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Dennis Cann: His extraordinary musical journey

Hiebert on History

I first met Dennis Cann in 1985 when he and his band, Alias, played for the Battlefords Athletic Club’s (which I owned) big extravaganza, The BAC SUPERDANCE. Great evening, largely because of a great band.

Paradoxically, the folks in these parts do not know much about Dennis and his music. They remember him as a lawyer and later as a crown prosecutor and Queen’s Counsel which is appointed by the Iieutenant governor of Saskatchewan on behalf of the Queen. It is not often that you will find a crown prosecutor who also played, and plays, in rock and country bands – and does it like he’s the best in the business. Not only that, he was a producer, finally operating his own studio

I have written approximately 200 articles and letters (all of which were submitted to the editor of the News Optimist Regional Optimist (85,000 circulation). In every case I wrote about someone or a situation in the third person. This essay will be different. Dennis will write his autobiography in the first person. I and Jayne Foster (News Optimist editor) will edit Dennis’s paper. The following represents Dennis’s life story, and in particular, his extraordinary musical journey:

I was born on March 7, 1950, to Roy Cann and (nee) June Pederson at Assiniboia. Our family subsequently moved to Outlook.

I received my grade school and high school education at the local school. During my high school years, two things dominated my life (one of them was not school life, although I was a reasonably good student): sports and music.

I can say with confidence that what I lacked in height, I more than made up for it with quickness and determination. I wasn’t tall, as I’ve said. But I was good. I played, baseball, hockey, basketball, volleyball and badminton and ran track and field. Most of my friends were taller but they accepted me.

My musical beginning began when I was 14. My parents bought a piano for my older sister, Bonnie. I pestered them until they agreed to get me lessons. I achieved a grade eight Royal Conservatory standing which also gave me a grade 12 credit. The Myrol boys (Rick, Keith, and Myles) had moved to town. They were extremely gifted singers with

impeccable harmonies. They were also multitalented on an array of instruments. Keith was my age; we did everything together - baseball, hockey, volleyball. Rick was the oldest. Keith (was age 12) and Rick had a dance band, with both singing and Keith drumming and Rick on guitar. Other local high school buddies rounded out the band.

When Rick left school, and moved away, Keith, myself and three other school buddies formed our first band. I was only14 when I started on drums. Keith taught me how to play, and taught the other boys their instruments. In a few months we were playing for dances. A year later, Rick relocated back to Outlook and our band disbanded since Keith was required to play with his older brother. His mother insisted that Keith had to go back on drums (he had been playing lead guitar with us).

Soon thereafter, Keith asked me to join the new band and play keyboards which were just becoming an integral part of rock music. So I bought a little red Farisa keyboard and amplifier (like the Doors). Rick sang and played guitar, Keith sang and played drums, Jim Neve sang and played bass. I was on keyboards. We formed the Reactions and over the next five years, we became one of the best bands in the province. We became very successful financially. Rick and Jim made a living playing music. Keith and I were still in high school. My parents wouldn’t let me spend much of the money, but I had bonds saved which eventually helped pay my way through university. At this point, we decided to invest in new equipment. I bought a Hammond organ and electric piano. We had a large bus and three roadies. We were one of the first acts to be signed by Actron Agencies (owned and operated by Dave Tkatchuk and his wife). Actron Agencies was the first agency to book rock bands in the province (Dave later became Senator Dave Tkatchuk).

The best band in Saskatchewan in the late sixties was Kenny Shields and Witness (later becoming Streetheart, and later still, Loverboy). Kenny Shields was a great guy and he was also a small town Saskatchewan boy. Kenny took us under his wing, giving us great advice and helping us get gigs. We often played with Kenny Shields and Witness – double gigs.

Sadly, Kenny was in serious car accident near the University of Saskatchewan. So Kenny’s band disbanded as he was laid up for a long time recuperating. Fortunately, Kenny did make a comeback and had a successful career with Streetheart. I have to say, everything considered, Kenny was the best front man and entertainer I ever saw. But I should add that everything I really needed to know about music, I learned from the Myrols and Jim.

One of the many gigs we played with Kenny and Witness was at the Saskatoon Exhibition Main Stage. Also headlining was the Electric Prunes from Los Angeles. As aside point, in the stands that night was a 14-year-old girl who thought the short, blonde keyboard player was cute (I was). We were married five years later. Terry Lynn has been my wife for 48 years, the mother of our children and my best friend.

The early seventies saw a major change in music venues in Saskatchewan. The legal drinking age was reduced from 21 years to 18 and then to 19. This ushered in nightclubs for rock and roll bands. At this time, Keith and I had graduated and we went on to the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Jim Neve graduated from university but moved to Calgary (as did half of Saskatchewan) to seek his fame and fortune. Rick Myrol got married and settled down but got back into music later. I didn’t play music for the first two years of university, but by third year I was getting the itch again. So I formed a band in Saskatoon called Steppe Brother, with Bruce Leach on vocals and guitar, Randy Myrol (cousin) on vocals and lead guitar, Jerry Bartzen on vocals and bass, Rod Olson on lead vocals and drums, and myself on keyboards. I was the only one who did not sing. I had learned from the Myrols how valuable vocals were. So I built the band around the singers. The average person may not be able to tell the difference between a good guitar player and a great one, but they can tell the difference between an OK singer and a great one. Steppe Broher was booked solid at Yip’s and Jack’s, two of the top night clubs in Saskatoon at the time. This allowed me to remain in Saskatoon at the university, and Terry Lynn was able to finish her nursing degree. I also played in a band called Deacon Brody until I went back to the university full time. I was musing about what kind of a career I should pursue. I applied and was accepted into the Masters of Business Administration and Law. I decided to give Law a chance.

I didn’t play during my law school days, or upon graduation. When I moved to North Battleford to article with Maher and Lindgren and later became a partner with Maher, Lindgren, Blais and Cann. I stayed in private practice for a number of years until my friend, Dave Arnot (Head Crown Prosecutor), was appointed as judge. I was offered a position with the Crown Prosecutor’s Office where I stayed until my retirement.

After a few years of practicing law, I got the itch to start playing again. I started slowly and played with a number of bands. As it turned out, the Battlefords had a large number of talented singers and musicians, with whom I had the privilege and pleasure to play (in various combinations and band names). These included: the Hildebrandt Brothers (Gord, Corey, Jeff); the Edlins (Bill, Kellie, Linda); Free Spirit with Angie Delaire and Larry Knibbs; Peter Kingsmill with Pat Smith on bass and Duane Heintz on fiddle and steel; Battle Creek with Larry Knibbs, Bryan Wappel, Walter Korolchuk and Don Toovey. I also played with a number of acts and played with house bands at many jamborees. One of the bands I played with in the 80s was Alias (Sheila Rigby, lead vocals, Gord Hildebrandt, lead guitar, Walter Loch, bass, Mike Parent drums, and Linda Edlin and Terry Parent back-up vocals. We played many rodeos for the Kinsmen Club and other major events in the region.

We also entered a Battle of the Bands contest in Lloydminster. We entered in both rock and country categories. We won in the country and came second in the rock category. The prize was a 45 recording. We recorded an original and a cover tune. The recording was done in Saskatoon. This experience gave me the rationale and incentive to get into the recording and producing business. So I partnered with Gord Hildebrand, Pat Smith, Tim Heese, Larry Knibbs and Angie Delaire to form NB Studios. We recorded a number of artists from Saskatchewan and beyond. I can’t list them all but some of the notables were Lorrie Church, Angie Delaire, Double Portion, The John Lindsay (Lindsay

Parkinson) Band and Ian Eaton and Battle River.

The studio led me to a talented singer/songwriter, an excellent vocalist, Lindsay John Parkinson. We formed the John Lindsay Band with Lindsay on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Pat Smith on vocals and bass, Tim Heese on vocals and lead guitar, Mike Tetrault on drums, and myself on keyboards. We got serious about writing and recording and had a number of successes across Canada. We had a number 15 song (“lf I know you”) on the Canadian Country charts. We were the subject of a CBC video, performed on the Tommy Hunter Show, played three times at the Big Valley Jamboree, and we opened for a number of artists including Tanya Tucker, Dr. Hook, and many top Canadian Artists. I

would like to acknowledge CJNB Radio, the Dekker family, Doug Harrison, and everyone who supported us from day one. We really appreciate it.

Once we got the studio up and running, I realized I needed to learn a lot more about the music business. At that time, Saskatchewan did not have much organization in the recording business so I took out a membership in the Alberta Recording Industry Association to attend seminars and workshops for learning opportunities. I also joined the Los Angeles Song Writers Association. I couldn’t make the meetings, of course, but they taped the seminars of the top professional writers, which I purchased. I also approached others in Saskatchewan to form the Saskatchewan Recording Industry Association (Blaine Wilkins and Glen Ens from Saskatoon and Rob Bryington from Regina and myself).

The Association later morphed into Saskatchewan Music. During the 80s, a groundswell of country music became evident – jamborees, festivals, in uptown country music bars, and so forth. Country radio grew exponentially provincially and across Canada during the 80s. We all knew talented people in country music, and with assistance from the SRIA we approached musicians from across the province to form the Saskatchewan Country Music Association.

By this time, the John Lindsay Band and I had parted ways (amicabily). I was approached by a young bee keeper from Hepburn, Saskatchewan , Ian Eaton. He was an extremely fine singer and a natural entertainer.

We came up with a plan and formed the band Ian Eaton and Battle River (Ian lead vocals and rhythm guitar and keyboards, Pat Smith vocals and bass, Tim Heese vocals and lead guitar, Doug Hergott lead guitar, and later Gord Hildebrandt lead guitar, Geoff Hildebrandt vocals and drums, and later Rick VanDusen, drums, and Dean Caplan keyboards. I concentrated on management and song writing. I was also too busy with law to stay out until three a.m.

We were fortunate to be able to compete in a national BudCountry Talent Contest sponsored by Budweiser and the Canadian Country Music Association. Each province had sing-offs in order to choose two contestants to compete in the finals in Toronto. I entered Ian in the Saskatchewan, which he won. We then attended Massey Hall in Toronto where he won second place in Canada. And from there, we launched our recording career. We had 10 singles charted on country charts and we hit the top 14 and 15 spots on Canadian charts. In addition, we were the first band from Saskatchewan to have a video on CMT Nashville with the song Born Country. Unfortunately, we did not have enough money to release the single on USA Radio (it cost $100 000 to release) but we did release it on Canadian radio and a full run of our video on CMT Nashville. A year and a half later, the song was recorded and released by Alabama and went number one in the USA. Riding on the wings of success, our band performed across Western Canada and was a financial success. We won numerous SCMA awards over the years. I was fortunate enough to win Manager of the Year and Song Writer of the Year a number of times. Ian won Top Performer and Singer of the Year a number of times as well. Our band also won Top Band. We performed at major jamborees in Western Canada – four times on the main stage at the Big Valley Jamboree at Craven. We also launched a sideline business, “Best of the West.” Promotions did compilations for Canadian Country artists for radio and sale. At this time, I was on the National Advisory Council for CCMA for six years. I also made a number of business trips to Nashville. During my tenure on the National Council, I met some really great and talented people from across Canada. I made some life-long friends.

Song writing has been a life-long passion of mine. I have had 12 songs on Canadian radio and one song in a movie. I was fortunate to be selected by the Canadian  songwriters Association to attend a workshop they sponsored. It was not for new songwriters but for experienced writers. “Songs are written, Hits are rewritten.” It was on how to break down an existing song and improve it. It was hosted by professional writers, writing critics, and teachers including Paul Dean of Loverboy, Ron Hynes (FLD), a man of a 1000 songs, and Ron Forbes, a folk singer known as “Bim.” The song I rewrote was “turn my face to the rain,” which was later in a Canadian movie, “Her mother’s ghost,” with a full run on CBC and in Europe. It was an excellent workshop. I have made contacts and friends in writing and publishing across Canada and Nashville. I still try to write songs every week.

In the late 90s, my children were growing up. I decided to help them get through their post-secondary education, so I took a break from the music business (except for song writing) for the next 10 years. Melanie is now a pharmacist and Heidi a social worker.

Today, I have a home studio and I play in a band called Bad Influence, Steve Corman lead vocals and lead guitar, Dave Bull vocals and bass, and myself drums (that’s right, after decades of playing keyboards). I’m back where I started – full circle. I say with some pride that “I’m the oldest new drummer in the world.” I never thought years ago that after I retired from law I’d be back playing music – and loving it. I feel blessed to have known and played with talented (fantastic really) musicians and forged lasting friendships. To conclude, besides the Myrol brothers, there were three outstanding musicians and friends who worked with me throughout, Gord Hildebrand, Pat Smith and Tim Heese who worked with me during most of the above. I could not have accomplished what I did in my musical journey without them.

(I, Richard, have the final comment.)

Wow! I’ve written about dozens of Battlefords musicians – all of them talented and notable. But I have never edited the autobiography of a musician of Dennis’s stature. Could he add to his fully packed life? I don’t think so. In addition to his exemplary career as a lawyer and Crown prosecutor and the fact that he is a consummate musician, he is in possession of a genuine, outgoing personality. I count myself fortunate to have got to know Dennis. I count him as a good friend: