This is my dad at the age of 28 in 1941. He looked quite dapper especially with the Clark Gable/ Error Flynn mustache. Sorry for the bright light on his cheek, it caught my flash. Yesterday, was the 36th anniversary of his death at age 75 from brain cancer. The last year of his life was a tough one, but he met it with his forthright manner and gentlemanly ways, albeit with some orneriness thrown in. At this time, he was ready to join the Canadian army to fight in the war. He was part of the liberation of Holland and was wounded in the battle in the Reischwald Forest very near the end of the war. He loved all sorts of music even missed my mom's funeral music when she had to go home for medical reasons back in 1960. Oh, that's classical music to you and me and, he did really appreciate classical music and liked it, later on. Anyhoo, here are 3 musical pieces he loved...
1. OLD MAN AND OLD WOMAN WITH DON MESSER
Don Messer and his Jubilee was a Canadian institution first on radio and then on CBC TV from 1959-1969 and when it got cancelled, Channel 11 took this variety show over from 1959 to 74 when Don passed away. He played the ole fashioned fiddle music which my dad loved. In fact, his grandfather was a fiddler who played at dances, weddings etc... pretty cool.
2. WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER SUNG BY VERA LYNN-1942
Vera Lynn was and is a British singing institution that made the soldiers dream of happier times. My dad really enjoyed her voice and the war songs of this time, like so many.
3. RINGO "SUNG" BY LORNE GREENE-1964
My dad loved "Bonanza" ( so do I) and Canadian Lorne Greene became a household name plus being routinely called one of the best fathers a person could have. His unique and deep voice was known as " The Voice of Doom" because he would give the events of the war on Canadian airwaves and lent his voice to a couple of war documentaries plus he read out the casualties, a sad event. Anyhoo, this song became a big hit the year I was born and, yup, I have this album. He didn't sing as much as talked the lyrics to great effect.
He would have loved our dog, Harley, looking like " What? Me worry?"