Walsh to Willoughby

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

Walsh, Donnie

Donnie Walsh is the leader and co-founder of the Legendary Downchild Blues Band and is known as the "Father of Canadian Blues." He moved to West Ferris in 1957 with his parents and attended Tweedsmuir Public School and Algonquin Composite Collegiate. Donnie discovered music on the jukebox and learned how to play guitar. He is also a two-time JUNO winner, has released 19 albums, and is a member of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Weekend Crew

Weekend Crew was a band comprised of Rick Whissell, Perry Davidson, Romeo Raymond, and Steve Clarke, who performed at various functions during weekends. They mainly played country music hits.

Don Weir. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Weir, Don

Don Weir was born in England on October 7th, 1928 and began piano lessons when he was nine years old. In 1943, he joined a group called the Search-Lights as a ukelele player. While Don was with this group, he learned to play the C melody saxophone. After WWII, Don joined the army and became a member of the Middlesex Regiment Corps of Drums as a Bb flutist and bugler in West Germany. He returned to England in 1948 and left the army in 1949, joining a band formed by his friend. Don moved to Canada in 1953 and joined the Ron Tomlinsons Band, which played in Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Scarborough, and Toronto. He then joined the Whitby Brass Band as a double Eb Bass player in 1956, and formed his own band, the Royal Ambassadors, in 1958, which played at the local Legions and Service Clubs. Don arrived in North Bay in 1969, joining the Legion Variety Club and the Pig and Whistle Group. He became a member of the Citizens' Band and the Goldenaires Band.

Murray Wickett. Photo courtesy of the Music City Collection. Photographer unknown.

Wickett, Murray

Murray Wickett was born in Timmins on April 24th, 1943. He played the guitar and saxophone, and spent his high school years playing in multiple bands. In 1963, he joined the Dukes of Dixie, and later joined Don Brose and the Chords. Murray moved to Sudbury in 1972 and played with several bands, including Music Shoppe, now known as the Sudbury Octoberfest Band. He returned to North Bay in 2005 and formed RELIK with his brother and two friends. Murray passed away on January 14th, 2013.

Wickett, Rod

Rod Wickett was born in Kirkland Lake on October 18th, 1940 and moved to North Bay in 1945. He was drumming with the 547 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Cadet Marching Band by the time he was thirteen and formed many bands throughout his high school years. Rod has been a member of RELIK, Freedom, the Midnighters, the Intervals, and the Dukes of Dixie. He was also the Chairman of the American Federation of Musicians "Music Performance Trust Fund" for many years and worked for the Provincial Department of Consumer and Commercial Relations.

John Wilkolaski. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Wilkolaski, John

John Wilkolaski started his music career in 1938 by teaching himself how to play the violin. Two years later, he began learning the coronet and later, the trumpet. John was a member of the Kirkland Lake Citizens' Band and the Polish Polka Dot Dance Band, and later joined the Algonquin Regiment Band. He moved to North Bay in 1957 and joined the 8th Field Squadron Royal Canadian Engineers Band, and then the North Bay Area Band. John was also a member of the Powassan and District Lion's Band and became instructor music director of the RCSCC Brilliant Sea Cadets.

Shirley Willoughby. Photo courtesy of the Music City Collection. Photographer unknown.

Willoughby, Shirley

Shirley Willboughby was a vocalist in the North Bay area who was well-known for singing popular ballads. She was part of the Will-O-Bees, and later sang with a variety of groups, including the Northernaires. Shirley passed away on June 3rd, 1988.