SOUL SURVIVOR
Alone in the world at age 15, country music turned out to be the road to salvation
Iwas born on July 5, 1937, in northern British Columbia on a trapline in the bush, during the family’s annual trek to load up our pack horses with supplies. My parents were Slavey Indians. Dad died of tuberculosis out there when I was sixand-a-half years old and my brother also lost his life to TB. Mom and I continued working the trapline until I was nine and then moved to Fort Nelson, a small village with a public school that I attended for just under two years. I could not speak English when I started.
I was in Grade 3 when I was diagnosed with TB on January 16, 1949, and sent to the Charles Camsell Indian Hospital in Edmonton. Later, in March 1950, as I expected to die, I was placed in a private room; however, after much healing and ongoing care by the best medical team of doctors, nurses and general staff you could hope to have by your side, my recovery gradually became a reality.
On June 13, 1952, Hank Snow made a charitable visit to Camsell Hospital. Having taken the time to talk with me personally, and putting on an amazing performance for us all, he became my idol—and my inspiration. After his visit, I decided to take up country music. It was my mom who bought me my first guitar, with money she had saved from her sewing; she sent it to me after hearing about my experience with Hank Snow.
Looking back, I can’t help but recall that the hospital staff encouraged me greatly when I began my guitar-playing, but never once did my mother’s abusive second husband encourage me. “You’ll never amount to anything—might as well give up now!” was
all I heard from him and the few distant relatives I had at the time.
I was discharged from Camsell in March 1953, four years after being admitted. A few months later, my mom died of TB, weakened no doubt by the ongoing beatings.
At age 15, I was alive but alone. I said to myself, “Well, I’ve been told on a steady basis that I’ll not get anywhere...might as well shoot for the top: the Grand Ole Opry it is.
NASHVILLE BOUND
After Mom’s death, I started practising the guitar with purpose and learned to sing in the Hank Snow style, by listening and singing along to Hank’s old 78-rpm records on a wind-up gramophone. I also got a job as a clerk (and have been working ever since).
The clerk job was fine while it lasted, but getting to play the Grand Ole Opry was my ultimate goal. In the meantime though, I needed money to live on. My next job was with a river barge outfit and from there, it was on to the RCAF and the Canadian Amy. I took to my music with a vengeance while I was posted in Vancouver.
From Vancouver, I moved to Edmonton where I got a break and made an appearance on the local CTV channel; then later in Ontario, I made it onto the national television network, as well as the Don Messer Show from Halifax and Countrytime. Before long, I landed a recording contract and had a few hits to my name.
But the major turning point in my career once again involved Hank Snow. In 1969, I went to see a show of his in Calgary, and had a chance to speak with him. I told him about how his visit to Camswell back in 1952 had inspired me to take up country music and had opened up a path for me to follow in life. He asked me to send him copies of my upcoming recordings, which I did. He called me up later, saying, “Come down here to Nashville and be my house guest—i got you a spot on the Grand Ole Opry, as well as the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree, playing together with my band, The Rainbow Ranch Boys. I surely hope you can make it!”
The date of Hank’s call was June 13, 1972, exactly 20 years after his visit to Camsell and, yes, I gladly accepted Hank’s offer. After living my dream on stage that first time in Nashville, the road from the Grand Ole Opry led to hit songs, numerous awards and travelling to countries all over the world, not to mention the opportunity to build a good life and make music with the woman I love.