2006

LEN RYDER

Len Lemieux (AKA Ryder) was born in Abbotsford British Columbia on July 17, 1933 and shortly thereafter the family moved to the lower mainland in Surrey.

When he was 12 years of age, a salesman knocked on the door selling music lessons for the Spanish guitar. At his first lesson the guitar was placed flat on his knees and three picks together with a flat bar were given to him as was the custom for Hawaiian guitar lessons. When he arrived home, his father said that he had always liked the Hawaiian guitar but it was up to Len to decide. "Okay" says the "Kid" and he continued with the lessons. That turned out to be a good thing as he adapted to that instrument with gusto.

Len's "first music-love" has always been "Country". He would save what money he could, order Wilf Carter and Hank Snow 78's and wait patiently for the mail-man to drive up and drop his new-found treasures in the mail-box out by the road.

Subsequently, Len's parents borrowed $125.00 from his grandfather (a lot of money in those days) and bought him his first electric guitar. This was a 6-string lap guitar with an amp the size of a large box of corn flakes but it had more volume than the acoustic.

The young steel player's talent progressed to where he played his first paid dance job at the old Whalley Legion Hall at the age of 14 and then at the Wednesday "Foto Nights" at the Cameo Theatre in Whalley. If you can imagine a 14 years old with a 6 string lead instrument and no rhythm section with a theatre full of people. But in a kids' mind, "he was on his way".

During those years, Len and his cousin, "Cuzzin Ern" Straiton, would hitchhike with instruments in tow to Chilliwack to play on radio station C.H.W.K. (For free.)

At age 16, Len quit school and began teaching music at the Western Academy of Music in New Westminster. It was there he "graduated" to a Gibson 8 string double neck guitar. (No pedals in those days.) This new guitar really threw him, as he had to contend with more strings and two new tunings.

Len's first "out of town" job was in 1950 with the Geneve Callangis Show at the Williams Lake Stampede. Jackie Borne was on accordion, Roy Warhurst was on violin, with Len on steel guitar, a girl dancer and all their equipment and costumes packed into and onto a 1948 Austin. What an introduction to life on the road for 17 years old!

Still 17, Len was an original member of the country group "The Fraser River Boys" with C.K.N.W. founder Bill Rae. The group consisted of Jack and Roy Warhurst, Walt Sundquist, Ron and Doug Beckett along with Len. This young group (the youngest 14 and eldest 19) took the local scene by storm winning the Horst Heidt Talent Quest at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver. They were featured every Saturday night on C.K.N.W. with a half hour live broadcast, then off to play dance jobs throughout the lower mainland. These were good "training times" as the group worked a vast variety of jobs from remote broadcasts. This included the Mission Soap-box Derby to playing at the barn dances in Langley and "the out-door" barn dances at the unfinished Whalley Bowling Alley before the roof was in place. Their appearance at the Kitsilano Show Boat drew an estimated 5 to 6,000 people.

In 1952 he was on the road doing one night stands in the interior of BC with Evan Kemp on rhythm guitar, Taller O'Shea on drums, the late Buck Jenkins on violin and Jimmy "Bambi" McLaughlin on accordion. It was here that Evan gave him the stage name of "Ryder" and it has stuck with him ever since. These jobs were all booked and self promoted by the band playing any community that had a hall. The going was tough as all the roads were gravel and you had to be up and at 'em the next day and off to the next town. Financially, it was very rewarding as there was no T.V. and radio reception was limited and a travelling entertaining group was a highlight in these small towns and villages.

In 1953 it was back on the road again with Taller on drums, Bambi on rhythm guitar and John Barwis on accordion. This time they ventured into the Chilcotins and the Okanagan. It was on this tour that John and Prince George "D.J." Don Eccelston opened up the young musician's eyes and ears to the pleasure of hearing jazz. (Don was to continue on as a noted producer at B.C.T.V. and the C.B.C.). As this tour was also self-promoted the group did their own make-up and clown suits and handed out pamphlets throughout the town's beer parlours, cafes, and cars. As Len was too young to gain entry to the beer parlours, he inherited the cafes and cars. When a town had a radio station, (there was only three in the interior) the group would pack everything in and do a "freebie" to pump up business for the show and dance.

After the '53 tour he got a job in a lumber mill but always doing music in the evenings.

Len then joined Hank the Hobo and the Sons of the Delta. The line-up then was Hank on rhythm guitar, Danny Bissonette on violin, Ken McLaughlan on piano and Doc Gage on drums. At their long-standing Saturday night dance at the Hollywood Bowl in New Westminster, "Cuzzin" Ern joined the group.

In those days, Legions and Army and Navy clubs were the main stay for Country groups but they could not serve alcohol and have dancing at the same time so all the work consisted of doing entertainment variety shows. Hank was from the "old school" and learned much of his craft from the old vaudeville acts when he was young. Much of what Len learned with comedy timing was learned from Hank. Len's "Lilly Quakenbush" slapstick woman act went well with the groups' Hillbilly act.

As Len was still too young to play places where alcohol was served, he'd be sneaked in the back door and more than once hoisted in through the dressing room windows.

It was during this time that Len worked off and on with Jackie Webb and Loretta Lynn in Blaine Washington replacing Loretta's steel player Roland Smiley. When the Border Patrol and the local union made a visit, the job suddenly disappeared.

By the spring of 1957, Len had come the conclusion that millwork was not a life time "dream vacation" for him so out on the road again with Evan. This time Butch McGillis was on guitar, Speedy Ray McLachin on drums and a new wife Lois Faye dancing. This tour took them once again into the interior of B.C. and onto the Queen Charlotte Islands and Northern Alberta.

In 1958, Len went into the barbering trade but always working with music. He continued doing dances and shows, a C.B.C. radio series with Lloyd Ferguson and the Sundowners, radio jingles, and recordings working with producers such as Al Ruesh, Jake Doell and many others who's names are lost to a very bad memory. During this period Len joined Evan on the B.C.T.V. series "Circle Seven Ranch" which was seen in the four western provinces and "Cross Canada Barn Dance" which was viewed coast to coast. Don Eccelston produced both these series.

In April 1963 Len was asked to go to Hawaii to open and head line at the New Frontier, a Country Western Club in Waikiki. This resulted in a 4 1/2 years stint, selling the home in Surrey, immigration to Hawaii with a wife and three children and buying a new home in Hawaii Kai.

It was at the New Frontier that he had to concentrate on doing more vocals and accompanying himself on the steel. (More confusion... a triple neck Sho-Bud guitar---with pedals).

The club was a home away from home for the Military men and women who were stationed in Hawaii or on their way to and from Vietnam. Nashville musicians who were doing the military club circuit would often drop by. Rose Maddox, Freddie Hart, Buck Owens' group, Rex Allens' group, Franky and Hank Rodgers would drop in at the club.

Accompanying Len on rhythm guitar and vocals was Texan, Jerry Ray. When she returned state-side, a number of musicians worked with him. Sandy Scott, Bill Spilliard, Muriel and Shiela Tilton, John Ott to a name a few. Hank the Hobo and Rod Gregg came down from Canada to do stints at the club. Annual visits by old friend Pat Gerow, local musicians and tourists from Canada always kept him up to date on things back home. During the years in Hawaii, Len's LP, "Way Out West In Waikiki" was recorded. Remote T.V. shows, military clubs and a tour to the Midway Islands were also done.

In late 1967, family deaths and accidents in Canada resulted in the family returning to British Columbia with a double neck Sho-Bud guitar in hand (which he still uses today) and once again working with Evan, Taller, Hank and every local musician known to mankind. A short job at Ken Stauffer's "Lulu Belle" with Evan and Bob Mullet on drums and trumpet turned out to be a long-term engagement that lasted for many months. When Bob left the group to be house drummer at the Hotel Vancouver, Wee Willy Jennings replaced him. This started a friendship that was to last for many years till Bill's death.

When club owner, promoter Jimmy Howe opened the Lamplighter nightclub in Burnaby, Len was asked to join the house band. Many touring artists from the U.S. and Canada appeared at this "Country Haven."

During this time an old friendship from B.C.T.V. days was renewed with legendary Western Swing Great, Danny Romaniuk. In 1972, Len was asked to Romaniuk's group, "The Tumbleweeds", for a tour to Denmark sponsored by the Danish Canadian Society and Air Canada. The group consisted of Romaniuk on violin and lead guitar, Dave McCue on bass, and Glenn Coard on drums and Len on steel guitar. The tour was so well received that the group was asked to return in July 1976 for the Canada Day Celebrations and a tour throughout Denmark and N.A.T.O. bases in Northern Germany. Shortly before the tour was to begin, Danny Romaniuk died suddenly from a massive heart attack. As the tour was already set up, Len was asked to take over as leader of the Tumbleweeds and continue on. He asked the late great Roy Hatchard to take Danny's place along with the original members. This time, vocalist Patty Mayo joined the tour. Len remembers a sight that will always be etched in his memory of playing on the flight deck of the H.M.C.S. Huron in Kiel, Germany. The crew out on the deck, with British, German, U.S. and various N.A.T.O. ships tied up alongside and strung down the dock with crewmembers sitting and hanging from every point imaginable. All this as twilight was setting in. What a sight to remember! Glenn Coard had his birthday there and the whole ship was on quote "Party Alert". The group knocked 'em dead" and was asked to return in July 1979. As Patty Mayo could not go due to previous recording commitments, her sister Faith joined the band for the final tour. Once again, the tour was a success. With three successful tours over, the group had played everything from out-door concerts, clubs, dances, and National Horse Show, retirement centres and a Maximum Security Prison. With language sometimes being a problem, it proved once again that "MUSIC TRULY IS THE INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE." After the tour was complete, Roy and Len went by train and ship to Goteburg, Sweden, rented a car and toured through Sweden and Norway. Ever wanting to broaden his knowledge of what he had seen in Europe, Len vowed to return.

Then the group "Wee Three" was formed with Bill Jennings on drums and Dave Hamel on rhythm guitar. This group played for a number of years till the untimely death of Bill Jennings. During this time Len did the steel work on Dave's first album.

In 1982, Len sold his barbershop and "semi-retired" to Black Tusk Village in Whistler, British Columbia and commuted to the music scene in Vancouver.

In 1985, Len returned to Europe with long time companion CeCe. This time he went as a tourist, air freighting his touring motorcycle over and travelling through 13 countries for 3 1/2 months. They stayed in Bed and Breakfast and small inns; the better to meet the local people.

The following years were passed doing casual playing jobs in and around the lower mainland.

In 1995, Len had a new home built at Allison Lake near Princeton B.C., sold the Whistler property, bought an R.V. and fully retired. Summers are spent at the lake with short trips throughout B.C. and Alberta. Winters are spent in Yuma Arizona where many good retired musicians spend their time jamming and soaking up the heat on their tired old bones. Many Western Swing Society members from the U.S. and Canada are there. Old buddies Elmer Tippe and Mark Walde just to mention a couple from Canada.

Len has been involved with "Hall of Famers' Dave Hamel, John Barwis and Geno Ochitwa in Dave's group "The Good Ole Boys." The "Ole Boys"  were always promoting Western Swing at the Showcases in B.C. and Washington State.

When asked to describe his life, Len has this to say. "Being a musician or entertainer, a person has the opportunity to travel and work in places many people never get to see. Be it far flung radar bases in the Pacific or Northern Canada, a 900 years old castle in Europe or a fine hotel downtown." "When one has had a good family, hobbies like scuba diving, dirt biking, snow mobiling plus the opportunity and privilege to work with fine musicians and entertainers, one has to bless".

Combine that with having ones' health and still having the ability to "pick and grin" with people that you worked with and admired 40 or 50 years ago...

                                   "IT'S BEEN ONE HELL OF A GIG"