14

Clark Johnston's Performance ...
But like most kids my age (14), one of the most significant performances was when Clark Johnston (the Singin Irishman) took to the stage. He'd always kid around with Johnny and say, "You know, you can always tell an Irishman." Then he'd stare out at the audience with that twinkle in his eye and say, "but you can't tell him very much." With his tam kilt and shillelagh, he rolled right into, "Something's Always Sure To Tickle Me." I couldn't wait to hear him conjure up all those belly laughs! His face would contort and grimace with every whoop of laughter he could muster. Everyone was in stitches. He always brought the house down with that one song and had everyone laughing until it hurt.

15

Cactus Mac was one of the most popular entertainers on the CKNX Barn Dance program
circa 1930s
10 BP station, Wingham, Ontario

Credits:
Barn Dance Museum, Wingham, Ontario

16

Cactus Mac (aka Albert MacDonald) ...

"Who can forget many of those colourful and intriguing personalities who took their place before the CKNX microphone like Goderich's Cactus Mac McDonald, the much traveled cowboy troubadour and his famous "Squaws along the Yukon" which amused many and riled the native people's groups in some areas. (Carbert essay, 1995)p.4

Born to the Mac Donalds of Lucknow, Cactus Mac tried on his first pair of shoes at the early age of 12. He participated in World War I in the 161st Battalion. "It took Mac 'til 1920 before they would let him out into the sun again after that haircut and beating he took but they finally relented and sent him back to America." He sang over station XER in Del Rio, Texas for six months in 1924. "Listeners are still wary of radio as a medium of pleasure and shudder when the name of Cactus Mac is mentioned." In 1925, he went to Oklahoma where he joined Otto Gray and his Oklahoma Cowboys in Tulsa. The group played over station KMOX "and enjoyed record fan mail." They toured for 4 years "visited every town and city in the middle west"and ended up in Detroit in 1929. The group broke up and Cactus Mac moved back to Canada and spent the next 10 years in Port Huron, working as an electric welder. He took "a long rest from the singing business." In 1939, he joined the staff of WHLS in Port Huron. In 1940 he came to CKNX. "we couldn't refuse him and placed him on the air between 3:45 and 4:00 am. But even here he managed to gain some listeners so we gave up and here he is. Listen for Cactus on your Barn Dance over CKNX and drop a line to the station. (Mac saves the stamps)."He soon became part of Barn Dance. (CKNX Almanac-6 1942 p.5) (BD-2,2001)

17

Ernie King won the audience's hearts with his fine voice and gentle personality.
1937-1963
920 CKNX, Wingham, Ontario

Credits:
Barn Dance Museum, Wingham, Ontario
North Huron Museum, Wingham, Ontario

18

Impressions of Ernie ...

Ernie King came along in the 1940s, as a lad from Penetanguishene and immediately won the hearts of the listeners with his outstanding voice and gentle personality. (Carbert essay, 1995)p.3

19

Earl Heywood's career with CKNX began with a performance on Barn Dance.
1940s
920 CKNX, Wingham, Ontario

Credits:
Barn Dance Museum, Wingham, Ontario
North Huron Museum, Wingham, Ontario

20

Earl Heywood's Memories ...

In 1942, 25 year old Earl heard about a barn dance in Hensall that CKNX radio was broadcasting. He drove over to Hensall in his Model A Ford while the dance was in full swing. He walked up to the platform. Cactus Mac, a well known performer, said, "Here comes a cowboy." Earl asked Ross Hamilton, who is now the president of CKNX, if he could sing. They said no, because they had no idea how he sounded. But Cactus auditioned Earl behind the stage. He approved and Earl sang that night. He proved to his mother he did not need an appointment to get on stage. Doc Cruickshank, who was the founder of CKNX, paid him a dollar for his performance, and asked him to play requests every Saturday on the radio. Since records were not popular yet, Earl received boxes and boxes of requests. (VS-1, 1980) p.17

Earl Heywood was an early, early arrival at CKNX; a farm boy from Exeter who parlayed his clear and concise singing voice and pleasant personality into his role as "Canada's No. 1 Singing Cowboy." In many ways, Earl patterned his delivery and style after Gene Autry and in some circles he is little known as "Canada's Gene Autry". Earl wrote many songs, steadfastly cultivated his image, was one of the first country singers in Canada to sign a recordings contract and certainly rates as one of the headliners on the CKNX Barn Dance." (Carbert essay, 1995)p.3-4

21

Archie Mann learned to play the fiddle by ear.
1937-1963
920 CKNX, Wingham, Ontario

Credits:
Barn Dance Museum, Wingham, Ontario
North Huron Museum, Wingham, Ontario

22

Archie Mann's Memories ...
"Oh now and again, some of the young people would get a little too much to drink." He grins. "I remember one night we were in this hall and about four young fellows came in with three or four girls. I don't know exactly what happened. One of the fellows took up with the wrong girls or something like that. Anyway, they got fighting. The girls got into it too and two of them were on the floor. Then one of them grabbed the other one by the hair and dragged her several feet across the floor. Did we laugh - well, I'll tell you." (C-2, 1986)p.2A

23

Bill Mankiss played regularly on the Barn Dance and with the Golden Prairie Cowboys
1950s
CKNX Television & Radio station, Wingham, Ontario

Credits:
Barn Dance Museum, Wingham, Ontario
North Huron Museum, Wingham, Ontario

24

Don Robertson was a pioneeering member of the Ranch Boys on CKNX.
1937-1963
920 CKNX, Wingham, Ontario

Credits:
Barn Dance Museum, Wingham, Ontario
North Huron Museum, Wingham, Ontario

25

Pioneering Ways of Don Robertson ...
Don was a pioneering member of the Ranch Boys, playing stand-up bass, as well as singing in choirs. Don Robertson and his Ranch Boys, were among the earliest of the regulars in this traveling road show called the Saturday Night Barn Dance. Don, along with Ross Mann, Archie Mann (no relation), caller George Jordan, and Don's wife Cora were indeed pioneers of the Barn Dance and CKNX. (Carbert essay, 1995)p.3

26

Reg Bitten was a performer by night and a CKNX employee by day.
1937-1963
920 CKNX, Wingham, Ontario

Credits:
Barn Dance Museum, Wingham, Ontario
North Huron Museum, Wingham, Ontario

27

Elmer Purden, wizard of remote broadcasting, ensured Barn Dance shows were on the air every Sat.
1937-1963
920 CKNX, Wingham, Ontario

Credits:
Barn Dance Museum, Wingham, Ontario
North Huron Museum, Wingham, Ontario