HomeMy WebLinkAboutVillage Squire, 1980-01, Page 20told Earl about the success of his "Green
Tree Boogie" singles record --that sold
8,000 copies in two weeks. Hailey wanted
to get into that kind of music. A year later
"Bill Hailey and the Saddlemen" became
known as "Bill Hailey and the Comets"
with the hit song of "Rock Around the
Clock."
When television started in Canada, Earl
appeared on CBC's "Pick the Stars."
Earl's strongest opposition was Robert
Goulet, who performed classical pop hits.
Earl's whole family travelled to the east
coast performing --his wife Martha, son
Grant, and daughter Patricia.
With the family grown up and away,
Martha became more involved. For the
past 14 years Earl and Martha have
performed as a duo. Martha plays the
electric organ or electric piano and sings.
Earl says, "She's a great one to collect
jokes. I don't know how she remembers
them all."
Together they perform the "Bull Whip
Act" --in the costumes Martha makes. In
the act, Martha holds a piece of paper. Earl
slices it with a whip. She says if he hits her
that is the end. Also in the last few years
they perform magic for children's shows.
One album Earl produced is popular
despite the drop in country music. It is
"Tales of the Donnelly Feud." Produced in
1971, it has been his best seller, and he is
still selling it now. He attributes its
constant popularity to its local history. He
said it took him four months to produce the
album.
In 1949 he started recording on a
national scale. He published three song
folios and sheet music. His songbooks used
to be on sale in the Eatons catalogue. He
says the records still sell today and are
played on country music radio stations. But
the songbooks do not sell now.
When Earl started in the music business
there were about 25 recording companies
in Canada, with about three or four major
ones. Today there are more than 10,000.
Earl formed his own recording company
a few years ago. He says that is the trend
today in music. Artists form their own
company because it is so difficult to get
anywhere with the big companies. Besides,
Earl does not feel the recording company
deserves its 50 percent share of the profit.
It took Earl several years to get back his
rights from the previous producers. His
company is described as, "Earl Heywood
Publishing Company, 145 Cornyn Road,
Wingham, Ontario".
Earl said he learned his lesson about
forming his own publishing company when
he produced the record, "Moonlight of the
Manitoulin Island." Earl made six or seven
thousand dollars from the song and the
publishing company made the other six or
seven.
In the new year Earl might do a
television or personal appearance. I have
sold as much as $700 worth of records after
18 Village Squire, January 1980
Earl relaxes with a book and a recording of symphony music at his home in Wingham.
--Photo by Laura Drummond.
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