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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-10-24, Page 131' • it...t.,T=114=;! If it can be played. the Gypsy Campers can p They call themselves The Gypsy CamPtrs and the members of the group all have two things in common — a desire to seek out campgrounds and other areas throughout the province each weekend where they can set up camp for a couple of days, and a passion for music. They don't just listen to music, they make their own on instruments ranging from guitars to fiddles to washbuckets to, kitchen spoons. According to one member, if it can titt played, someone in The Gypsy Campers knows how to play it. They spend a large proportion of the weekends from May 24 on into the autumn camping together in various corners of the province — people from all walks of life ranging in age from teenagers to senior citizens — making music wherever they are. It's mainly country and western and old tyme tunes. It starts spontaneously around the campfire and lasts into the wee hours of the morning, sometimes all night long. Their passion for "jam- ming" is insatiable. In recent years The Gypsy Campers have made a name for themselves. and are regularly asked'to perform at wedding dances, Legion parties and anniversary celebrations. When playing in a hall, they, add a piano to their regular group of instruments (a piano is hard to haul to campgrounds, unlike washtubs, fiddles, guitars and spoons) and invite anyone "who wants to get up on stage, sing, dance or just be the centre of attraction" to do so. They 'call for square dances, yodel, step dance and finish each performance with Gypsy Camper Gloria Burke of Mount Forest, fondly known as Amazing Gracie by the group, singing their theme song, "Amazing Grace". The Gypsy Campers have a grand old time — and so ,,do the people who regularly turn up at campground singsongs and halls where it is known ahead of time that the Gypsy Campers will be performing. "We do have a following," Bernie Hale of Harriston told Crossroads. A member of The Gypsy Campers since the group was first formed, Mr. Hale is • ISInsalMVPIRTSmiii; Animaresk. .G111:01CM • affectionately known as "the great white father" by the group and is responsible for bookings which he says come in thick 'and fast. "It's not bad for a collection of straggling musicians who just like getting together to jam." When they're all together, there's about 40 musicians in The Gypsy Campers, mainly from Wellington and Dufferin Counties. "When we get together and people get dancing, we just keep on playing until we get tired," Mr. Hale laughs, ad- mitting that some of The Gypsy Campers' "jam sessions" last for weekends at a time. The group started out as a few campers from the Silent Valley Campground, 15 miles north of Mount Forest, getting together for a night of music while camping. It grew to 'in- clude saxophone, trumpet, piano and washbucket musicians, as well as fiddle players and guitar pickers. The group decided playing together was fun, and the campers started travelling together and camping for weekends in places such as Shelburne tAt - n .••' 1.1Attp.o. • • .. • • t • • 11 ).1 Nt.41,4411i1-'t " ow, t;t • ttP • l t 1 I ' il.:-.'..•iil ft+ ,Ii..,,: „ ' ,I t'SktItSitftil.tte, I • '4...,,,,I;," / . • . I .1' t _.. i VI 'i• i. t''. ./ ,' '' ' ..• ' I vo• • ..I. titt • i • " t•'- ,. 11. 0..1'1,,,,,e t:t .;....5. : 1t1 , . „ ,.,•'7, i All,' ;- • w - "IIIIIII 11111111' Ili • ... . 1111„,. I. iiii.,,....• ..,•, • ,.... 'I 1 lilpoi:,..11, . • IL, ., • 1., ' i ; t . . .-, • ' 7'W.4 ' y it Serving over 24,000 Reines in Ustowel, Wingham, Mount Foreett'IVIVertgei Nis, Arthur, Oral/Wet Harriston, Moorefield, PalMereton, Bloomingdel,e, Breslate'ConestogO, EIMIre, Heidelberg, uni4v0001 Maryhill, St. Clements, St. Jacobs Wallensteire Wellesley and West Montrose. Crossroads, VVOneeeley, October 24, 1984 a=31=1.1112011SN by Lynne 'Pinnegar Ouring the annual Old Tyme Fiddle Glen and Shirley Wallace of Bob Little of RR 4, Mount Forest: Contest there and Carlsrhue during Teviotdale: Glen is a retired farmer Bob plays the harmonica and generally blue grass festivals there. (1 who is now employed at Bramhill helps out with the serenading. "Oh, we nevergo to the actual fiddle Service Centre in Paltherston He acts Gloria Burke of Mount Forest: Gloria contest," Mr. Hale says of the group's as master of ceremonies for the group, sings the group's theme song, Amazing annual trek to Shelburne. "None of us is took up playing the fiddle again five Grace, at the end of performances and good enough for that. We just go and years ago after a long absence from is known to the group as Amazing camp and play with the groups off playing the instrument and also plays Gracie. musicians, jamming in the cam- the mandolin. Shirley has worked in the pgrounds. The same in other places we dietary department of the Palmerston Carl Lormand of Fergus: Carl .has Io -for weekends. The Gypsy Campers Hospital for the past 10 years and is worked professionally for a number of years in his own band, and is now a have fun with the other campers who vice president of -The Gypsy Campers. love good music as much as we do." Mr. Hale, a retired farmer who riOw Frank and Flo Gilbert of Harriston: sings with the group. . calls himself a househusband, living in A retired farmer, Frank is a barber, , Harriston, took up playing the fiddle painter and home decorator with a Cam and I Paula Manderson of part-time job 4 the LCBO store in Harriston•. Cam is a transport. driver again five years ago after a lapse of 25 Harriston. He plays the guitar, banjo, for Canada Packers and plays with The years. He says it is the same with a bass and also sings. He is manager of Gypsy Campers when not on the road. number of the Gypsy Campers — music The Gypsy Campers. Flo is secretary- Paula, who performs regularly with is again a big part of their lives after Spring Water Band, is a profeasional treasurer of the group, enjoys making years. crafts and is a retired hairdresser. singer who recently finished sixth in the having been missing for a number of in our group too," Mr. Hale enthuses. "But we have professional musicians Lloyd is a carpenter and house builder in addition to being bar chairman and Lloyd and Millie Rogers of Elora: Canadian Open Country and Western Singing Contest in Simcoe. She plays group. the piano, spoons and guitar with the . He names Carl Lormand of Fergus, the person in charge of talent nights at who worked professionally for a Legion Branch 229 in Elora. Hestarted Wolfgang and Lori Wietzke of Salem: number of years in his own band; Paula playing the guitar about four years ago, Wolfgang is an auto body mechanic Manderson of Harriston who recently and also sings with The Gypsy Cam- turned truck driver who recently finished sixth at the Canadian Open pers. Millie is a housewife and member learned how to play the guitar sand Lori Country and Western Singing Contest in of the ladies' auxiliary in Elora and is is secretary at the United Cattle Simcoe and sings with the Spring Water known to the group as Coleslaw Millie. Breeders in Guelph. Band, and Dave Wallace of Brucefield who is a guitar player who hadhis own Al and Rita Babineau of Ajax; Al Other faithful followers of The GyPsy band a few years ago. plays rhythm bones and harmonica Campers and campers themselves are: with The Gypsy Campers, works at dry - Mr. Hale says the musicians who Murray and Lois McDougall of walling and is "a great cook on the make up The Gypsy Campers also Ennotville: Murray has his own barbecue". Housewife Rita plays the come from all walks of life, a fact that . company known as Lo -Mac Windows he isprettY proud of. guitar and is one of the lead singers for . Incorporated and Lois is a housewife Jim Swan of St. Marys plays guitar The Gypsy Campers. . • and the secretary of the company. and piano as well as singing lead with, Darlene Rank of Harriston: Darlene Their daughter Joyce also enjoys the The Gypsy Campers. He was St. Marys' plays guitar, spoons and is also a music of The Gypsy Campers. man of the year two years ago and singer. When pot camping and per- • devotes a great deal of his time to forming with The Gypsy Campers,. she Clare and Betty Hutchinson of Working with the Alcoholics is employed with' the Retarded' Wallenstein: A grader operator in the Anonymous program. , Children's Centre in Stratford. Township of Peel, Clare also calls some Dave Wallace of Brucefield is em, , - of the square dances when The Gypsy Bob and Jean Wallace of Palmer- Campers are performing. Betty is a ployed by Champion Road Graders of ston: Bob is a town employee in registered nurses's assistant and works Goderich and travels all over the world Palmerston and plays the wash bucket, in the chronic care ward of the K -W teaching others how to use the equip - more commonly known as the gut Hospital. r ment. bucket. Jean's main Job with The -",—tam Manderson is a transport driver Gypsy Campers, besides decoratingthe John—end. JUIHOoRtattz of Fergus: for Canada Packers and -,.regularly --.-- . • „. . birthday and anniversary cakes, is to Custodians at the Ontario Housing drives to Montreal and Prince Edward -keep a smile on the musicians' .faces Senior Citizens' Apartments' in Fergus, while they are playing". they are known to the group as good Island, butjoins The Gypsy Campers . for some jamming whenever he is dancers. factory worker. He plays guitar and home. Keith and Iris Alderson of Kintore: A • Mr. Hale notes that Jean Wallace "does Kintore, Keith is the • lead five -string Bloomingdale: Other skills are equally important — cash crop farmer and plumber in Donald and Florence Sills of a great job of baking and decorating the banjo player and Iris plays the banjo, Electrohome in Kitchener and Florence Don is employed at birthday and anniversary cakes", that manolin, bass fiddle and piano. The works at Dominion Life Insurance in Millie Rogers of Elora is known as tree nursery worker is also often called Waterloo. They also own and operate "coleslaw Millie" for her salad making up to step dance. ' • basset and beagle kennels. ekpertise and that Al Babineau of Ajax is "a great cook on the barbecue".Jim and Mona Swan 'of St. Marys: Ena Wallace of Palmerston: Ena Those things are important when Jim is the town employee in St. Marys always enjoys the music and often who looks after the cemetery. He also you're campers as well as musicians — helps the group out on some of the old • 11. , and that's what The gypsy Campers devotes a lot of time to working with tunes and dances. Alcoholics Anonymous, is the lead are. , • ,1 ' . singer with The Gypsy Campers and Jack and Faye Binldey of Harriston: .- ..: The Gypsy Campers take their mesic • — and the group itself — seriously and worker, also works with AA and plays Y Jack works at the Harristow Fertilizer plays guitar and piano. Mona, a factory ' ... , have an executive which it elects eachPlant and Faye has been employed at ' year to oversee the running of the Gypsy the Canada' Packers plant in Harriston the guitar and sings with The , Campers. for a number of years. , II group. Mr. Hale says a number of . i. followers and supporters are every bit Dave and Marie Wallace of Jerry and Beverly Finley of RR, .„., as important as the musicians them- Brucefield: The parents' of two Arthur: Jerry is employed at the lv ses. e ' teenagers, Bruce is employed by University of Guelph and Beverly 100ICS • • 41„, - • VIPOW7 • "1447. 1.tsi 4 / i . -•„179 •• - Champion Road Graders of Goderich Following are the members of The and travels the world for that company. dressing in her own home. after a young family as well as hair - Bernie and Janice Hale Of Harriston: Jim and Jean Rogers of Salem: Jim Bob and Lois Lennox of Drayton: Bob Gypsy Campers: Healays the guitar and sings. , leader", Bernie also acts as equipment operates J. R. Video Sales aLois is ad Rentals Known to the group as "the great white is a retired roofer who now owns and works for Murray Construction and manager and takes bookings for the in Salem. He does tapings for weddidgs, a housewife, as well as working at MacTac Canada Ltd. in Mount group. A retired farmer, he took up anniversaries and Cable 3 in Fergus, Forest. playing the fiddle five years ago after a when not playing piano, harmonica and „ lapse of 25 years. -Janice-is president of yodelling for le GypsyLi Campers. Jean Wesley and Linda Alexander of 'A The Gypsy Campers and is a long- works at Moore's Business Forms in Listowel: Wes works at Donegan's Fergus. Haulage in Listowel and Linda works at standing employee of Canada Listowel Textiles. Each year the GypSy Campers and their followers get together at a weekend campout at Bernie Hale's home in Harriston, which he calls "a weekend -long jam session, a really good time with a lot of really good music." The group camped n a far- mer's field near the International Plowing Match site at Teviotdale last month, and the Music was continuous. Bookings at Legion parties and dances are pouring in. And in July The Gypsy Campers were the featured en- tertainers when Mount Forest Legion Branch 134 sponsored a special dance in honor of Ontario's Bicentennial. Jamming started :at 3:30 p.m. in the parking lot beside the Legion building and "The Gypsy'Campers kept on going until we got tired," according to Mr. Nse. part of the bicentennial celebrations, the group dedicated a number of old tunes to the people of Mount Forest "as a reminder of simple yet content beginnings." In a lot of ways, those "simple and content beginnings" are the Gypsy Campers — a group of people with passions for camping, and music who got together at the Silent Valley WHEN THEY GET TOGETHER— the Gypsy Campers enjoy jamming until they get tired. -Sometimestheir jam Campgrounds near Mount Forest and have been making music, and camping ever since. Packers. V - , -r• tt. ,,,tsa4144#8. gf$114.V.4 P'Alf Ave* ...-weieemme:m•ees.. . .?„ • b41. sr i• 5le r-t7t, • y .., \ N.s.. re. itret:tt • N.,,, t 1: -.....-....it • 52ss It -. t.,_ ,11,.4d416- ,. ___ sessions, last for weekends at a time.