Townsman, 1991-07, Page 271
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Gary Buck, Executive Producer and Creative Director of Wingham's Primetime Country takes his turn on stage as one of
the country and western series' headliners.
The music is back!
Primetime Country aims to make Wingnam
Canada's country music capital again
By Bonnie Gropp
This summer, the quiet town of
Wingham, is coming alive to the rous-
ing strains of country and western
music, as Primetime Country romps
through its inaugural season at the his-
toric town hall.
The concept began due to the
efforts and commitment of some com-
munity -spirited volunteers, who took
upon themselves the double undertak-
ing of bringing country music back to
Wingham and finding some way to
better utilize their town hall, which
was built in 1890 in the market square
and which many feel has not been
used to its best advantage in the last
few years. While it could never be
said that the town mothballed the
building, the potential of the attractive
structure and its auditorium has been
under-utilized through the years, in
the eyes of many.
Historically, Wingham earned
the reputation of the "Country Music
Capital" in the 1940's and 1950's, vir-
tually through the efforts of the late
Doc Cruickshank, a well-known and
highly -respected community figure,
who began the CKNX radio station in
Wingham. He developed the idea of
taking local country and western
musicians and giving them a live plat-
form, via his program, for their talent.
Chairman of the Primetime
Country Board, Jim Currie, remem-
bers, "The first entertainers brought in
were a couple of local musicians who
played mandolin and guitar, Bill and
Pete. The program soon became
known as the Saturday Night Barn
Dance and it later travelled all over
southwestern Ontario, playing live in
arenas and theatres, wherever they
could find an audience, for broad-
cast."
The desire to be on stage,
brought performers from across the
country to Wingham and Doc's Barn
Dance because it was one spot that
would give them a chance.
"This is the legacy behind
Primetime Country; an extremely suc-
cessful one," says Mr. Currie.
Over the years, the Barn Dance
gained in popularity and in regular
musicians. Familiar names became
household words and people gathered
every Saturday night to listen to thc
funtimc music of Don Robertson,
Cora Fair, Rossic Mann, thc Golden
Prairie Cowboys, Al Chcrny, Ward
Allen, Dusty DeNight, Sharon Strong
and Jack Kingston.
Whcn Doc built the television
station, he couldn't continue the road
shows, so brought all thc talent
TOWNSMAN/JULY-AUGUST 1991 25