Village Media is an online news site that serves many towns and cities in Canada.  I've been writing for them since 2009.

In anticipation of our show on June 4, 2025 at the Loft in Sault Ste. Marie, I was inspired to write a nostalgia piece when I woke up yesterday morning.   Around 9:30 AM, I sent it to those in charge at Sootoday.com and this morning I've been fielding calls from readers across Canada telling me "you're in Sootoday".

Amazing.  Here's how it reads:

"There’s a brand new all Canadian music show on tour in Ontario next month.  CBC TV Country Music Stars will appear at The Loft (Algoma Conservatory of Music) on June 4, 2025.  Sponsoring the Sault show is the Northern Ontario Country Music Association.

As the voice of the nation, the CBC is the obvious ribbon that ties this show together but its the songs, stories and personalities on stage that give the show a definite Sault Ste. Marie flavour and we have Hall of Fame DJ Don Ramsay to thank for that.  

Two local performers, Donna Ramsay (Donna and LeRoy) and Duncan Fremlin (Whiskey Jack) will headline the lineup of stars.  As cast members on the CBC’s Tommy Hunter show, these two award winning performers and their musical partners, LeRoy Anderson and Douglas John Cameron, will lead the fans through a program dominated by memories and songs about the Soo.  Duncan’s long time role as Stompin’ Tom’s musical side kick will add a timely “Canada Is Not For Sale” theme.  

Many local residents remember “daughter Donna” singing on local TV in the 1950’s with the likes of Bill Haight and fiddler, Fred Kent, both members of the Northern Ontario Country Music Hall of Fame.
The man who made all of this happen, beginning in 1941, was singer, producer, Disc Jockey and promoter, Don Ramsay.  For decades, Don’s voice dominated the local airwaves and from 1956 to 1959, daughter Donna sang with the band on her dad’s weekly program on CJIC-TV, Down Yonder Ranch.  

The TV signal barely reached Laird hill in the 1950’s but when it did, Duncan Fremlin tuned in on the family’s 14” black and white television to watch Donna and the band.  At that time, Duncan was making a name for himself each year at the Kiwanis Music Festival.  He was clearly destined for the bigger stage.  

On June 4 at The Loft, Donna will sing Saddle Tramp, the song she wrote for her dad.  She included a reference to Down Yonder Ranch’s signature song, Suppertime by 1950’s Nashville star, Jimmy Davis.  As it turns out,  Duncan also wrote a song about Don, Come Home  and it too cites that song.  

As Duncan said, “growing up on Pumpkin Point Road in the 1950’s, the radio was always on and no one could begin to eat supper until Jimmy Davis finished that song and somebody said Grace.”

Nostalgia will be front and centre at the Loft that night and tears and laughter will undoubtedly follow."