RidgeRadio is back !  I am currently broadcasting every Saturday and Sunday at noon Pacific time.  To tune in or to check details on the upcoming scheduled programs go here : RidgeRadio Player

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Columbia River Treaty <> A look at the Columbia River Treaty, including interviews with Jack McDonald and Josh Smienk, Joe Irving’s song about it, and a reading of Jack McDonald’s book Storm Over High Arrow - Columbia River Treaty, A History.  This is from the RidgeRadio broadcast on 24 Sept 2023.

Just added to the Big Iron page … my memoirs of the 2010 Olympics, including stories and photos of the jobsite during two years of building the Nordic Competition venue, my context of the time and songs I wrote at the time.

Just added more history on the Velvet, filling in some gaps, combining different sources into a coherent chronological history.  Updated with some development reports, including one that gives historical development on various levels and a cross section of undergrouns workings.  Just added to the Mineral Claims page … a history of the Velvet mine, from the 1890s to 2019.  There’s lots of photos, from 1899 to 2019, and a few stories from Edward Davies about his grand-father’s and uncles’ time at the mine.

I’ve restructured the website to better organize new content, which is amounting to a lot of content.  And I’ve added some pages.  You’ll now find people, both contemporary and historical, all on the People page, listed alphabetically by last name.  For an overview of where to find things refer to the Table of Contents page.

Just added a page on the schools of Rossland with some history and some photos from Edward Davies, Alfie Albo, and Seth Martin.  Look in YesterYear under Places.

I’m getting so much stuff on here that it was getting a bit cumbersome so I’ve reorganized somewhat.  You’ll now find contemprary writers, storytellers, and musicians on the Tale Spinners page.   I’ve just added more content to Barry Gray there.  Historical content, including people, places, events, mineral claims you’ll now find on the YesterYear page.  On the Waynes World page you find all my projects, including audio recordings (concerts, broadcasts, studio sessions, etc), some written word

I’ve finally solved the mystery of where the famous Remington sketch of John Kirkup was done.  So I’ve completely redone the Kirkup page with new photos, docs, and a great story about early development on the Arrow when it was still wilderness … check out Dan Dunn’s Outfit, as it was published in Harpers Monthly and included the Kirkup sketch.

Kirkup Family

Just added to the Songs Of Rossland project … Against The Storm … In 2010 on the occasion of Alfie Albo’s birthday, Seth Martin and I played a concert.  Alfie had been gone for 3 years, I had been working on the Olympic ski jump project in the Callaghan, as well is on the luge/bobsled project at Blackcomb.  For two years I saw firsthand all the money that was being wasted and hidden from the public on the 2010 Olympic projects, while at the same time they were gutting our healthcare.  This song is my last thoughts on what I would have said to Alfie if I could have.

Recently added … WolfSong … a memorable night on Record Ridge skiing the Field Of Dreams under a full moon … also Ghost Cat Of Plewman Basin … In 1947 Chick Jones & Jim Douglas were cutting trees on the top of Red Mt for the first ski run, when a Mitchel Bomber crashed in Plewman Basin, killing everyone aboard.  You can hear Jim Douglas tell the story of that day on the Rossland Talking Tour page.  The Ghost Cat in the song was a big white cat I saw a few times in winters years ago in Plewman Basin.  It looked like it was about 150 lbs, so too big for a lynx but had no tail.  It also had a smaller head relative to it’s body size than a lynx, more like a cougar, and definitely cougar sized.  I remember sitting with Audrey and Richie Mann at their place one time … Audrey had seen the cat as well, and Richie figured it was likely he was a cougar who had lost his tail.  I originally wrote and recorded the song in 2001 in 4/4 time.  I think now it feels more like a 3/4 time song so I’ve reworked it. 
Songs Of Rossland

New tracks just added to the Live and Unplugged project … Nappy Birthday, Toe Tappin, No Rappin, Have You Seen My Covid-Free Gal, and more. These are songs and their stories from the Sessions broadcasts … Wayne playing live, one guitar and one vocal, unedited.  You can find it on the RidgeRadio Sessions Archive page.  The direct link is here :  Live and Unplugged 2023

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Just added to People on the Rossland Talking Tours page … Warren Crowe … some great stories by Warren, including one of the best descriptions I’ve heard of working in the Rossland mines.

Recently added to Businesses on the Rossland Talking Tours page … WKP&L Co … Jack McDonald’s recollections of growing up in the West Kootenay Power and Light Company

Recently added to Events on the Rossland Talking Tours page … Clementines Restaurant Gospel Choir at the Rossland Mountain Music Festival 1984 … great fun with the restaurant staff during the heyday of Clementines Restaurant. <>  Last Train To Rossland … In 1966 Jack McDonald and his tape recorder rode the last train from Tadnac to the top of the line at the Wye above the Rossland Station, near the LaFond place, on the day they started removing track … Jack narrates the trip with train whistles and the thrum of the locomotive in the background … great nostalgia for anyone who remembers those sounds.  And then Mayor Harry Lefevre talks about growing up with the trains at the Track Removal Ceremony.  <> And recently added under People John Drake and Pat Williams <> Richie Mann <> Helen Dahlstrom - A Musical Life … Helen had a long and distinguished career in classical music.  At the age of 16 she played the Schumann Concerto with the Regina Symphony Orchestra.  She toured western Canada as an accompanist for John Goss in 1940.  She played as a soloist on CBC radio.  She taught piano, she conducted, she examined, she adjudicated, and she was involved in many groundbreaking undertakings in various professional associations.  As a member of the BC Arts Council in the early 1960s, she planted the seed that later became The Knowledge Network.  She was president of the Canadian Federation Of Music Teachers' Associations and as recognition of her service and contribution, was made a lifetime Honorary President … the only other honorary president is the ceremonial position bestowed on whoever is the current Governor-General of Canada.  As president of CMFTA she started Canada Music Week.  She was always curious and always interesting.  I was fortunate to spend three hours with Helen over two sessions in August and October of 2008, at her home in Rossland.  We talked about teaching, conducting, the brain, harmony and counterpoint, examining, adjudicating, musicianship, choirs, and more.  She was 91 at the time.

Rossland Talking Tours

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Just added on the Kootenay Storytellers page …

Corky Evans, from the Word Of Mouth festival.  Corky talks about his friend Bob Cunningham (2005) and the history of logging in the Slocan Valley from the very beginning, how the valley went from 17 sawmills and 38 logging companies to 1 (2008)

Barry Gray, also from the Word Of Mouth festival, with stories of John Kirkup from his time in Rossland (2006).  And also Barry’s story Down From The Mountains (2008).

Carolyn McTaggart, also from Word Of Mouth, with the story of Jenny Wren and the Christmas To Remember (2005).  Also stories of John Kirkup from his time before Rossland (2006).  And also her story Runaway (2008).

Kootenay Storytellers

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I’m looking for information on these two photos.  I know nothing about them.  The landscape in the first one looks like it could be Christina Lake, although the landscape would fit anywhere in the Kootenays.  I’m told the architecture is very typical of buildings throughout BC that were originally built as hospitals. If they look at all familiar, please email me.

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The latest addition to the Rossland Talking Tours page.  Recorded and filmed live on stage at the Miners Hall in Rossland BC on the 3rd of January 2004.  Booty Griffiths tells the story of The Jeldness Tea Party and Wayne plays the song.  Here’s the direct link :

The Jeldness Tea Party

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Gary Little will be back with the sequel to his book To Hell and Back.  You can hear the session for his first book here :

To Hell and Back 1

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The second annual live Christmas Day concert can now be found on the Yuletide page.  My musical guests were Roelof Helberg, Gabe Mann, and Jack McDonald.  My spoken word guests, with some great Christmas stories, were Edward Davies from Rossland, Christina Myers from Vancouver, Gary Little from Vancouver, Ivo Cargnelli from Halfmoon Bay, and my wife Irene.  And I’m looking for stories for the concert next Christmas Day, so if anyone has a story please contact me !

Yuletide In Rossland 2021

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