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Ward Allen: Canadian Classic ...Ward Allen and Mel Lavigne replaced the Golden Prairie Cowboys on Barn Dance. Ward Allen was from Kirkton. They became masters of two part harmony and both went on to become Canadian Old Time Fiddle Champions at Shelbourne. Ward also obtained a measure of fame as a composer, one of his top hits being "Maple Sugar" which is still a favourite of old time fiddlers everywhere. Personally I (Bob Carbert) have fond memories of Ward and his brother who was also an excellent fiddler, playing for dances in the Hibbert Township Hall in Staffa and in other local community halls where I was raised, long before I became interested in a career with CKNX. It was after Mel, Ward and some of the other boys decided to take a run at a career in eastern Ontario, working out of Ottawa that Al Cherny arrived as a young man from Alberta to take their place in the hearts of western Ontario and eventually all Canadian listeners. (Carbert essay, 1995)p.5
Warden A. Allen gained immortality through his composition, "Maple Sugar" which is a 'must play' for every fiddler that's come down the pike. "Maple Sugar" is probably the most famous of all fiddle tunes with the possible exception of The Orange Blossom Special. Ward's name will live on in the company of such elite composers as Stephen Foster. Wilf Carter suggested the title, Maple Sugar, and Ward liked the idea, especially the Canadianism of the title. WWVA radio in Wheeling, West Virginia adopted it as their theme song.
Ward started playing fiddle by ear at the age of 4 and was good on the piano as well. His mother was a pianist and his father, a step dancer. His older brother Lorne was a well known local old time fiddler in the Kirkton and Needham area. By the time Ward was 12, Lorne took him along to play either fiddle or piano. As young man he often teamed up to play with Earl Heywood and in 1950 he joined Earl and the Barn Dance as a professional musician. By this time, he had won several fiddle competitions including the prestigious CNE fiddling championship. He shared fiddle duties with Mel Lavigne on CKNX. In 1953, he left and won the Shelburne Cup at the Canadian Fiddle Championships in Shelburne. From CKNX he went to CFRA radio where he became the fiddler with The Happy Wanderers along with Bob King and Joe Brown. In 1954, he joined the Wilf Carter Cross Canada Tour while on leave from CFRA. Here he worked with CKNX compatriots Jack Kingston and Bill Mankiss.
In 1956, Ward met and married Ann McLean from Ottawa. They had two sons, Wade and Randy. (BD-20, 2006)
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Barn Dance Stars and the Last Dance..."The show created its own local stars, Earl Heywood, Ross Mann, Ernie King, Don Robertson and the Ranch Boys, Slim Boucher and the Golden Prairie Cowboys. It gave young entertainers like Tommie Hunter and Al Cherney a start in the business. For many years the show remained a symbol of the commitment of the small station to local programming. (50 years, 1976, p.7)
The popularity of the show blossomed. By the station's silver anniversary in 1951, over 40 thousand fans a year were witnessing the concerts live and 150,000 listened to the Saturday night broadcasts. For many years the show remained a symbol of the commitment of the small station to local programming. (VS-1, 1976)
But in the 1960s, "the CKNX Barn Dance ceased production ... probably due to the advent of new and exciting television entertainment such as The Don Messer Show, Saturday Night Hockey and Circle 8 Ranch being beamed directly into the living room. Alas, the community hall was no longer looked at as the cultural center. "(Barndance brochure)
Due to the changing times, bars were gobbling up the show's talent and television was taking over. CKNX management decided to pull Barn Dance off the road while it was still successful. The last show was staged at the Community Hall in Formosa in October 1963 in the form of a Hallowe'en masquerade. (100 Yrs, 70That October, the longest running live country music show on Canadian private radio, the CKNX Barn Dance, was broadcast over the Wingham, Ontario station for the last time. At one time or another, such Canadian country stars as fiddler Ward Allen, Tommy Hunter, Earl and Martha Heywood and the Mercey Brothers were part of the show. (BD-6, 2003)
The Saturday Night Barn Dance enjoyed a small revival in 1967 when CKNX management decided to stage ten Barn Dances on the road in honour of Canada's centennial. (100 Yrs, 70), but it is unclear if those events were broadcast over the radio. The combination of old time country music performed live, broadcast over the radio was a winning concept that endeared CKNX to its audience for many years. But music tastes and the industry began to change.
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