MYRNA LORRIE....our own home grown beauty.....Do you remember?

This is a post I have wanted to do for some time now.  I remember Myrna when she sang her first song "Are You Mine" here in our own home towns of Fort William and Port Arthur, Ontario and she is still entertaining us all to this day.  Since I remember then most of you should too.  I did attend high school with Myrna's brother John when her career took off.
An added note:  Be sure to click on "comments" at the end of this post for more data from followers.

A very young 14 year old recording "Are You Mine" with Buddy DeVal in 1954

Here is the cover of the Abbott Label.  The following print photo shows the lyrics and the next piece of script is a bio of Don Grashey who helped launch Myrna's long standing career. 
Be sure to click on all the photos and printed parts to enlarge them for better reading.

Click this link and turn up the volume to hear the original recording...... 

The above two photos are of a very young Myrna, the first a promo photo and the second during a recording session at CFCJ-TV in Port Arthur, Ontario

The above two clippings are of Myrna when she entertained along side recording star Joyce Hahn of "Cross Canada Hit Parade" at the local Lakehead Home Show back in 1959 at the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition Auditorium and Coliseum.  Click on them twice to read.

Here is another photo of Spartan Records recording star Joyce Hahn with a short bio below.

This is a photo of Myrna on the right and her sister Linda singing for CJLX radio at the grand opening of the first A&W restaurant on 10th Ave off Memorial Ave in Port Arthur Ontario in 1958.

Entertaining at the "D" Room

Myrna's Discography file....click to enlarge



Myrna Lorrie and David Essig at the Mariposa Folk Festival in 1976.

Here is another video clip of Myrna and Tom Bresh on their TV show "Nashville Swing" from 1980.

These last two photos of more current pieces for Myrna.



The funny part of this one is where they say
that she was from Thunder Bay north, a remote
Canadian City.  Click above.

Thank you Myrna for all the memories.  We will
remember you for where you were from....how
about a tour back home??

Cruisin' The Dub has finally come to Thunder Bay....Check out the local A&W History right here!!

I received an E-mail yesterday from A&W Memorial Ave. owner/operator Lawrence Deswiage to let us know that Cruisin' the Dub http://www.aw.ca/cruisin-the-dub.nsf/home will start here in Thunder Bay on Friday, May 28, 2010 from 7PM til 9PM until Sept. 3rd, with great old music playing and nightly prizes for Cruisin' the Dub merchandise. Also starting in July they will be having Car Hop Days - serving to the cars, just like the 50's. These will be on Tuesday's 11:30 to 1:30 and Saturday nights from 5 til 7or8PM, depending on weather. There will be 8 available car hop spots.
Lawrence also graciously forwarded a number of vintage photos for us to look at here!....This post is a little long but very much worth the view.

Here's where it will be held.....526 Memorial Avenue in Thunder Bay!
Next...the old 10th Ave address and vintage photos...

This is how the 10th Avenue address looked last summer and next is how it looked when it opened in late 1957.

This is an up close look at the last photo and next we have The Rodney Brown Band in front of the A&W and also in front of a cool old VW Van. I believe these musical attractions were for their "Grand Opening".
Here's an April 9th 2010 post script to the Rodney Brown band photo. Bob Riddell, blog friend, follower and former CKPR TV staffer sent me an email today to add to this photo. Bob says, "I attended elementary school with the three guys in the front row. Tom Cruickshank(drums), Tom Kelly(vocals and guitar) and Morley Mitchell on banjo. Tom C. the drummer would later play for The Jarvis Street Revue of Flamingo Club fame....also nice to see my old friend Gerry Isherwood...he was a lot of fun to be around." Thanks Bob...much appreciated, D.

Local Sweetheart and International Country Music Star Myrna Lorrie(holding the guitar)is also playing in front of our first A&W accompanied by an unknown(if you know who that is, let me know). I am the proud owner of the old autographed photo that you see above in the group of photos. Myrna was and still is a great local country music star that has done quite well for herself through the years. I had also attended grade 9 at Selkirk High with her brother John. If you click on the above picture group, you can read a little about Myrna's musical career.

Here are a couple of photos of Gerry Isherwood, well liked and well known CKPR television and radio personality. The first picture is Gerry with two other VW guys and the next is Gerry guzzling down a pint of that great A&W root beer in front of that huge old CKPR TV camera with the first A&W manager and a car hop....Check out The Mug, The Jug, The Carton, The Burgers, and the old black phone...cool!

A scene we all remember well was parking on Friday nights with your honey at the A&W. Also there are some samples of coupons that the restaurant gave out through the years.
One of the other things I do remember is that on occasion a local band or two would come out and play live, perched on the top of the A&W building.
Do you recognize your car in the night photo??

This is a photo taken a few years after the first A&W opened on 10th Ave. It is the Cumberland Street A&W then and now it is a little drive in called Chachi's

Finally, we have a couple of, what Lawrence called, training menus. Check out the prices back in 1957.....oh! to have those prices today....we can only dream. Thanks again to Lawrence for getting the Cruise to Thunder Bay and for letting us use the great vintage photos.

Sooooo Guys and Dolls, cruise your Hot Rod, Custom Car, Muscle Car, Sports Car or Rat Rod down to the A&W on 526 Memorial Avenue on May 28th and all summer long for those great tasting A&W burgers, fries and the famous A&W Root Beer.......see you at the Dub! .....Dave

as usual, click on all photos to enlarge...some will need 2 clicks!