Kamloops News
Singing the stories of the Southern Interior
By Jennifer Stahn
Ogopogo is one of many songs written about the Southern Interior.
Image Credit: MOCM.ca
January 02, 2015 - 10:30 AM
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Our region has long been a destination spot in Canada, and back before the Internet made it easy to share stories and pictures of your travels, music was used to share the beauty of our land.
Tourism companies put out records with a single on the region, or even a specific city, while artists found inspiration in our mountains, lakes, friendly faces and even the Ogopogo. Their songs told stories about a life many dreamed of, or the history of the region, and even now are sure to bring a smile to your face.
Listening to the music takes you back to days gone by, and not just because of the music itself. The terminology used in some of the songs (Penticton by Georg and Carole Hauschild is a good example) is definitely a throw back to a different time.
The love of the Ogopogo is one thing that appears to have never changed though. Several songs at least mention the mysterious monster and several more are just about the beloved lake creature.
Currently more than a dozen local songs are archived at the Museum of Canadian Music. The music ranges from folk and country to jazz and new wave and was released between the 1950s and 1980s on full size LPs or 45s. The museum has loaded many of the songs to the site so you can enjoy them, and many other Canadian classics, at your leisure.
Here is a rundown of some of the local songs that can be found in the museum archives.
Songs of British Columbia, 1958, by various artists. Features Penticton Peach Festival, Kamloops and Moon Over Kelowna by Terry Kristy.
A Visit to British Columbia, 1966, by Stu Phillips. Featuring songs The Okanagan Valley and Bill Miner.
Audio Credit: Museum of Canadian Music
The Okanagan Valley
Audio Credit: Museum of Canadian Music
Bill Miner
Penticton with But For Love, 1972, by Georg and Carole Hauschild. Features the single Penticton.
Kamloops City with You’ve Got to Learn, 1970s, by Country Odyssey. Sponsored by the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce, this album features the single Kamloops City.
Penticton Peaches, 1980, by Elan. This four-song new wave album includes the song Penticton Peaches.
Ogopogo with The Okanagan is Ok!, 1982, by Okanagan Sound. Produced in cooperation with the Okanagan Similkameen Tourist Association, this album features only two songs, Ogopogo (The Great Okanagan Mystery) and The Okanagan is Ok!
Spirit of the North, 1986, by Wiz Bryant. This folk album features songs from across the country but features many from B.C., including Okanagan Homecoming.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015