Jacobs to Lamothe

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

Jacobs, Don

As a teenager, Don Jacobs performed with the Vibrations throughout Northern Ontario. Later, as a teacher at Dr. Carruthers School, he conducted school bands and promoted outreach programmes such at TUCA (Tolerance, Understanding, Compassion and Action). During his 32 years with the Nipissing Board, Don amassed mulitple honours. He developed an Arts Experience course for Canadore College that he called "Mr. J's Rock Band Experience," drawing on his own experienece performing with multiple bands. In his retirement, Don plays with several groups in Ottawa. He was inducted into the Nipissing District Human Rights Hall of Fame in 1999.

Johnson, Dave

When Dave Johnson was twelve years old, he received his first guitar and spent countless hours learning to play by listening to 45 rpm records and the radio. He is a completely self-taught musician and plays by ear. His band, the Vibrations, played local teen dances in the 1960s and had a weekly television show on CKGN TV which garnered a large fan base across Northern Ontario. Later, he played with Don Brose and the Chords, and recorded his composition "Loving You From a Distance," which had local success before being picked up by the Mercy Brothers and becoming a national hit on both the popular music and country charts. He has also written hit songs for other artists, and received a Certificate of Honour from BMI Canada for Outstanding Contribution to Canadian Music in 1976. Dave's musical career has spanned multiple decades playing with many local artists and at numerous venues throughout the North, but he continues to perform with the Vibrations.

Kean, Warrant Officer Chip

Warrant Officer Chip Kean was born in Oshawa in 1956. At seventeen years old, he joined the Canadian Forces and was recruited into the CFB Greenwood Band after learning how to play the saxophone. In 1989, he transferred to CFB North Bay and was disappointed to discover that the city had no military band. He began recruiting immediately and soon created an unoffical military band. In 1991, Chip's request for official sanctioning of the 22 Wing Canadian Forces Base Band was granted. When Regular Force Directors were transferred to North Bay, Chip reverted back to playing saxophone. He continued to play with the 22 Wing Band after his retirement from the Canadian Forces in 1995. However, with cutbacks affecting CFB North Bay in 1998, Chip accepted the request to take over as director to save the band's existence. Today, Chip continues to direct the 22 Wing Band alongside his role as Applied Music Ensemble Director at Nipissing University, and teaches saxophone as well.

Kelly, Sean

Sean Kelly is a musician, author, and educator. He has played lead guitar for Nelly Furtado, and worked with many other artists including Lee Aaron, Alan Frew (Glass Tiger), Coney Hatch, trapper (with Emm Gryner), Helix, Carole Pope/Rough Trade, Gilby Clarke (Guns N' Roses), anf Honeymoon Suite. He is also the lead singer and guitarist for his own band, Crash Kelly. Sean is the author of two books: "Metal On Ice -- Tales from Canada's Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Heroes" and "Don't Call It Hair Metal," and teaches vocal and instrumental music with the Toronto Catholic District School Board.

Kennedy, Lynda Rehder

Lynda Rehder Kennedy received her early music training in Peterborough and went on to earn her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Western Ontario. A few years later, she recieved her Master of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Michigan. During her time at the University of Michigan, she taught class piano to undergraduate music majors. In 1979, Lynda moved to North Bay and began teaching piano, theoretical subjects and music appreciation from beginner to university level, as well as ajudicating festivals and competitions, presenting workshops and master classes. Lynda has also performed as a piano soloist, duo/duet, with Pro Musica Trio, and as an accompanist with hundreds of professional and novice musicians, northern orchestras and choral ensembles. She also co-founded Brava Music Studios, initiated elective music at Nipissing University, coordinated the Kiwanis Festival, and established Contemporary Showcase (ACNMP).

Kennedy, Mary

Mary Kennedy started learning piano at a young age, later going on to learn flute, tuba, and saxophone. Growing up, she participated in school music ensembles, including choir. She also performed annually in the Kiwanis Music Festival as both a soloist and accompianist for instrumentalists and vocalists. In 2009, she began playing flute with the 22 Wing Concert Band and the North Bay Symphony Orchestra, and joined the jazz quartet, Twilight, in 2011 as a vocalist and pianist. Mary also has an abundance of experience as an on-stage performer, rehearsal accompianist, vocal director, conductor and pit musician thanks to her twenty-three years in TOROS, which she continued to apply to Dreamcoat Fantasy Theatre, the Gateway Theatre Guild, and other musical productions.

Neil Kennedy. Photo courtesy of the Music City Collection. Photographer unknown.

Kennedy, Neil

In 1977, Neil Kennedy moved to North Bay after recieving his Honours Music and Education degrees from the University of Western Ontario. He worked with the N.P.S.C.D.S Board for thirty-one years as a music teacher at St. Joseph-Scollard Hall. During this time, he presented hundreds of concerts and brought several international artists to perform at the school. He recieved three awards of excellence in teaching, and has spent many hours advocating and fundraising for his school's music program. Neil was a charter member of the North Bay Symphony Orchestra wind section in 1977 and played principal clarinet until 1995. He also acted a rehearsal conductor and presented clarinet master classes, solos, and small ensemble performances. Neil has also played clarinet and saxophone with the Norm Mauro Band, the Continentals Big Band, Nightshift, Manhattan, the TOROS program, Twilight, the 22 Wing Concert Band, and the JOY Community Concert Band as both a player and assistant conductor.

Kenny and the Be-Bops

Kenny and the Be-Bops formed in 1955 and played together into the 1960s, becoming popular throughout the North including Rouyn and Val d'Or. The band comprised of Ken Roy (saxophone), Ray Quinn (drums), Bill Ledster (guitar), John Ranger (piano), and Jim Kripotos (guitar).

Lamothe, Allan

Allan Lamothe was born in North Bay and is the son of Leo Lamothe. He was introduced to the steel guitar and began playing with his father's band, the Westernaires. When Rod Wickett, Keny Isles, Louis Petrolia, Roger Perreault and Tom Arens formed the band Freedom, Allan joined as the bass player. After playing with Freedom for sixteen years, Allan played with Gene Longstreet's trio in many areas of Northern Ontario and live on TV. Allan also played for Saddle Tramp, the house band at a local bar and restaurant called Dallas, and with Harley Renaud's band, Lovin Country.

Lawrence “Larry” Lamothe. Photo courtesy of the Music City Collection. Photographer unknown.

Lamothe, Lawrence “Larry”

Lawrence "Larry" Lamothe was born April 13, 1945 in North Bay. He learned to play the rhythm guitar at age nine, taught by his father, Leo Lamothe, and played with several orchestras, the Rhythmaires, Dukes of Dixie, and Don Brose and the Chords. Larry passed away July 31, 1967 after a car accident in Campellford.