Brockville & Area Music & Performing Arts Hall of Fame Selects 8 New Members this Week

Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Set for Thursday, March 21st at the Brockville Arts Centre!

Brockville – The Brockville & Area Music & Performing Arts Hall of Fame has selected 8 new members this week to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The first four include Gordon McCrady Sr., Muv Jenkins, Peter Dunn and The Western All-Stars. Four more will be posthumously inducted, Traves Heppelstone, Musician John Desmarais & Richard Humble and Geddes Long and Longfellows.

The new members are:

• Gordon McCrady Sr. – Playing since the early 1950s, Gord started in folk in hootnannies and jamborees. An accomplished bass player, he has been with Silver Creek, Grenville Blue Grass, Border Blue Grass and others. He was involved in the inception of the Palliative Care Telethon and played at the Mariposa Folk Festival and Riverfest. Gord organized Senior afternoon music programs and plays at St. Lawrence Lodge. He is featured on three albums.
• Muv Jenkins – Since 1969, Muv has been involved in Brockville theatre and music as a President and Past President of the Brockville Operatic Society and a member of the Theatre Guild. She has performed and produced for both organizations and has been a singer in church choirs and the Brockville Community Choir since its early years. She has been a very active volunteer as a Board member for the YM/YWCA, Red Cross Society and many other local organizations. In all her activities, Muv goes above and beyond to give extra assistance to others and to encourage young people in the arts
• Peter Dunn – Peter has been involved in music, entertainment and performing arts for more than 4 decades. Peter is single-handedly responsible for booking and bringing big-name bands to venues all across Canada, including the CNE and The Calgary Stampede but most also locally at our annual Riverfest event and the Brockville Arts Centre. He was the driving force behind the “Project Encore” – the Brockville Arts Centre renovation, playing a huge role in raising more than 2 million dollars towards the project; a project which has created a world-class theatre which is enjoyed every day within our community. Throughout his leadership at the BAC, he has booked national and international talent, including Mickey Rooney, Jann Arden, Harry Connick Jr., Burton Cummings and The Tragically Hip. We continue to enjoy the benefits of Peter’s hard work and his legacy lives on, thanks to his hard work and his strong relationships.
• Western All-Stars – The Western All-Stars was founded by Tom Wilson in 1959. The group has played hundreds of personal appearances, radio and television shows and has made no less than ten record albums. The band’s specialty was country and bluegrass. They appeared alongside such stars as Sonny James, Oscar Brand and Mac Wiseman.

Four Deceased members were also elected at this time:

• Traves Heppelstone – co-founder of the Brockville Operatic Society
• Musician John Desmarais & Richard Humble – both were in many bands
• Geddes Long and Longfellows – a popular country band from the ’60s & ’70s that travelled throughout Eastern Ontario and Northern New York State.

The Hall of Fame Induction ceremony is taking place on Thursday March 21st at the Brockville Arts Centre with the Red Carpet show starting at 6:30 pm. The offical induction ceremony will begin at 7:00 pm.

There will be entertainment by the Hall of Fame Orchestra, Part of the Western All-stars, St. Lawrence College Music Theatre Students and others not announced yet.

The Hall of Fame Induction ceremony is a FREE event and all are welcome.