We’re continuing this week with the history of country music in Timmins, with museum director-curator Karen Bachmann.
In 1964, Stompin’ Tom Connors came to town and asked the program director at CKGB Radio, Dan Kelly, to let him perform live on his station.
“He said ’Let me hear you, what have you got?’ So he auditioned for him and Dan said ‘this is awesome,’ so gave him a half-hour radio program every night,” Bachmann narrates.
“He was staying at the Maple Leaf Hotel at the time, played for them every night for $40 a week and got his room and board there. And he stayed in Timmins for two years and we all know him now as an icon of Canadian country music.”
Next week: An even bigger country star from Timmins, who also got her start at “The Leaf”.