1985

RHYTHM PALS

The Rhythm Pals, made up of Mark Wald, Mike Ferbey and Jack Jensen, burst onto the entertainment scene by getting a contract to sing and play regularly on CKNW radio out of New Westminster, B.C. For the first time, thousands of people were enjoying the sweet harmonies and slick instrumentals of popular songs in a way only The Rhythm Pals perfected. With thanks to the Pacific Exhibition Singing Contest, the Pals walked away with the trophy and a cheque for one thousand dollars as the "Best Vocal Group". Not bad for starting a new partnership! From 1946 to 1956 The Rhythm Pals' calendar was busy with solid bookings on leading radio shows, television shows, concerts and club dates. During this 10 year period they appeared on such well known shows as Bill Rea's Roundup, The Burns Chuckwagon Show, The Jackie Rae Show, Wayne and Shuster, The Terry Dale Show and with many others, including Canadian singer, Juliette. The Pals were cordially invited to appear with Spade Cooley and his band at the famous Santa Monica Ballroom in California, thereby making them the very first Canadian singing group to appear on U.S. television. They were so well received, that for the next few years they were swamped with calls and offers to appear on many television shows all across the United States such as The Lawrence Welk Show, The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show, The Dinner Bell Roundup with Cliffie Stone, and many others including The Mills Brothers, Tex Williams, Stuart Hamblin, The Deep River Boys and so on. Taking care to keep close ties with Canadians, The Pals took the time to do several tours of Canada including one with the Sons of the Pioneers and one with Montana slim himself, Wilf Carter, which incidentally broke all existing ticket sales across Western Canada. They appeared in a TV. series with Pat Kilpatrick on CBUT, one of the first nationally carried television shows to come from the west. The Rhythm Pals were the only singing group on television that sang and did their own musical accompaniment apart from Gene Autry's Cass County Boys. After the CBUT services, they returned to Hollywood to sign a contract with MGM records and appeared with Roy Acuff, Hank Williams Sr., Merle Travis and the legendary T. Texas Tyler. In 1958 The Pals moved to Toronto to continue with more radio shows such as the Happy Gang Show, and more TV. series like Swing Easy, all the time touring Canadian concerts, clubs and exhibitions. After extensive touring they signed a new contract with CBC and became main stays for over eleven years on the successful Tommy Hunter Show, where they have literally become household words. The Pals have toured all over the world including Ghana, Israel, Cyprus, Pakistan, England, Egypt, India, Beirut, Germany, Africa, Palestine and even the North Pole. During their career the Rhythm Pals had appeared in more radio and TV. shows and have won more awards than any other singing group in Canada and recorded 7 albums and 12 cassettes. Some of their awards include induction into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, B.C. Country Hall of Fame, the Saskatchewan Hall of Fame, "Starwalk" of B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame , RPM Gold Leaf Awards (now the Junos) in 1965 and 1967 for "Top Country Group", and the International Theatrical Agents Association "Distinguished Service Award" in 1986.