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Country Music (4)
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Cavendish CountryDonald Brittain 1973 27 minCal Cavendish of Calgary is one of Canada's finest writers of country-western music. He sings his own songs and could make it as an entertainer but refuses to sing in bars where, he feels, no one really listens. So he pays for his integrity by working nights as a part-time security guard. But disc jockeys play his records, his popularity grows, and one day he will be on the big fifteen-metre stage where people do pay attention. -
Don Messer: His Land and His MusicMartin Defalco 1971 1 h 9 minDon Messer: His Land and His Music celebrates the king of Maritime fiddling. It's 1969, and Messer's band is on a poignant, cross-Canada farewell tour. Poignant, because CBC-TV has just announced the cancellation of the long-running Don Messer's Jubilee. But if Messer's upset, he isn't showing it. Instead, he's in top form, packing them in from Halifax to Whitehorse: one curling rink, hockey arena and small-town theatre after another. More than a musician, Don Messer was a genuine folk icon, idolized by millions of fans who felt as though they knew him personally. Although he died in 1973, Messer has remained a vital presence in Canadian music. Fiddlers continue to be inspired by his old-time style. Don Messer: His Land and His Music marries cinematic innovation with irresistible, toe-tapping music - taking us on the road, into the studio and backstage with a one-of-a-kind, fun-loving band.
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Every Saturday NightTom Radford 1973 27 minThis documentary short introduces us to The Badlanders, an Alberta band from the Drumheller area. When hard times came to southern Alberta during the 1930s, a generation of young musicians turned to their instruments to lighten the gloom and earn extra money by playing at Saturday night country dances. The film invites you to meet and listen to members of the original band, as well as some members of the younger generation who just don't dig the country music vibe.
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The Singing LumberjackRachel Bower 2015 6 minFor nearly 40 years, Charlie Chamberlain was one of the most popular vocalists in Canada—and the most beloved member of the old-time band Don Messer and His Islanders. This five-minute short by filmmaker Rachel Bower brings Chamberlain’s home-grown talent and gregarious personality back to life.
