TRIBUTE TO NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA MUSICIAN TED WESLEY

TRIBUTE TO NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA MUSICIAN

TED WESLEY

(see Ted's own web site at http://www.tedwesley.com )

When I moved to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories in 1982, I heard the music of Ted Wesley and was affected by it. Ted's music gives a history lesson and social commentary of many aspects of life in the Far North of Canada. The emotions you feel when you listen to the music are considerable. I refer to them as “Northern Love Songs” – people who love the North understand.

I do not know a lot about Ted, other than the information from his songs, the record album covers (which you can read on the attachments) and that he lived in Yellowknife for a period (I think part of the 1960s and 1970s). An Internet search reveals nothing at the moment, other than the fact that Ted was nominated for a Juno Award one year (1977 - Country Male Vocalist of the Year) along with Murray McLauchlan, Stompin' Tom Connors, R. Harlan Smith and Wilf Carter (Murray McLaughlin received the Award) - but that is indicative of the caliber of talent that Ted had. I also learned that Ted had a role to play in the original creation of Folk On The Rocks, in Yellowknife.

Ted recorded 3 albums:

1. North of Canada

2. Straight North, and

3. Blackflies and Mosquitoes

These important songs, which you can hear samples of by clicking on the links above (and read background material from the dust jackets), should not be lost from our worldly memory. My wish in posting this tribute is to keep Ted's memory and music alive. I am very happy to report that Ted is alive and well, and we have been in contact. He is planning to reissue his music in CD format, and do new recordings. I hope to share more information in the near future, so that we can do his biography, and those of the song writers, justice. Anyone with information or personal stories about Ted and the song writers is invited to contact me at stewartr [at] peace.ca and share them - they are wonderful to hear and I will post them below. After my many chats with everyone, and although I have only known Ted through his music, I felt like part of a big family. Maybe that is part of the magic of the North and Ted's music – there is a connection like family.

(See Tributes to Ted Wesley from our readers below.)

(See Tribute to Bob Ruzicka, one of the key song writers of Ted's music attached.) (Listen to 3 songs by Bob Ruzicka)

(See some information on Wilf Bean, the other key song writer of Ted's music attached.) (Listen to 2 songs by Wilf Bean)

I will add more information as I receive it, and I am very happy that plans are in the works to be able to make Ted's music available in CD form. Interestingly, Ted's last song in the 'Blackflies and Mosquitoes' album is entitled "Save Tomorrow For the Children" - very fitting, I think, for a Peace web site and in light of today's concerns about Earth Changes.

Maybe we will have a reunion of Ted fans some day in Yellowknife, listen to his music, and toast him (hopefully in person). Stay tuned.

With great regards to Ted Wesley,

Bob Stewart

[Solution for File Format Issues] READ ALL ABOUT IT: [Article in Yellowknifer News Paper]

Ted has set up his own web site at http://www.tedwesley.com (where new CDs of his music may be obtained) and an e mail address where he can be contacted by anyone who is interested. It is Tedwwesley[at]yahoo.ca

A message from Ted: "I must thank you for reviving my music through your web site. This not only rekindled my interest in music, reconnected me with old friends but also opened the door to new friends. Thanks to all of you for your inspiration.

Here's an update.

We will be issuing a compilation CD box set which will be available sometime next year (now available at http://www.tedwesley.com ) and I am currently working with a group of musicians to remount my previous songs and introduce new ones.

I'll keep you posted on my progress"

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Tributes to Ted Wesley from our readers:

Were you ever able to track him down? I was the owner of Boot Records which released the three albums. The last I heard he was driving taxi somewhere in the North. - Jury Krytiuk jkrytiuk[at]allstream.net [Note: Jury provided the Introduction on the dust jacket of 'North of Canada', which you can read on that page]

Thanks for putting those great songs of Ted Wesley's up on the website. I have his Straight North album, signed by him. Yes, I hope Ted is alive, too. He's not much older than me, as I recall, so he would be early '60's. I knew Ted Wesley back in the '70's when he lived in Yellowknife with his wife. We met at Damon Recording Studios in Edmonton where Ted was recording his first album, Straight North, with a grant from the Government of the Northwest Territories. I immediately liked him and we struck up a friendship. He was looking for another entertainer to accompany him on a tour of the Northwest Territories to promote the album. Most of the songs were written by Bob Ruzicka, an Edmontonian who had spent a lot of time in the North as he worked his way through a Dentistry degree at U of A. Since I had sung at the Hoist Room in Yellowknife a few times, I was familiar with the North (it seems to get into your blood after a while) and I agreed to tour with him. I can't tell you how many times we barely made our flights after stumbling out of various pubs just in time to catch a plane. Much of the time, it was the bush pilots who got us to our next gig at some school auditorium where we were greeted as though we were The Beatles! It was a wonderful time. At first, we tried to do a duo thing, where I would do mostly guitar work while Ted did guitar and sang. But after many fruitless attempts to be Simon and Garfunkel of the North, we decided to have me open the show with 2 or 3 songs and then introduce Ted. After Ted did a few songs, we would lower the lights and play the album through a sound system along with a terrific slideshow of Father Rene Fumoleau's unforgettable pictures of the North. Sure brings back a lot of memories. Once, Ted was telling me the story of the famous bush pilot Chuck McAvoy and since he was looking for material for another album, asked me if I could write anything for him. So, in about a half an hour, I wrote The Ballad of Chuck McAvoy, which he used on one of his albums. Besides Bob Ruzicka, there was another Northern songwriter of some note: Wilf Bean, who wrote several of Ted's songs for that album. My brother from Edmonton has one of the other Ted Wesley albums, I forget which one. I must ask him to send it to me or scan it, so I can get the credits right. I have been trying off and on for a couple of years to get in touch with Ted, but so far, have had no luck. Once in a while, one of his albums may be found on eBay. Thanks for taking me down memory lane. There's so much history in those songs, it would be a shame if they got lost. Btw, Straight North came first, then Blackflies, then North. A good friend of Ted's and mine back in the day was Rod Russell, who had a construction company in 'the knife'. He would be a valuable source of information, if he's still there. Cheers, Frank Ferguson , Ottawa fergusonfrank[at]hotmail.com

Frank from Ottawa sent along an e-mail with your address attached and I thought to drop you a note. I was introduced to Ted Wesley's music upon concluding a two week paddle on the Nahanni. The bush camp where we crashed had an old tape player and a copy of "Black flies ...". After "Nahanni" was finished, there was barely a dry eye in the cabin. I vowed to track down a tape of his and was fortunate enough, after being routed all over North America, to tie into Tom Coxworth at CKUA in Edmonton. He was kind enough to burn Ted's 3 albums onto a disc for me. It's by far my most favorite CD and I've nearly worn it out. I've tried, as many seem to have, to get more information on Ted and he seems to have accomplished what many of us fantasize about .... disappearing. You seem to be the most likely to have a smidgen of information and I would love to know if there have been any recent sightings or if in fact he has simply vanished. Let's hope he has been in hiding and is ready to spring a new album on us! Ted seems to have a very dedicated and passionate fan base! Many thanks for any information you could supply. The thought of a "Ted Fest" is highly appealing and would be well worth the trip to Yellowknife. His music seems to have gotten under people's skin the way Robert Service's poetry makes your eyes water. Please do keep me posted. I sincerely hope he's hunkered down in a backwoods bar, penning new verse, and will emerge when he's good and ready. Thanks again and best wishes. Kurt Warnke, Head of Design and Installation, The Mint Museums, Charlotte, NC Kurt.Warnke[at]themintmuseums.org [Follow up email: Hey Bob, Your e-mail put a real exclamation point at the end of this week! Thanks so much for sharing the other comments. Seems a number of us are afflicted with the same disease .... and what a blessing! Do keep me posted on any developments with regards to a "Ted Fest". I can see it now .... a small band of "Ted Heads", draining some cold ones under the midnight sun, hashing over adventures and misadventures that we've all encountered North of 60. Wonder how many of our paths have crossed? Again, your correspondence offered a beautiful escape from the mundane. Best, Kurt Warnke]

I wonder where I could get the lyrics for "The First Barge" ? I am not in the music business. I lived in Inuvik in 1959-60 and later at Ft Simpson, Frobisher Bay, Ft. Smith and lastly at Yellowknife till 1989. I know all about waiting for the first barge. It never seemed to have my stuff on it. Oh well. Sealift in the eastern arctic was about the same. Today I write little notes to my grandchildren and give them each Christmas. I was dreaming about those hot buggy summer days in Inuvik etc and think it would best explain my story if I could quote a few words from that First Barge ditty. While listening to the song I miss a lot. Seems to be a lot of base on it (not a complaint) and I quite enjoy it and the other songs. Brings back a lot of memories. Let me know about the lyric thing please. Perhaps we'll start a whole new buzz about the barge business. Interesting to note on the front page of today's Edmonton Journal a full spread about the last barge not making it into Ft. Good Hope. Apparently due to an early freeze-up it had to turn and go back to Norman Wells. The article says it got to within km's of Ft. Good Hope. I don't know what that means exactly. These unvalued statements are confusing. As I recall going upstream from Ft. Good Hope was a real workout for the tugs and crew. Going downstream was no easy task either. Are you familiar with that stretch of river known as "The Ramparts?" I went up once with a jet boat on our way from Inuvik to Ft. Simpson. Pretty fast water. Keep in touch. Regards. Phil Johnson philheln[at]telus.net

Thanks for posting that info about Ted Wesley, it was great to run across it. A good friend of mine had been working in the north at the time Ted was on tour promoting those three albums and was delighted to hear they might be available. Trying to help out, I tried contacting someone from the now defunct Boot Records and ended up with an answer from someone at Stompin Tom Connors website, because Boot was originally started by Stompin Tom and another guy. The answer given, however, led nowhere and I wasn't able to find anywhere to buy Mr Wesley's music. What a disappointment! ... And finally, as a side issue, where is Ted Wesley these days and what is he doing? Is he still producing music, maybe under a different name or label. Does he still tour? Any info you might have would help greatly. Please and thanks. I appreciate any effort you put into a response. David Freeman dvdfrmn[at]gmail.com -- Follow up message: Your idea about a donation to a reunion effort is a good one, and one I'd certainly support to the fullest. Yes, feel free to attach this message and my email address to your searches. Also, please keep me apprised of the progress. It may be that I'd recognize some detail that might lead to one more step in the search. For your info, I've sent emails to several different folk festivals to ask if anyone there knows anything about Ted Wesley. He played at the "Folk On The Rocks" festival in Yellowknife in 1982 and that's the last solid detail I was able to find. So far the replies are negative. Even sent a message off to Valdy to see if he a) had ever run across Ted, and b) if he knew a source of the music, and c) if he might be able to pass my message along if he, by chance, knew where to contact Ted these days. No answer yet, but Valdy's a busy guy! It's also possible that Ted is retired and wants to leave the old life behind, and if that's so, I'd drop the whole thing in an instant. My thirst for his music is no excuse to violate someone's privacy. Anyway, my fingers are crossed that the cyber-universe will deliver up an answer or two as we go along. Any other efforts on my part will, I promise, be forwarded to you in case it helps out in some way. Best regards, David Freeman

Thank you so much for a wonderful memory you gave me this afternoon when I found your web site and your tribute to Ted Wesley. I have been sitting here listening to those songs again for the first time in over well over 20 years and they were as moving now as they were then - even more so I think. I lived in Yellowknife in 1973/4 and at one time had the three records by Ted Wesley but they vanished years ago when I lent them to someone. Strangely enough I went back to Yellowknife three months ago for the first time since I left and had the most wonderful journey. Because of your website and what it represents I'd like to send you an account of my journey. It's rather personal but I think that it may be meaningful to you. Anyway, from someone in New Zealand to someone in Canada, in the spirit of peace. Love from Julie Leibrich seacoast[at]paradise.net.nz - Julie has agreed to let me post her wonderful account of her recent journey back to the North. Click here to view. Enjoy. - (called Julie Marwick when I lived in YK - I am hoping someone from the old times might see the name and get in touch).

Hi: Happened upon your page while investigating a bunch of 45s I got at the thrift shop. As you didn’t have this title listed I thought I would send it along. The B-side is NAHANNI written by Wilf Bean. Cheers, Brian & Robyn Wildman rbwildman[at]shaw.ca

I had tried searching for Ted Wesley on the web several times before with no results. Just the other night his name came up again while speaking with a friend and I thought I'd try again. I was delighted to find your tribute page. I too fell in love with Ted's music and lyrics back in the 1980s I suspect and purchased the three vinyl albums you mention. I was always hoping he would put out additional works and I too hoped to find out more about him. He seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth. In a long ago search I located his name in association with a mine in the Yukon but never followed through to find out if it was indeed the musician. His albums were published/pressed (?) at the now defunct 'Boot' Records in Mississauga, Ontario. Being a fan of another Canadian folk artist, Gordon Lightfoot, I was pleased to hear Gord's guitarist Red Shea playing on Ted's albums. My memory may be faulty but I believe Ted was born in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and moved to Great Britain at a young age. Later moving to Canada, he fell in love with the far north. I would love to hear more about Ted if you ever manage contact him or find further information. Thanks for bringing back memories with your page. Yuri Amatnieks, Mississauga, ON amatniek[at]rogers.com [Follow up message: I'll continue to check your website periodically to see if there is any further news. I would love to hear more about Ted, his current situation and any other music he may have been involved in. His music has given me many hours of pleasure. I'm delighted that there are other fans out there that also appreciate his talent, love of life and the land. My best to you and thanks for keeping Ted's name alive. Yuri] {Follow up message #2: Hi again Bob, I was delighted see that you found Ted Wesley alive and well as told in the 'Yellowknifer' article. It was a great to get caught up with what was going on in Ted's life and to hear that he may be contemplating either a new album or perhaps re-releasing the previous three. Also wonderful to see a photo of you in the article. Thanks so much for your work in rediscovering Ted! His music has entertained me for years - ever since I browsed the record stacks at Toronto's 'Sam The Record Man' and had the album covers & song titles pique my curiosity. Perhaps you haven't heard that guitarist Red Shea, who had performed with Gordon Lightfoot as well as on Ted's 'North of Canada' album died on June 10th. I enjoyed his wonderful picking style with both artists. I'll be checking your website periodically for any updates on Ted. Thanks again, Yuri Amatnieks}

First of all I would like to thank you for putting the [tribute] on the net. We lived north of 60 during the early 70’s, and during that time we picked up Straight North, which became a favourite of the whole family. However, by now it is very worn, since it was played not only by us, the parents, but also our 3, 7 and 14 year old children. I knew the writer of the songs was Bob Ruzica (spelling?), and found out he had been a dentist living in the north, among other places Inuvik . Later I heard an interview on the CBC with Dr. Ruzica, he was practicing in Victoria , BC . Since the whole family lives here on the Island, we tried to find him in the phone book, and my daughter found out he no longer sell his songs, neither tapes nor records. This Christmas, I was going to Victoria , to spend the holidays with my daughter and family. She asked me to bring our very used record of Straight North, since she had found a fellow who restored and transferred records to cd’s. While I was packing, my son saw the record. When he visited his in-laws during the holidays, his brother-in-law was checking things on the computer, and he asked him to look for Straight North, and that is how my whole family now again can hear that beautiful music, plus you have introduced us to the other songs, we did not know about. So once again. Thank you so much. Sincerely Signe M. Norbjerg smuhle[at]telus.net

I came across your tribute web site for the music of Ted Wesley today and just wanted to say thanks. I had also wondered what happened to him and thought it was a shame his music did not get wider circulation. A few years ago I also did a search and found no traces of him on the web, and no where to buy his music online, except for used record sites. That's how I came to repatriate a copy of Blackflies and Mosquitoes that had somehow found its way to Australia! Thanks again for your work in digitizing Ted's music. R W Potter rwpotter[at]ca.inter.net

THANK YOU!!! I grew up in the NWT and have been listening to Ted's music since I was a little girl. My parents actually had a spare copy of straight north that I got this Christmas and was about to get digitized but you beat me to it. AND you have all three!!! THANK YOU!!! On another note.... have you found out any more information about Ted? Where is he now? What is he doing? anything like that? Have been a fan of his for more years than I care to admit! haha. Tianna Ivens tianna.ivens[at]sasktel.net

Listened to all the music on your website. I knew both Bob & Ted casually from living in Inuvik (I was there when Bob came up as a dentist), before he started recording. I was at a party with him across from the first nurses residence, he had an afro style hairdo & I always think of him when I see Disco Stu on 'The Simpsons". That was in the early 70's. I met Ted in 81, working for Cominco at Little Cornwallis Island (Polaris Mine).Ted was a Bus driver, never mentioned his singing, didn't socialize much, only met him on the bus & playing Basketball at the company gym. As far as I know,Bob wrote all the songs & sometimes it was hard to tell who was singing, they sounded so much alike to me. I knew a lot of the people & places Bob wrote about, 'cause I was brought up in Aklavik & Inuvik, & his writing was down to earth & true. Last I heard of Ted was that he was back in Y.K., Bob was in Victoria, but I think both of them liked their privacy,so be it. Howie Jones, Kugluktuk,Nunavut apakkadlun[at]qiniq.com

I've lost touch with Ted recently, but he worked at Cominco's Polaris Mine on Little Cornwallis Island for many years and until it closed a few years ago. He was there so long he was known colloquially as the "mayor of Polaris". It should be noted that a number of songs in Ted's albums were written, not by Bob Ruzicka, but by the late Doug Leonard of Yellowknife. Several of his lyrics were inadvertently attributed to Bob by Arctic Color Magazine and other sources.
Jack (sigO) Sigvaldason, publisher, Northern News services [Note - the proper credits have now been placed on the Song pages]

Thank you so much for posting this music. I was looking for Bob Ruzicka and ended up here through an interesting journey. The music is wonderful. If you know where I can legally purchase/download tunes by either Ted Wesley or Bob Ruzicka please let me know. Leila J. Gosselin ljgosselin[at]shaw.ca

I just read your tribute to Ted - a great reminder of my brief stint in the N.W.T. I worked with Ted's sister-in-law (Janette) in Yellowknife. The last contact I had with her was while she was living in Langley, B.C. ... (Ted's surname was actually Wasylkiewicz, and his brother's name is Frank). I hope this helps you find Ted! Judy Fisher (Webb) [Follow up email: That's wonderful news, Bob - I'm delighted to hear all is well with Ted. Feel free to post my e-mail address. It's been a long time since I lived in Yellowknife, but there still may be some folks who would remember me. The "Last Barge" was my favourite of Ted's songs. I lived in Norman Wells for a couple of years and the barge arrival was a great event, which he captured so eloquently in his song. Thanks for letting me know the good news, Bob! Jude JFisher[at]wsgr.com ]

I often wonder about Ted - he was in YK when we lived there from 1973-1977 and we often went to hear him sing at a particular lounge, the name of which has slipped my mind. I have all 3 of his records but I played them to death in the years after we left the North!! I was just listening to the songs on your web site and bawling my eyes out. He is a cousin of a friend of mine and I know she saw him in Calgary I believe about 6 years ago. I'd love to hear news of him if you have any. I also need new records!!! Susan Bonokoski suzyb[at]sasktel.net , still missing the North

I can't offer information. It's just that I was listening to CBC and something lit up in my brain and I had to search Ted. I had Straight North and Blackflies and Mosquitoes as vinyl and let them go in a garage sale, along with the turntable. You, apparently, are the only source of information about Ted and the only way to hear his music again, unless you have an LP. I've been a photog at The Vancouver Sun for 37 years and this sounds like a natural story for CBC radio or TV. I'm not sure which program, but Ted was singing songs about the environment and how we're letting it go, years before global warming, etc. Tie that in with his life in the north and you've got a great one hour documentary. I would hope you would contact CBC with a proposal. Let me know how it goes, and a Ted Wesley reunion would give me an excuse for getting that new Tacoma and trailer. Glenn Baglo gbaglo[at]shaw.ca [Follow up email: When you make your proposal, make sure you mention how a few fans on the internet found one another, with you as the instigator. They love stuff about how the web brings people together, and why not?]

Hello from Nunavut! Give our regards and best wishes to Ted when you contact him. Tell him his old Inuit friends from Cambridge Bay always remember him and miss him. We would like him to come back to visit us. Always welcome. He is one special friend to us. Keep in touch Ted. Helen Tologanak (younger sister to Kane Tologanak) We are all still in Cambridge Bay. helent[at]qiniq.com

Heard your interview on CBC this morning. You might try getting in contact with Wallace Finlayson in regard to Ted's Albums. Wallace (and his sister Susan) own the building that the Hoist Room was in, beneath Sutherland's Drugs. I am sure that Ted and Wallace were drinking buddies from way back... I remember cleaning out a cupboard in the hall of the upstairs apartments and coming across boxes of Ted's LPs and cassette tapes-years ago! I wonder if they are still there...might be worth some bucks on Ebay! ... Good luck on your quest. Donna Latremouille DLATREMOUILLE[at]nwtel.ca

I read the article in the Yellowknifer today about Ted Wesley. I was SO happy to finally hear where he is. I listened to his albums (the first two mostly) over and over when I was young growing up in Yellowknife . I brought them with me when I moved down south and almost wore them out, so I taped them onto cassette tapes when I realized they were hard to replace. Since then, the albums have been worn out and I relied on the cassettes for years (even though the recording wasn’t that good). Now, I have misplaced the cassettes in a move so I haven’t heard the music for years. I have moved back to Yellowknife , but the albums are no longer available for sale. I see that some of the music is available to listen to on your site. ... later tonight I am going to listen to them at home. I often wondered what had happened to Ted, and tried to search for him a few times on the internet, but couldn’t find any sign of him. THANK you for creating a website about his music and THANK you for whatever participation you had in the newspaper article today. I recognized him on the front page immediately. Wendy Hébert. Yellowknife

Thanks for putting the songs of Ted on the Internet. He has a great voice. I love the songs about the Delta. It brings back memories of the good old days: Delta Round Up, Father Adam's ice sculptures... The blackflies and mosquitoes are still around! I would like to know if anyone knows where we can get some CDs? Thanks again. Robert Alexie Inuvik NT R_Alexie[at]glwb.com [Follow up email: I hear his music on the radio now and then and it takes me back to the early 1970s when I was going to school in Inuvik and the good old days, which is a phrase I never thought I'd use back then . . . the good old days . . . makes me sound like an old timer. Take care. Robert Arthur Alexie, Box 2026 Inuvik NT X0E 0T0]

Hi. I ran across your tribute to Ted and I felt I should tell you more about him. I had the chance to work with Ted on the North Of Canada album. Ted loved the North, he also loved Folk music, so when we did the album I got Brian Russell from Anne Murray's studio band as well as Red Shea from Gordon Lightfoot. Clint Granny Grantham was from Nashville but lived in Toronto. We did the album in about a week and we kept it sparse and very accoustic. Ted had recorded previously in Edmonton but they tried to make a novelty country type out of him To Ted's surprise The North Of Canada Album was quite a success - sold a lot of records and Ted was nominated for a Juno. I remember that because (Stompin) Tom Connors was also nominated. So that gave me 2 Juno nominees that I produced that year. Also Ted recorded The Old Sourdough, a song I wrote. It seems he wanted to reach out to the Yukon. I haven't heard or seen anything about Ted for some time. I hope all is well. Thank you for being smart enough to notice a very important artist and thanks for the time you spent getting your facts straight. Next time you hear from Ted tell him Chuck Goudie says Hi. All the Best, Chuck Goudie cgoudie[at]shaw.ca

Hello Bob Stewart. I did glimpse the yellowknifer piece on Ted Westley. Where is he living now, Fort McMurray? With all due respect, a tribute to the man and his music and his time in the north would be much appreciated. Although with time passing and life changes, we need to respect Ted if he has different ideas of returning to the North as a recording artist. I will respect his and his families' wishes. I just want to wish him well. Also, best wishes to you Bob Stewart. Mahsicho, Joachim P Bonnetrouge, Fort Providence, NT X0E 0L0. joachim[at]airware.ca Note. I think I met Ted a few driving a taxi in Yellowknife in the 70's.

I, too, have looked for Ted Wesley on the internet over the years so I was very happy to find your site a month or two ago. I have all of Ted's records, but nothing to play them on so it was really nice to download the music and listen to it again. I laughed and I cried. I still cry when I listen to "You Are a River" and "I Remember". I lived in Fort McMurray from about 1989 until November 2001 - and now I hear Ted Wesley was living there too! I'm glad something is in the works. Please keep us informed. I would love to hear some new music from Ted too, but not about Fort McMurray unless it's to blast the oil companies! Thank-you so much for bringing us the music. Peace, Kathleen Busby, Edmonton [kate_in_canada[at]hotmail.com [Follow up message: Dear Robert, Yes you may post my message and e-mail address with the other messages from readers. I've been telling the few people I'm still in contact with that I knew up north and they are interested in the site. Most of us are older now though and don't use computers! One of my friends is going to get her son to show her the site and download the music. I would just like to thank you once again for bringing us the music again. I used to look at my records and wish I could listen to the music. I hope Ted knows the feelings his music arouses in people and is pleased. Thank-you once again. Peace, Kathleen]

Hi Bob, This is so nice, the songs reminded me of things that I had forgotten and, we are so lucky to have a wonderful land, and I feel so lucky to be living in Nunavut so free... so free. Thanks, Regards, Mona Igutsaq, Taloyoak, Nunavut

Ted, I was delighted to hear from Bob Stewart that you are alive, healthy and still enjoying life on the 'Canadian frontier'. I had wondered about your whereabouts for years. Enjoyed the article about you in the 'Yellowknifer' newspaper as well. It was back in the early 1980's that I was browsing the record stacks in Toronto's 'Sam the Record Man' and came across your album 'Black Flies & Mosquitoes'. As an avid canoeist, the song title 'Nahanni' piqued my interest and so made the purchase. Well, I was hooked and found myself breaking down the store's doors to acquire your two other releases. In the following years I turned numerous friends on to your music who, like me, found the tunes to be incredibly infectious. Regardless of whether the songs are Bob Ruzika's, Wilf Bean's or the others, your talent in bringing them to life has them lodge in my ear and I find myself singing them for days thereafter!! Over the years I've all but worn out my vinyl and now listen to scratchy copies I've had to digitized. I'm sure re-releases of these older gems as well as possible new material would be highly anticipated by all your fans. Ted, your music has given me tremendous joy over the last few decades and rank your talent up there with our other national treasures, Gordon Lightfoot & Stan Rogers. I truly hope we can hear more from you in the future. As for me, I never did manage to canoe the Nahanni, except for every time I play your tune.......... My best wishes to you and thanks Ted for all the enjoyment you've brought me over the years. Sincerely, Yuri Amatnieks, Mississauga, Ontario, amatniek@rogers.com

I was just emailing Ted and he told me of your web site...I have a couple of Pics from when we worked at the Cominco Polaris mine together in 1998.
A group of us would often get together Saturday and sunday (the day off for most) and they would get into the liquid wood (fine scotch) yuk. It was great to lose ourselves in the music and it created a wonderful bond between us. I still email Ted occasionally to see how he's keeping. The group playing here are Ted, myself (Zoe Nixon) and Steve (can't remember his last name but Ted will be able to tell you for sure). The halloween theme is a bit gruesome but we had fun jammin' just the same! I also included a postcard just in case you wanted to see our desolate little spot in the middle of nowhere. The mine has been reclaimed now so it's nice to have some pics to remember the great times we spent there. Can't wait for the new album! Cheers! Zoe Nixon
Calgary, Alberta zmnixon[at]hotmail.com [Click on links for: Polaris postcard, Ted/Zoe/Steve, Ted, Ted2]