Ronald "Butch" Roy Born March 5, 1936, the late Ronald Joseph Roy, soon become known simply as ‘Butch’ Roy to family, friends and, later, his large following of loyal fans. Surrounded by music and musicians from birth, he developed a great love of old time music at a very early age. Taught his first chords on guitar by a childhood friend, Lionel Poirier, who young himself, soon told Butch in exasperation “you’ll never make a guitar player”. But in a few years,, as his wife Margaret relates: “Boy, did Butch prove him wrong!”. In fact, by his mid-teens Butch was so well-known as a lead guitarist, bass player and banjo picker, that Ned Landry and Rick Russell in 1951 invited him to join them playing dances at popular Daly’s Hall on Saint John’s outskirts. Shortly after that Butch and Rick teamed to play as the ‘R & B Ranch Gang’ with another local act ‘The Harmony Sisters’ weekly over CFBC Radio. Butch, also, became a regular on CHSJ’s famous ‘Maritime Farmers’ weekly TV and radio shows for over a decade. Inventive in finding ways to improve and modify the instruments he played, Butch, during those very active years, designed a double necked guitar-banjo which became his trademark. The top half was a banjo with resonator, the bottom a regular six string guitar eliminating the time lapse required to shift from one instrument to another. Later, he rejoined his boyhood friend Lionel Poirier to form the nucleus of a backing band for Nashville stars ‘Grandpa Jones’, ‘Stonewall Jackson’, ‘Carl and Pearl Butler’ during an extended Maritime tour by the three act show, a highlight of their careers for both musicians. In later years, Butch would play with the talented ‘Gogan Brothers’, Francis and David, in both their ‘Country Rhythm’ and ‘Country Pals’ bands. A dedicated and very popular entertainer, Butch’s death in 1987 at the age of 51 shocked his family and many fans. He is survived by his wife, Margaret and two sons, Michael and Scott, both very versatile musicians.
George "Kingfish" Stevens The late George Stephens was born in Middleton, NS in 1915; he departed this life February 18, 1986 but, in the 71 years between, did much to enhance the image of country music here in his adopted province, New Brunswick. George showed musical tendencies at an early age and a particular fondness for the sound of button accordion, an instrument he quickly mastered when he was eventually able to acquire one. By the mid-30s his fame was so wide-spread as an accordion player that he was asked by Don Messer to join him and his ‘New Brunswick Lumberjacks’ at Rollingdam, the first of several concerts he played with them. Through the late 30’s and the next four decades he worked with almost every well-known musical group in the province. That included dances at Saint John Legion Halls and such popular night spots such as the ‘One Mile House’ and ‘Daly’s’ on Golden Grove Road forging alliances with famous area musicians, Butch Roy, Kenny Steeves, Art Marr, Vance Patterson and others. Eventually he joined ‘Joe Hachey and The New Brunswick Ramblers’ for a CFBC Radio show series that aired weekly for ten years. During that time he, also, toured the Maritimes with RCA recording stars Hal Lone Pine and Betty Cody. In the late sixties he joined Art Marr’s Orchestra to play the famous Lily Lake Jamborees, Morrisdale Square dances and do month long tours. Somewhere in those years he acquired the nick-name ‘Kingfish’ from the Amos ‘n Andy radio show character of the same name. In the 70’s he played ‘Club XL’ with Art Marr’s entourage backing such artists as Dick Curless, Ernie Ashworth, David Rogers, Lefty Frizzell, Tommy Cash and Doc Williams. In later years he played the ‘Carleton-York Club’, weekly Saint John City Market senior citizen dances, many benefits and fundraisers.
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