The Wingham Advance-Times, 1973-08-30, Page 15•
Cressreitvis
iraokly Nos *yaw Ithimal
Sumer. Whigboa Advisee -
now and Mem torso Ows
Orate is rood by Miss pooplo
-boortiord of Midwoosoro
Oeserio, •
*B000d am 3.6 roodors le sash of
saw lames.)
Published every Iin The Listowel Ramer, The %gingham Advanc..Timos
and The hipleit Forest Confederate by ifienger Oros. Limited.
xclusive Crossr
1
He has been called the greatest
country and western singer in the
world and not many will dispute
It, at least not the buyers of those
40 million records he has sold.
I knocked on the screen door of
the trailer at Rock Hill Park on a
Sunday afternoon not long age.
Webb Pierce, T was told, could be
found in that trailer on top of the •
bill. Normally, I wouldn't have
tried knocking on a screen door,
but for Webb Pierce I decided to,
instead of just hollering through
i. .
The inquiring voice of Sharon:
Rusk, daughter of Elwond Hill,
who Owns the park, filtered
• .3.
through the screen. I 'explained about overnight or as a result of
my purpose' in being there and just one right move. It takesia let
before she could answer a smooth of right moves and a talent big
southern accent softly indicated enough to bring them about.
that I was welcome. The first right move by the
The screen door slid open, 1 Nashville recording artist was a
hopped in, and with a smile as big , platter called "The Wanderer",
as the sun and a handshake as recorded in 1952. He says of the
firm as they come, Webb Pierce now classic song, "Ithit, and they.
introduced himself, as though kept hitting and I kept singing."
that were necessary. A multitude of country tiiisic
In most ,,cases it is futile to fans • are thankful that Webb
attempt pinpointing the formula Pierce did "keep singing.'" And
for a man's success, evecian3r if he kept singing long enough to,
he is an entertainer, because a rack up 24 number one reeords
success story, such as the one and 68 hits that made the top tell.
Webb Piercehas lived and con- Vilna Career
tinues to live, does -not come The country star says of his
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• -
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11
ambition, "r wanted to be a ness has been good to Mr. Pierce.,
.tountrY singer from the thThs I He says or his success, "1 am
was 12 years old. /always wand thankful, mainly to the people
to be a movie star, too. I've in who buy my records because they
a lot of movies, but none or Moos made it all possible."
• ever ,won me Oscars." Having,' Showplace
triode about five films he sows, "I Residing in Nashville, Tennes.
wouldn't, mind playing in bettor see, Webb Pierce calls a 065,000,
movies. I've had lots Of alba mansion his home. The,. shOw.
play inthese grade B Movies, hat, Ph is located directly -next to
r want to get into some soodi thehomedtures
aneitheitagover,nsoormnettlngedo
n
one,s
has' made re "Buffalo Guns "
Arno% ,the films Mr. Pierce Tshoaupedood 1.47interYila
ang
• with Marty i Robbins, "Road it*4,Powefl saYs:',01.111e;t0t!..14,tehk'fr'"
SteelGuitar", and ,00c,ountry-,
NaShville".-;:,"Second FiAdle tes : and
tourist WQUId have s�niething to
Music 00S. .HJS istbe only house on. the.
The,0,600jueuks'frt7;itnrgoioar(_1•Woty"vv.arsw.. • !'
• itour of celebritles' homes that
ootintrY''- tunes'. has Irameraot '1,1as--$0110,000409. gaTiapen,for
. • , ° • ,
himself in almost every facet P.
1' the media: film, recordIs, rhe NaF00110 bome sits rf on . •;
Stage, and television. WS mitabout' nine 'acres rich ground
*
Claim to, a deserviii-g-fame haw; that is worth abotit, :$40,0,00 an „
,
n 'his voice '400 'bospitable,,, :acre, Webb Pierce ,lived 11, Sue-
personality and these taieots., cess story to end all SuCcessi,-
makehis horizons parhuited„ low stories, 11,ebecaMe.,0•Millitinaire •
newestventure is the oncoming': before he reached the age or 30;d: -
of his owe , television moven, he has been writtenaboutkrinch
Starting lathe. next few moatita, great journalists ' as 'the late
1,,oaisiona Walter Mancha: and his name is
. EAGER FANS-*AttertiiVpiat4 cluster closely. to theShoWbOafStage at li.ock Hill Park as
• Webb- Pierce performs a, glowing roster' of his musical • compositions, 'MOO Of them
number one hit songs. The fans gel a closer View by perching ontherampleading up to the
farnous "Showboarstage,•whichis built ok.the water' tchabling an unhindered 'view of the
performert from .0 Imostany vantagepoint in the.park. . ' . . ., (Staff plieto)
•
e'81:1°* will be °kited th°11fittnss°f•coittr 1114$0;
Appearing 'With° him as ,
ieree#1 Louisiana" land 'Wu building the guitar -shaped
televised in''Canadaas well aitbe, Inpool he paid tribute- to the
Terry, insftu-
- regulars */4 meat, which brought hint
Gordon Max ''' P"6441' ;,.: wide, fame, but his talents ' just
and Ge�rge- Jones. The . UMMY w6indicates that it's begt4 t,*1,,e'4,14411eree'aisi, Molts
alone •after . fair' radio-;•statiaaa,„ of
-, .J4 •
not to henh he andliaiiPurehat,'
IN130'0)1eRCE7-A millionaire before he reached thirty, Webb Pierce has been cote-
,
liritedthroughoutibe.world as the greatest country .and western retOrrclIng artist of all
• Along. He appeared recently at Rock Hill Park, situated just 16 miles north of Orangeville.
The country triusie,star rehearses his songs 'with Max Posvell, Jds co -writer and Mrs. ,•
• 4 -Sharon Rusk, daughter of Elwood Hill, ownerof the park, looking On. (Staff Photo)
•'‘ ' • ,
A.med- • ' niusie "shing •
Part wAY through oui talk e4
to ,,4,, breathtaking••"b.040tY4Kthe:' r journeyed •11.1fer, • in
- at, piebitiliOe- -
Ataitk 61 ,
owboatat Rtick 1101 Park'. Max '4,of a chahl of Skating Hill Park is Matched only by the
PoWell, his partner lit writing Pierce-V*0111r superlative talents owner EIWOOd,
uie or: his songs vOlun red to - na*e vvill Hill'bringS"t° this entertainment 'ente°aininesit
continue tiii*,..:interVie.W:•••,'hi-•': his 1101* Co.intry field for $0",41:• :000'..gr:7,' ''',1#044 Of:
' 7, ars to-vorrio webb.anooswife tootintry.,litoc; ;
. haVetiotichildre0;,:bathaf The well-known
asidefroin the oneslie,Pens with career's of °, their own: Nide- est'Perf°1**ers*6ffin the mt'skal
1)c writes a gr'eatMany songs whoa), are beginning singing .ststsoneigelivilits:'seeArickesoh:e, 'et: e.i,tifirtewrat:
Mr. :Pierce. He penned the - teen -year-old Pebble has made and - comedy llani;*snalhoi
siteeessful nuniber, "Asushar, • "appearaeces at. the .Grand: Ole '
.lob has been , recorded by ' °Maud Webb Jr., at the age of Kitty Wells. and -Webb Pierce,
among -dozens of others,. .
artists " like Brenda Lee,. Jerry, eleven has that same dream of
Husky. Obviously
brvaitouRsiooy naedaenvd,„Votederfliann becoming a °Win. singer, just or1154erilie,lialth'inelighnnourrt;g114:- '
Pierce, Max has been with th , aSWtohelnisobo'sdsaShelbwedtisind:ywthacei.inu; dae:stehlvo;ghst othrieginabenaynuotYe-verofped'' '-namtyttraire : Hill
e ,..., „ _
lands, this shimmering stiidy.ints
as well as Partner of --Webb , twelve.
,aeclaimeiliersonality for eight . wo as a camping and Picnic site. 'His
Years. Ile told me, "Webb has „ ., with " his-- television .program
.
. been Voted by Billboard Maga- coming up theregrandfather Ptirchased the
will not be as
zine eight different years as the Much time to concentrate on live_ property.in 1861 and Mr. - Hill
-most plpulat country artist in the - Stage presentations.
bought the land _ in the :IOW*:
building the pond where the stge:.
now stands, in 1955. • - -
The Nashville sound got into
Mr. Hill's blood after ,he and his
• The man the people came to see
This frpt t of his labOrs are in ,emerged from his dressing room
the stacks of faninail and the . garbed in a striking black and
thunderous Webbs. aplleauviehreeereceives .t white suit; his dark hair perfectly
ryrn
maBkeust 41face.
Place and his tan illuniinating
an appearance ' on stage.
forgotten and the recording busi- I had one more question before
,..
Material gains have not I Like Canada
been ""
he had to go onstage'. What did he
-think of Canada? "I like Canada
very much. I've been in just
about every part of this country
and I like the people here.
Tjjey're really country music
lovers."
Max Powell left the trailer and
shortly was pleasing a large
• crowd with his vocal talents.
When Webb Pierce made his way
down the middle of the audience
to the stage an appreciative
round of applause greeted him.
SHOWBOAT STAGE—The famous hShowboat" stage at
Rock Hill. Park? near Orangeville, hal seen a la of Nash.:
vflie musical talent in its eight years of show business. Park
owner eiwod Hill brings only the best recording artists
and performers to sntcrtalnnencenfre from the world
of COuntry music. Upcoming stars includeConwy Twitty
ell Sunday, September 2, with shows at 2 pat. and 7:30 p.m.
(Staff Photo)
• vat " r I
And its talented
creators back homeso thatcann-
dian :music lovers could see land
,hear it -firsthand, ,
Talent Shawl,
,
' His first attemptsn music
promotion involved the "Produel.,
ing ottalentahnWso enab,lini10eal.
artists to gain valuable moments
, Of An audience: Many
perforoierahaVeSinee gene on to.
become professional enter-,
tainers.,
The first , genuine - Nashville.
showwas tireught to Rock.Hill in
1963, when the bill featured
Wilma Lee and Stoney. Cooper.
The reaction of 'the audienteten:-
vinced; Hill that Canadian
• - lovers wanted live Nash-
villemusic„
sounds and the following
year he Doc Williams
and others.
Canadian performers were also
14141.1440
showplace
Canadian.arthitt as
Hunter and,King Gamin. ,
••The- "Showboat" „Stage
• .tot comPleteViinkeStricted view-
ing from ,almodt.any pointtn the
park;vtiether watching from the
family -car or the Open'aIr
grandstands.' The unique stage
utilizes the 'snrr.Ottriding•• land-
scape -,'enhancing an Oven
'greater :degree. ,The sound
equipment, r With
the best . in: the -field and ,bringit
excelfent.reteptien:tO loca-
tionany-"
*Me
Rock Festivais
Diiring the years of '69 through
Rockilill was thesite of many
'reck2festivals; The
'concerts and. festivals were dis-
continued boa*. of negative
4444,14.4.4.4., ,
42,11•1?4114.0,1Va, 'LIU. Pk -ays,,,,s450.pr.y!k
Please turn to page. 4
1
1 1'
New Release
• His newest record release is a
Song called "When You're Living
in Hell, It's Rest to Say Good-
- bye". It will be available in
Canada soon.
The Nashville recording mil-
lionaire offered a tip for those
entiMsiasts who want to make
their living from singing and
playing country songs. "They
Should get a guitar, try to get
their records on the radio, and
Most of all, they should learn to
sing..„2Iaying clubs and mixing
and mingling wilth the audience
Is the best way to get some ex-
• perience and e,onfidence under
your blt"
The -songs to which Webb
Piereeireated the crowd at Rock
Hill Park that Sunday are
guaranteed pleasers. Songs Hike
"Back Street Affair" and "He's
in the Jailhouse Now" gave the
andionte some toetapping
*teng fitn and an afternoon that
meltod away, as all days will, but
' will- never be forgotten. -.That-
Sunday afternoon had The win -
tins; combition: the sunshne,
god tittles and the music only.
Webb PierCe ean bring us.
FLUSTERED PHOTOGRAPHER When the phomgrapner is being pnoi °graphed he
tends to become a bit flustered. This gentleman at Rock Hill Park's concert, featuring
Webb Pierce, promptly tangled his camera strap around his pipe when he heard the click
of a camera shutter that did not belong to him. He is lust one of a crpd' of photographers
and country music tans -on hand at the park to decument and mainly enjoy the peforn.
ance given by Webb rlirand others on the bill. (Staff Photo)