Memories of The Riverboat and Lightfoot

[charlene]

David Newland (Roots Music Canada) speaks with Riverboat Jane.

"Reflections is a new video interview series produced by Roots Music Canada. Its goal is to informally document Canadian roots music history through the eyes of its witnesses and participants. Installments will appear in this space randomly, as the interview-opportunities present themselves.

We begin our series with Jane Harbury, or as we like to call her, Riverboat Jane. Quite accidentally, she began working as a dishwasher at the famous Riverboat Coffee House in Yorkville (Toronto) around 1968, and ended up managing the club by the time she left in 1971 or so.

During that period, she encountered pretty much everyone who was anyone in the folk/roots scene of this most fertile era. In this first installment of Riverboat Jane, titled: The Magic of Gordon Lightfoot, she tells RMC’s David Newland about her very first Riverboat Coffee House experience."

http://www.rootsmusic.ca/2010/02/27/...t-jane-pt-one/

[RM]

" It was an epiphany " .......so true. Wonderful stuff.

[Wes Steele]

Char,
Great Stuff... I could listen to all those back then... all day. What a gift.

[Jesse Joe]

Beautiful clip just saw this Char, I would have just loved to be a part of those days in Toronto where so many gifted artists had their start.

[Auburn Annie]

Originally Posted by Jesse Joe

Beautiful clip just saw this Char, I would have just loved to be a part of those days in Toronto where so many gifted artists had their start.

I second that emotion, jj. Alas I was all of 14 in 1966 - my father would have had a stroke had I hitched my way to Toronto and somehow finagled my way into the Riverboat or any other such place at my age (and I did NOT look "older" than my age, lol.) I'm about 5 years too young to have been fully into the scene.

[charlene]

I was 11 and unaware of the events happening in Toronto, unaware that a main component of Canadian music would become a major part of my life starting just a few years down the road. I'm just happy it happened at all.

but I sure wish I'd seen him back then...

[Jesse Joe]

In late 66 I too was turning 11 like I said many times before I was born too late & in the wrong Province.

Auburn Annie we seem to agree here on being too young when these artists got in motion to be where they are today.

It would have been incredible... Ron J. seems to have been @ many of these places in those years. But if Im not wrong is he not from Nfld ? Just maybe he is a little older than me, Char & Annie !

[charlene]

Ron saw the Yorkville scene...he should write a book..
he is from Nfld. but lived in Toronto for years.

[RM]

Originally Posted by charlene

Ron saw the Yorkville scene...he should write a book..

Or perhaps he could arrange an interview session with David Newland.

I know......easier said than done.

Just a thought.

[lighthead2toe]

Hey guys, this post just seemed to work up a tad of nostalgia.

It seems these days that wherever I go I'm always the oldest guy in the house.

Life could not have been better for me though when I arrived in Toronto during the mid sixties from Mount Pearl, Nfld.

The "Big Folk Scare" as James Taylor refers to it was in full swing and the music in Toronto during those days was over the top.

The Riverboat was the big focal place and Bernie Fiedler was bringing in a host of top notch entertainers, many who are still out there and others who have become icons, Gord as an example.

It was a wonderful era but it came and went like they all do eventually, and I really missed it when it left and would love to find some way to just go back there and re live it again but of course it's just a dream.

It would be nice though to have something like a "Riverboat Reunion." similar to the tirbute shows they have for Gord each year at Hugh's Room in Toronto.

That would surely be a big hit. Maybe we could put a little something in Bernie's ear. If anybody could pull it off it certainly would be him.

Ah, to be young again!

Cheers, RJ.

Nice to hear these memories And born too late for that era too. When I was old enough and had moved into a city...I loved going to clubs w/live music whenever I had the chance. But there was nothing like the Riverboat. But I still feel lucky that I got exposed to the music at a young age.

[lighthead2toe]

This just came to my mind as the dwell is still in bloom re this nostalgic moment.

For anyone who has seen the movie "Splendour In The Grass" this little verse of poetry will sneak in it's winding wove.

"Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of the splendour in the grass
Of the glory in the flower
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind.

RJ.

[Auburn Annie]

Splendor in the Grass (the movie) was just on last week on TCM - never been a Warren Beatty fan, and always thought the movie had more than its share of unintended camp - but that might just be me. It was among the last of "hysteria over teen sex" movies, complete with mental breakdown and stay in an asylum, lol. If it was truly represenative of its time, small wonder there was such a violent opposite reaction, in both the 1920s and 1960s.

But the poem is lovely.

[charlene]

part 2 - video
In this second installment of Riverboat Jane, titled: Riverboat Coffee House Legends, she tells RMC’s David Newland about some of the famous performers she had the pleasure of hosting.
http://www.rootsmusic.ca/2010/03/22/...t-jane-pt-two/

[RM]

Thanks for passing that along. I could listen to such stuff all day long.

When she mentions Tim Hardin saying that he was a messenger of the music, it reminded me of an interview with Neil Young where he expresses the same sentiment.

A bonus was the contributions of Sparkie and Ahmose (the purring cats). They should hook up with Jomo and form a trio.

[charlene]

I bet she holds a lot of secrets that a lot of people don't want to be known..those were the days!

[Auburn Annie]

"I could listen to such stuff all day long." ME TOO!! Man, I don't have many regrets but I sorely wish we had time travel so I could go back and spend a few years hanging out at the Riverboat in her heyday. There is just nothing like it these days, in Toronto or elsewhere, on the same scale. Wow, just wow. How I would have loved to see/hear Jim Croce live. Of all the singer-songwriters we lost in the 60s and 70s, Jim's the one about whom I still say "if only..."

[Wes Steele]

Char,

Thanks for posting that one...

Simply Amazing of the "singer-songwriters" who went thru there.... WOW...

She is great to listen to. Could listen all day.

[charlene]

Bernie Fiedler (owner of The Riverboat) and Jane should write a book.
omigoodness...
what a tale they could tell...

[jj]

for part 3, showing some pics of the Riverboat (the inners mainly, those cool port holes, how narrow it was, etc) would be ideal...i have seen a few but mostly Steeles Tavern shots

it seems like video is now allowed at Hughs room (check out the frankcasting channel)...I hope Andy gets the next GL tribute and the other fun events...if they want a 2 camera shoot I can help out

i saw Janes argyle cardigan at Joe...i like it

there is a 2 hour CHUM audio documentary with Bernie where he goes through his Riverboat booking diary page by page...that should be remastered someday, priceless

i enjoyed the wee Sylvia interview also and scanned the other various items..thx for sharing...good luck to David and the Roots team going forward

[charlene]

I watched the Roots Music Canada/frank casting webcast LIVE with James Keelaghan the other night...pretty nice...from Kitchener.

.

[charlene]

I watched the Roots Music Canada/frank casting webcast LIVE with James Keelaghan the other night...pretty nice...from Kitchener.

.