There are ten children in our family. Six of us got together and formed the band we called "The Family Six". Although Mom and Dad (Margaret and Gerard Dandeneau) were not involved musically, their love for music was instilled in all of us children from the time we could walk and talk. Edmond, who is the oldest member, was the one who actually got the rest of us (David, Denis, Roland, Therese and Noella) involved in music and kept us interested.
At a
very early age, Ed wanted a guitar. As it happened, our
cousin, Marie Dandeneau, had sent us one which Dad had stored
in the attic, so, down came the guitar. There was much picking
and trying until he was able to play a few chords and was able
to learn, from his dad, how to tune the guitar. But this was
not enough, he then wanted a violin. Having no money to buy
one, we borrowed one from our Uncle Wilbrod Meilleur. Ed spent
many hours scratching and trying to learn a tune, until he
finally did and played it for our grandfather, Louis
Dandeneau, who also played that tune in his early days.
Now that Ed thought he could play well enough to entertain when friends came over, he wanted someone to accompany him on the guitar. Denis showed interest in the guitar. He often picked it up and tried strumming but with very little music (just noise) coming out. Denis wanted to play so badly that he would even make guitar sounds with his mouth. Ed could see that Denis wanted to learn how to play, so one day he picked up the big guitar, put it in his brother's arms and said, "Here Denis, learn it". Denis, seven years old, tried very hard and before long he was able to chord along with Ed and it began to sound like music.
When Mom and Dad saw that Ed was serious about playing the violin, they ordered one for him from Eaton's catalogue. The cost was $9.95 and they bought it on the budget plan. It didn't have a case so we made one out of cardboard. It wasn't long before Ed was playing for house parties and small gatherings in halls and . . . getting paid to play! He made $2,000.00 with it before buying a better one.
Meanwhile, Denis kept playing the guitar and improving, and also began doing a little singing with David. They would sing and play at school concerts and tried very hard to do it well. Mom saw that they might be able to play and sing with a little help, so she showed us how to hold a note and taught us basic harmony which we thought was fun.
When
Denis was eight, and David nine years of age, they were asked
by Mr. Ray Dion whether they would like to participate in an
amateur show sponsored by the Department of Agriculture. Mom
bought each of them a pink silk shirt, black dress pants, and
made both of them a black velvet string tie and used
rhinestone buttons for cuff links. They felt very proud. They
were first on the program to perform. To make matters worse,
Denis was too small to stand with the big guitar and had to
sit down. David sang the first song, that Mom had taught him (My
Little Rooster) and did a little act along, with his
song, and had the crowd roaring with laughter. At the end of
the evening, Denis and David had won first prize in the
amateur show and each received $5.00. With that money, they
went to town and bought themselves new shoes which they were
very proud of. They had never before had so much money of
their own. It greatly encouraged them to continue to sing and
to learn and play new numbers.
Sunday afternoons were getting more and more interesting as Mom would sit and sing with us to help us with new songs, harmony and beat and, of course, to hit that note which we didn't think was very important, but was. Dad enjoyed it and was our best critic. As time went on we took part in other amateur shows and continued to win which was kind of discouraging for other contestants.
Ed practiced and played more and more, soon began to seriously consider playing full time in a band. As this was happening, Mom and Dad must have been getting a little concerned about the price of instruments. Denis had always made his own picks from combs and that was okay. One weekend Mom and Dad had to go to Winnipeg and before they left, Denis shyly asked whether he could get a bought pick. He was willing to help with the chores as much as he could. Little did he know that Mom and Dad had come to buy him a new guitar. They bought him an electric one for $69.00 on their budget plan. The salesman offered them an old microphone which they also bought. At that time, cousin Emery had an old amplifier that he wasn't using and offered it to them for awhile. We all recall, very clearly, when Mom and Dad drove into the yard. The boys were doing chores, so down went the milking stool and pail as Denis was in a hurry to get to the house to see his new pick. When he saw what he had, he could not believe his eyes. Chores were finished in a great hurry that night! We all gathered around him and wanted to hear how it sounded, but it took awhile before he got going on it. We thought the smile on his face would last forever.
By now
Therese and Noella were also starting to hum along while the
boys played and sang. It wasn't long before the girls were
asked, as specific guests, to sing at bridal showers, fairs,
achievement nights, etc. Ed left and went to work in Winnipeg
but returned often to practice and enjoy this God given talent
and the fun of being together. Roland had been sitting on the
sidelines, watching and listening. Being aggressive as he was,
he picked up Mom's old dishpan and with wooden sticks began to
beat on it and then on a cushion or anything that had a
different sound. Quickly he made himself a cardboard drum and
practiced on that until he was able to borrow drums from a
neighbour. When Ed saw this, he returned home from Winnipeg
one weekend with a beautiful set of new drums for Roland. He
brought them into the house, set them up, handed Roland the
sticks and said, "Now learn to play. When you have the
money, pay me back". That was a boy who said many, many
thank-you's to his brother, Ed.
One night Dad came home after a long day's work in the field. He was tired and we kids were practicing and having some problems for which Ed was coming down pretty hard on us. The noise we made got on Dad's nerves sometimes, but this one particular evening, he felt he'd had enough of it and not so politely suggested that we "Get the hell out of the house and take our instruments to the barn to practice". We did, and found it an ideal set-up. We had plenty of space and there we could sing and play as long as we wanted to and the cows just loved it!
Ed played with Mickey and Bunny and of course talked about his brothers and sisters who could sing and play, and who he thought were great, so Mickey asked him to bring us to Winnipeg so that he could listen to us. After one number he asked if he could tape us, and encouraged us to form a group. What Mickey found surprising was that Ed could turn to us and say that we play something on E or D and that we could, and that not one of us had ever had a music lesson.
When Mom and Dad's twenty-fifth wedding anniversary was coming up, Ed and Anne (who was already married) came up with the idea that we put on a family show in Vidir to earn some money to celebrate the occasion. As far as we are concerned, that first stepping stone in our short but happy musical career.
In 1967
the young people of Fisher Branch put on a centennial concert
called "Century Sounds '67". The proceeds were given to the
Fisher Branch Community Centre for a curling and skating rink.
It was a great success and the performance was later repeated.
David was the director.
In the spring of 1969, we planned and played a show in Inwood. The following evening we presented a bilingual show in St. Boniface. Part of the proceeds went to the seminarians. It was another great evening. We had some folks laughing, others crying. It gave us a good feeling being able to bring happiness and joy to others. We had many comments on how the family tie was apparent in the way we performed. As our parents were great followers and supporters, we would always thank them publicly and Ed would say, "If it weren't for Mom and Dad, we wouldn't be here".
After we had performed at the St. Boniface show, we began getting calls to do charity shows. Our first was for the Christmas Shut-In Fund. Ed started getting bookings to play for weddings and in pubs, etc. By this time we had all left our jobs, school, hotel and barbering to go into music on a full- time basis.
Ed was
determined to get us an audition with Peter Grant of CJOB and
kept phoning him every week for six months and whenever he had
the opportunity to speak to him in person he would do so.
Finally his request, "Just give us a short audition; five
minutes is all I ask" was granted. Arrangements were
made and before we were through with our first number, Peter
made us stop, looked at us and asked, "Where have you been
all my life?" He called for his technicians, sent us to
a taping room and there taped a few numbers which he played on
the air the following day. We were asked if we would be
willing to perform a few numbers at the Playhouse Theatre in
1969 for the Shut-In Fund, which we did. After we had
performed, we were sent to a back room where Larry Brown, a
CBC producer, asked if we would go back and entertain some
more, taking up to half an hour. He then asked if we would
represent Manitoba youth and perform on the program being
planned for the visit of Queen Elizabeth and her family to
Manitoba for the centennial celebration in 1970. We were
delighted and honored to do so. The program was televised.
Gisele Mackenzie, who also took part, gave us helpful advice
on music and tips on performing.
With the help of Peter Grant we got the opportunity to entertain on television. In 1971-2 we did a series of programs, some of which were presented nationally. We met and performed with Chief Dan George, Gordic Tapp, Catherine McKinnon, Doll Harron and many others.
We planned and negotiated a tour which took us to northern areas, cast to Toronto, Thunder Bay, Sioux Lookout, and west to Calgary, Medicine Hat, Saskatoon and Regina. On this tour we met up with the Irish Rovers who offered us a contract to tour with them. At this time David, Denis, and Ed were married, and Noella was planning her wedding. We had a family meeting and after much thought and discussion decided not to accept the opportunity offered by the Irish Rovers. We agreed that preserving strong family ties was much more important than money and made the decision to limit ourselves to one-night performances which we still do for the pleasure of entertaining together. We regret that our four other sisters who have talent, did not have the opportunity we had. It was very hard work at times but it was all worth it.
Roland continues to be hired frequently by professional artists to play drums for their recording sessions. He also sings and can mimic Kenny Rogers so well that it is difficult to believe it isn't Kenny Rogers himself singing. David is currently working in television doing some acting and is assisting in producing, along with help from the girls and Denis. Ed, too, is called on to back up professional artists for recording sessions. He has always loved music and hopes that the joy and love he and his family members share for it and for each other will always last.
