Ahern to the Baytones

North Bay has been home to a wide variety of talented musicians since its founding in 1882. This page lists musicians and bands from Ahern to the Baytones.

Robert “Bob” Ahern. Photo courtesy of the Music City Collection. Photographer unknown.

Ahern, Robert “Bob”

Robert "Bob" Ahern has been a longtime fixture of North Bay's music community as a band member, instructor, and technician. Starting as a drummer for rock and jazz bands in Chatham, Ontario, he moved to North Bay in 1968 whereupon he joined the Bob K Art Trio with guitarist Ken Sim and bassist Art Cardinal. The band played shows at the Continental Hotel beginning in '68, continuing into the early 1970s. After his time with the trio, Bob toured for two years with the Varga 5, before joining the Descendants of Tyme—a reincarnation of the Bob K Art Trio, with additional member Billy Vrebosch—upon his return to North Bay. The foursome played various shows at popular venues for nearly thirty years, with Bob teaching drum lessons, repairing instruments, and acting as a service technician and salesman at Music City in his time outside of the band.

Fred Alder. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Alder, Fred

Not moving to North Bay until 1966 at the age of 65, Fred spent the majority of his life in England, working briefly as a machinist before becoming a tiler after World War I. He started music at a young age, first participating in band situations in 1911. Though he received no formal musical education, instead learning from his father, Fred quickly became proficient at the euphonium, double bass, and sousaphone, and would go on to participate in several bands, orchestras, and choirs in the ensuing decades. An accomplished musician, Mr. Adler received several medals and prizes for his euphonium playing and his directing of the Tonkynton Choir in the 1950s. After moving to North Bay, he directed the North Bay Choral Society from 1967-1969 and conducted the North Bay Area Band for one year before his passing in September of 1970.

Allen, Mark

Mark Allen has had a lifelong passion for piano and musical theatre, sparked in the sixth grade when his teacher tasked him with accompanying "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown!" After that point, he became heavily involved with musical productions, starting with shows at Centennial Senior Public School. In high school, he helped write and score musicals for Chippewa Drama and accompanied various productions for Summer Challenge, TOROS, and GTG. At university, Mark became a close friend and collaborator with his professor, Ted Chase, who worked together on shows for the Nipissing Stage Company (TrainTown) and Dreamcoat Fantasy Theater (Ebenezer). Currently, Mark lives in Ottawa, where he remains an active member of musical theatre and fiddle events with his partner Chad Wolfe, though he has continued his involvement with the local scene, commuting back to North Bay to assist with various productions. In 2022, he was inducted into the North Bay Entertainers' Hall of Recognition for his work.

Charles Hubet “Charlie” Andrews. Photo courtesy of the Music City Collection. Photographer unknown.

Andrews, Charles Hubet “Charlie”

Charles Hubet "Charlie" Andrews worked for the Ontario Northland Railway as a boiler maker from 1937 until his retirement in 1974. He was a onetime member of the band Vic Virgili and the Laurentian Valley Boys, a country group who played a various venues around the city and recorded two albums.

Arens, Tom

Tom Arens first started singing at school and church, and began doing vocals for several bands in high school. One of these bands, Aren Thomas and the Intruders, found success in the Toronto/Oshawa area. After attending a school of Radio and Television Broadcasting, Tom moved to North Bay in 1968, joining the band The Freedom, and later, Studio V, as lead vocalist. In this time, Tom held various positions for local country radio stations CFCH and CKAT FM, helping convert the latter to a Top 40 format. After a 12-year period away from North Bay, Tom returned in 2005 and played in the group Relik alongside Rod and Murray Wickett.

Nurhan Arman. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Arman, Nurhan

Initially working as a conductor for the Broward Youth Symphony in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Nurhan Arman came to North Bay in the early 1980s. In 1982, he was appointed as the music director and conductor of the North Bay Symphony Orchestra. An accomplished and well-regarded maestro, Nurhan worked alongside various conductors throughout his career, including Leonard Bernstein and Eugen Jochum. Additionally, he was a visiting instructor at the Royal Conservatory of Music, directed the Saint John Symphony beginning in 1987, and featured in various international summer music festivals.

Tom Baines. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Baines, Tom

A clerical worker for the ONR, Mr. Tom Baines joined the Temiscaming and Northern Ontario Railway Band in 1948, playing the drums for two years. He also joined 8th Field Squadron Railway Band, playing the same instrument. After his work for the railway, Mr. Baines became involved with the Canadian Forces, retiring as a captain with the Algonquin Regiment in 1976, transitioning to work for the Ministry of Transportation and Communication.

Barham, Leslie David “Dave”

Born in England in 1944, Leslie David "Dave" Barham and his mother moved to North Bay in 1946. Both of his parents were regularly involved in music and theater, his father Rip Barham an orchestra leader and his mother, Lilian Barham a member of a theatrical group. Growing up, Dave played with various groups throughout Canada and the US and was a member of the Hamilton-based American Federation of Musicians. He died tragically in a car accident in 1965.

Leslie David “Rip” Barham. Photo courtesy of the Music City Collection. Photographer unknown.

Barham, Leslie David “Rip”

Leslie David "Rip" Barham grew up singing and playing music in the Salvation Army alongside his four brothers and two sisters in the early 1930s. He carried this early musical interest into adulthood, playing in a band called The Sophisticates for nearly 15 years while remaining active in Branch 23 of the Royal Canadian Legion and local Rotary Club. In the 1970s, he played with Norm Mauro and the Norm Mauro Orchestra, performing with the group around the Muskoka area well into his seventies. Rip was a key figure in forming the North Bay Chapter of the Musicians Union, helping young musicians get a start in the music industry.

The Baytones

Formed in April of 1964, North Bay's Baytones are a local chapter of the international association Harmony Incorporated, an organization that operates in Canada and the United States, empowering women through "education, friendship, and a cappella singing in the barbershop stye." The group was open for any woman in North Bay with a love for singing, and ranged from around 20-50 members throughout the years. As part of Harmony Incorporated, they participated in various workshops to improve their vocal skills and competitions between other chapters of the organization. Locally, the group emphasized community service, performing for various service clubs, retirement homes, and hospitals. The Baytones cellebrated their 50th anniversary in November of 2014.