Schiavo to Thornton

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

Eugene Schiavo Jr. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Schiavo, Eugene Jr.

Eugene Schiavo Jr. was born in North Bay on June 8th, 1921 and began playing the trumpet at age fourteen. He recieved one private lesson before joining North Bay's original boys' band, managed and conducted by Nick Cangiano. At age fifteen, Eugene began learning the guitar, and started playing the mandolin two years later. He also taught himself chording on the piano. In his youth, Eugene was a member of the Scollard Hall Band and Bob Moffat's Orchestra in Parry Sound. He joined the Canadian Army Service Corps in 1942 and for three years, helped them organize concerts as a guitarist, singer, and trumpeter. He joined Rocco Lucenti's Orchestra in 1946, and started his own dance band in 1947. He was also a member of the Temiscaming and Northern Ontario Railway Band in 1946 and played the trumpet with the 8th Field Squadron Band, under the direction of Egidio Virgili. Eugene also organized the Sturgeon Falls Brass Band in 1951, and was the official trumpeter for the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 225 in Sturgeon Falls for over 32 years. On top of all this, he also sang in various parishes and choirs.

Eugenio “Jimmy” Schiavo Sr. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Schiavo, Eugenio “Jimmy” Sr.

Eugenio "Jimmy" Schiavo Sr. was born in Aprigliano-Cosenza, Italy on September 14th, 1892, coming to Canada when he was fifteen years old. He lived in North Bay for about sixty years and was employed with the Canadian Pacidic Railway for about thirty-nine years. He also helped operate the Delmar Restaurant for twenty-two years. Musically, Jimmy studied the mandolin and guitar under the direction of Egidio Virgili, and played the trumpet with the Christopher Columbus Band. He also performed at many parties and weddings. He passed away on February 23rd, 1970.

Jim Sharp. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Sharp, Jim

Jim Sharp was born in New Liskeard, Ontario and studied violin with Eric E. Smith during his childhood. He played the violin, as well as the clarinet, with the Hayden Concert Orchestra. During his high school years, Jim played trombone with the school band, and saxophone with a local dance orchestra. In 1950, he moved to North Bay to work in public accounting, and joined the 8th Field Squadron Band in 1956 under the direction of Bill Bee. Jim attended the North Bay Teacher's College in 1958 and 1959, and studied at school musician summer schools from 1961 to 1964. In 1961, he was became Assistant Supervisor of Music for the North Bay Public Schools. He was also appointed director of the North Bay Area Band when it separated from the 8th Field Squadron Band, and held that position until 1972. Jim also became a music teacher at Algonquin Composite School, later West Ferris High School, in 1969.

Smith, K. P. “Karl”

K.P. "Karl" Smith was born in Englehart, Ontario, later moving to Montreal where he formed his first band and played in and around the city. After moving to North Bay, he formed a group, the Mavericks, and toured throughout the north during the 1970s and 1980s, but left the band shortly after to focus on things closer to home. Karl is a founding member and was Vice President of the Country Music Association, and is actively involved with the Northern Ontario Open Country Singing Contest. He was also inducted into the Great Northern Opry, the Nipissing Country Music Wall of Honour, and the Northern Ontario Music Hall of Fame.

Russ Smith. Photo courtesy of the Music City Collection. Photographer unknown.

Smith, Russ

Russ Smith began his musical education with the violin, later transitioning to the guitar. He played guitar with the St. Catherines' Civic Orchestra, as well as with Ron Metcalfe in the "jazz idiom" of the St. Catherines' Golf and Country Club. Later, he tried rock n' roll, but returned to the Big Band after six months. In 1957, he left the music scene and moved to North Bay, where he opened Music City.

Jabez “Jack” Stanton. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Stanton, Jabez “Jack”

Jabez "Jack" Stanton was born in Bromsville, England on January 10th, 1886 and moved to North Bay in 1904. He found employment in the construction business as a plasterer, and worked on many building projects in North Bay, including St. Joseph's Hospital, the North Bay Public Library, and Queen Victoria Public School on Worthingto St. E. Musically, Jack played the coronet with multiple local bands, including the Citizens' Band, the Premier Band, and the Temiscaming and Northern Ontario Railway Band. During WWI, Jack also played overseas in army bands between 1916 and 1919. He also performed numerous times under the direction of Egidio Virgili when local bands played at the Canadian National Exhibition. Jack passed away in 1966.

Sutherland, Marilyn

Marilyn began her musical journey by taking piano lessons from Hazel Morton and Alan Borbridge, including the art of accompanying. During her high school years, he played the bassoon with the Concert Band, as well as the piano for musicals and variety shows. In London, Ontario, she played with the London Symphony for a season while also accompanying music students. Marilyn returned to North Bay in 1990, and became the Music Director at the First Baptist Church, leading the choir and organizing other musical events. In 1994, she began accompanying multiple high school choirs and returned to the North Bay Choral Society in 2008. Marilyn also started working with the Near North Voices.

Leslie Taylor. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Taylor, Leslie

Leslie Taylor was born in Hamilton on May 8th, 1912 and worked for the Stelco Steel Company of Canada for over twenty years. He then became a registerd nurse and worked in Hamilton, Sudbury, and Sault Ste. Marie. Musically, Leslie began playing the trumpet with the Salvation Army, and began playing in the pits at the Grand Opera Theatre in 1935, when he was seventeen. Later, he formed his own group, Chick Taylor and the Troupadors, and played at Crystal Beach for two years. Leslie also played the trumpet with the Guy Lumbardo Orchestra from 1948 to 1950. In 1975, he joined the Goldenaires and was taught the saxophone by Gerry Furber after a surgery ended his trumpet career. In 1980, Leslie joined the North Bay Concert Band.

Jake Thomas. Photo courtesy of the Music City Collection. Photographer unknown.

Thomas, Jake

Jake Thomas began learning chords at age nine, and began formal music lessons from Russ Smith three years later. After turning seventeen, he began touring the night club circuit, performing in cities such as Detroit and Montreal. Jake joined the Rifkin, which later became Buckstone Hardware, and started playing more rock n' roll, as well as loud country rock. Over the years, he has played with over seventeen bands, including Aaron Space and Buster, and formed the Fundamentals sometime during the 1990s. In 2005, Jake began performing mostly solos and duos. He has also been featured on sixteen albums and has done some film work with Don Scardino and Don Shebib.

Thornton, Mary

Mary Thornton graduated from Waterloo Lutheran University in 1968 with a Bachelor's degree in Music and began her career at Northern Secondary School in Sturgeon Falls. She was the Chair of the Music Department by 1971 and was promoted to Arts Director for Northern in 1991. After retiring in 2001, Mary continued to teach at Nipissing University, hosting workshops at conferences, adjudicating band competitions, and creating teacher resources. She also became a member of the Canadian Forces 22 Wing Volunteer Band in 1993, and joined the North Bay Symphony Orchestra as a member of the wind section in 1977.