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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 2006 Community remembers 'singing cowboy' • • By Duane Rollins Winghum Advance-Times Earl Heywood, once known as Canada's number one cowboy country singer, passed away Sept. 17, 2006 in Brussels. He was 89. Heywood was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1989. He began his career in 1941 at CFCO radio in Chatham. However, it was his work with CKNX radio in Wingham that he is best remembered for. Beginning in 1942 Heywood remained with the station, and its FM and TV affiliates, for more than 40 years as a singer and announcer. For almost 20 years he was a performer on the weekly CKNX Barn Dance and he hosted the Serenade Ranch from 1946 to 1953. Throughout the 50s, Heywood also appeared many on such CKNX TV programs, as The Range Riders Show, Rocking Horse Ranch, and Western Roundup. He also sang on the Circle 8 Ranch for many years. As a member of The Ranchboys, Ernie King played with Heywood on Barn Dance. He recalls the importance of country music in Heywood's life. "Music was his life," King said. "It really was. I admired his dedication. He worked every hour of his life, thinking about music, thinking about Barn Dance. Few of us had that type of dedication." Although most people knew Heywood as a performer, King said that his work as a songwriter was equally impressive. During his life, Heywood recorded more than 300 songs. Some of his more famous recordings included Moonlight on the Manitoulin Island, which was a hit for the Moms and Dads and the melodies of his Alberta Waltz and Algonquin Waltz, which have been recorded by fiddler Eleanor Townsend. He remained active in the country music scene up until the early 1990s.• when he was still organizing barn dances in southwestern Ontario. Toronto broadcaster Steve Fruitman said that Heywood's influence on Canadian country music was immeasurable. Fruitman had Heywood on his CIUT radio program The Great North Wind a few occasions in the early 90s. "Everyone in Canadian country music knew him," Fruitman said. "He was an icon. It was just mind boggling who he played with on Barn Dance." Fruitman said that the Barn Dance ogram had tremendous influence. "The Barn Dance was phenomenal, " he said, " and Earl was the central figure in it. What he was producing in Wingham was on the same scale as what they were doing at the Grand Ole Opry, the Louisiana Hayride or the WWVA Jamboree. It was just on a smaller station. Still, Fruitman said, those in the industry understood the importance of what Heywood was doing. "Anyone who was anyone in the Canadian music industry appeared on that show." Long-time fan Dave Wall remembers the Barn Dance era well. He said Heywood's love of music was infectious. "He'd play just about anywhere," Wall said. "He loved to perform. Standing up on a stage with a guitar in his hands, that was heaven for Earl." Wall was working with Heywood to try and write a book about Heywood's life, adding that Heywood had a bigger than life personality. "He's always been kind of a celebrity. "And it was more than just his music. He had such a keen mind for promoting himself: He wasn't afraid to get himself out there." Despite being signed 'by RCA, Heywood needed to work hard to promote himself, Wall said. "Back then the labels would really promote .a couple of the bigger acts, but if you were a small act you had to do things yourself," Wall said. "Earl was always trying to promote himself." Wall recalls a unique way Heywood sold his single Moonlight on Manitoulin Island. "Earl called up RCA and ordered a box of his records himself," Wall said. "He got a hold of the people that ran the ferry to Manitoulin Island and said 'Do you want to see (the records) as souvenirs?' they said 'sure' and he shipped them up the box." Wall said the promotion went well. "Very quickly they had sold them all — people wanted to have something with Manitoulin Island's name on it, so he ordered another ,box. That's when the record company wanted to know what he was doing with all the records." In his later life, Heywood founded the Barn Dance Historical Society, which endeavoured to preserve the memory of the builders, the musicians and entertainers who were featured over the years on the CKNX Barn Dance. To that end, the society helped develop a museum, which is housed at the North Huron Museum. Museum curator Jody Jerome remembers the passion that Heywood brought to that project. "Having the Barn Dance Museum here was always supposed to be a temporary thing," Jerome said. "He was always thinking bigger!' Heywood wanted the museum to be the type of place that people would come from far away to see according to Jerome. "He was thinking Nashville north. He wanted this to be something that would attract people from all over and he wasn't afraid to tell you that." North Huron reeve Doug Layton WELLINGTON T. MARKS Mr. Wellington Marks, formerly of Belgrave passed away at Braemar Retirement Centre, Wingham on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006. He was 93. Mr. Marks was the beloved husband of the late Isabel Jamieson, who predeceased him in 2000. He was the dear father of Murray and Donna Marks of Belgrave, Judy and Bob Bell of Vanastra and Ken and Annette Marks of RR1, Belgrave. He was the loving grandfather of Brian, Craig, T.J., Tammy and Rob, Derek, Melissa, Christine, Doug and Roxanne. He is also survived by 10 great-grandchildren and his brother Rowland Marks of Brussels. Mr. Marks was predeceased by echoes Jerome's words. "Earl had a dream to make Wingham a beacon for country music . fans for miles around. He was an ambassador for both country music and for Wingham. And he will be missed by many." The funeral service was held at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Wingham Sept. 20 at 1:30 pm. Reverend Bernard Skelding officiated. Interment was in Wingham Cemetery. Memorial donations to Barndance Historical Society, Alzheimer Society or a charity of your choice would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy. two infant sons James and Randy, granddaughter Charlene, brothers, Russell, Clifford and Stanley, and by his sister Kathleen. Visitation was at McBurney Funeral Home, Wingham on Friday from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. The funeral service was held at the funeral home chapel on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Rev. Ethel Miner Clare officiated. Interment was- in Brussels Cemetery, Morris Twp. Memorial donations to Alzheimer Society of Ontario would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy. On-line condolences may be made at www.mcburneyfuneralhome. Corn ituaries Business Directory