Thankfully he didn’t ask for an allowance!

Then the band retired, did a reunion tour, and now fans must rely on the continued availability of CDs and souvenir anniversary booklets to keep them in touch with their favourite band. We continue to maintain contact with Fred White, an original member, and his wife, Mary Ann keeps band fans updated with old photos and information of interest to long-time supporters.

A few years ago a member of the Irish Rovers asked me to name my favourite Irish band. My response: “The Carlton Showband.” His reply: “Mine too.”

This St. Patrick’s Day, while wearing my CSB pin, I will dig out our favourite CDs and tapes and listen to our friends — almost but not quite as fulfilling as listening to them in person.

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net