Stan French and the North Bay Boomers
Stan French: The recording artist with the minimum talent allowed by law”!
Stan French, from North Bay, Ontario, has had a long and successful career; but not as a musician. Performing and writing music has always been a passion but it was never his profession... until now, in his 70's! For 30 years Stan was a registered nurse specializing in mental health therapy. He worked full time in a civilian hospital and part time in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves. As a nurse therapist, Capt French served a tour in Afghanistan. He has continued to serve others by volunteering as the president and chief pilot for BAYSAR Air Search and Rescue in North Bay. Under his leadership, BAYSAR has become a highly successful Project Lifesaver agency working with the North Bay Police Service and the Ontario Provincial Police to help keep vulnerable people safe. Now, Stan is continuing his public safety service through his musical fundraising venture.
Stan started learning to write music in high school in 1972. A trombonist in school, and self taught on guitar, he neither had the time, desire nor the talent to expand past performing at pubs or parties during his university years. Once he moved to North Bay he started getting back into performing as a trombonist in the North Bay Concert Band and a swing 'big band' called The Continentals. He was a charter member of the 22 Wing Band in 1989. While being a volunteer band musician he returned to working on a concert march that he first started writing in 1973. In the old fashioned way, with pencil and staff paper, he used his spare time to refine his concert march. A demo was recorded by the Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces and with that demo, his march 'UNITY' was accepted and performed in 1998 at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto as part of a Massed Military Band Spectacular. Stan described being introduced as the composer in such a storied concert hall as a thrill of a lifetime. It also led to SOCAN membership and sales of UNITY as sheet music.
Stan's military commitments following 9/11 and full time employment meant he had insufficient time to devote to music until his 2013 hospital retirement. Then he started playing trombone again in the North Bay J.O.Y. Band. The isolation of Covid presented the opportunity to return to writing music so he learned computer based music writing programs. Then, in November of 2023, he got the inspiration for writing Being a Boomer Ain't Bad. Even though Stan didn't want a new career in his 70's, he decided that a good song should not go unheard. Unable to find a good singer, Stan agreed to become “the recording artist with the minimum talent allowed by law”. He rallied local musicians and volunteers to produce the song for charity with proceeds aimed at helping One Kids Place and the Alzheimer Society. Canadore College agreed to help with the recording and Mayor Chirico of North Bay added his support; making this a true community project.
About Stan
ABOUT - The North Bay Boomers
Pat O'Kane: Guitar and vocal harmony
ABOUT - Pat
Born in Pembroke, Ontario, Pat has called North Bay home since he was 11. Pat started playing guitar at age seven, but it wasn’t until his teenage years when he really began honing his guitar skills. He was most influenced by Paul Simon, James Taylor, Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot, and Peter, Paul and Mary as he learned to play finger picking style.
Pat performed at local pubs until he started his banking career. Work and relocations pulled him away from music for about four years. When he returned to music in 1991 he started up a duo with an old friend called Guys Without Ties. This popular duo performed regularly at bars in North Bay and toured throughout Muskoka and northern Ontario. Pat co-founded a classic rock band called MLC and formed a vocally driven band called Maple Hill Project.
After 32 years as a branch manager with TD Pat retired, allowing him to continue to perform with these groups and lately, Pat has added Bluegrass, playing in a group called Simply Blu. Outside of music Pat volunteers and operates a wood craftsman business.
Born in Ottawa, Ontario in 1964, Chris has been a North Bay resident since 1989. Chris worked as an Environmental Services worker and supervisor in North Bay hospitals until 2019. Since then, Chris has worked at Nipissing University as a Lead Hand Caretaker.
Chris was a self-taught drummer until 2000 when he met Tim Clarke (no relation) and started formal drum lessons. By 2002 his new found ability led to an invitation to play drums for Dreamcoat Fantasy Theatre (DFT). Since then Chris has participated as a pit percussionist in approximately 20 DFT productions.
Chris joined the 22 Wing Band in early 2006, the JOY Band in 2009, and he was in a Neil Young tribute band called Heart of Gold for about four years. Chris has also played for TOROS (Theatre Outreach On Stage), Mustard Seed Productions, Dressing Room Collective, The Rapport Singers, The Near North Singers, The North Bay Chorale Society, Five – The Dionnes, The Gord Hamden Jazz Quartet and The North Bay Symphony Orchestra. Lately, Chris has been working with a new, 12 piece pop band called SASS and The Hosts of Trinity United Church.
Chris Clarke: Drums
ABOUT - Chris
Bob Bartlett: Bass
ABOUT - Neil
Neil had a 31-year music teaching career with the Nipissing Catholic District Separate School Board at Scollard Hall.
In 1977 Neil was a charter member of the wind section of the North Bay Symphony Orchestra, spending 40 years as principal clarinetist and occasional rehearsal conductor. He currently plays in the 22 Wing Concert Band which he joined in 1991, and acted as assistant conductor/player to the J.O.Y. (Just Older Youth) Community Concert Band from 2009 – 2017. Neil has played in many bands including the Continentals, Nightshift, Manhattan, and Twilight. He continues to play in the Nipissing University Eddy Concert Band. Neil has played in many pit bands for musical productions and is the leader of the “RESTORATION JAZZ BAND”.
On June 17, 2013, Neil was inducted into the North Bay and Area Musicians and Entertainers Hall of Recognition.
Neil Kennedy: Tenor Sax
ABOUT - Bob
Bob started his music career as a youngster playing clarinet and sax in junior and senior concert bands until he 'saw the light' and started playing guitar. Through high school and university Bob played in a number of folk groups and continued that when he started teaching high school. In the early ’70’s he began to play tenor banjo and established Dixieland bands in the schools where he taught. In Toronto he was a member of The Marvellous Moustache Band and played in many clubs in the Toronto area and even had a month engagement at a hotel in Regina. He did subbing gigs in Toronto playing tenor banjo in places such as Diamond Lil’s in the Skyline Hotel. In the late ’80’s Bob was asked to play electric bass in The Continentals, a big band in North Bay. That was the start of his jazz career which continued through to the present in groups such as Night Shift, Manhattan, Twilight and the Restoration Jazz Band. Bob switched from electric bass to double bass in 2015. He has been taking classical bass lessons and has had the opportunity to help out with a youth orchestra. Most recently Bob has been playing bluegrass music at festivals in various parts of Ontario as the bassist for a band called Simply Blu playing double bass.
ABOUT - Linda
Linda McCarthy: Alto Sax
Linda grew up in North Bay and studied piano as a child. She obtained her Grade 8 music certificate and Grade 2 theory from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Her music then fell to the wayside for forty-six years during work, raising a family of 3, and completing a university degree to become a human resource generalist at the North Bay Regional Hospital. When Linda retired in 2006 she wanted to get back into music. She contacted Neil Kennedy who recommended joining the J.O.Y. Band. Without previous woodwind experience, she took up playing the alto saxophone. Linda currently plays with various quartets, the 22 Wing Band, the Eddy Band at Nipissing University, the ‘Second Wind’ Clarinet Group, and the JOY Band. As well, she belongs to the choir of St. Andrew’s United Church.
‘Being a Boomer Ain’t Bad’ was Linda’s first studio recording experience and although a little intimidating at first, she welcomed the experience. She looks forward to many more years of playing and singing.
Janis Herzog: Trumpet
ABOUT - Janis
Janis has always had a real passion for music. Other than a few breaks from music caused by the usual college, family, and moves, she has played the trumpet since high school. Janis has worked mostly as a Critical Care nurse at the North Bay Regional Health Centre. In 2005 Janis joined the 22 Wing Military Band where she plays 1st Trumpet. In 2010, she added the North Bay Symphony Orchestra to her musical commitments. Janis became an emergency call-up for the Joy Band (Just Older Youth-Community Band) a few years ago when she was asked to fill in just 2 days prior to a concert. She has since become a semi-regular member of the JOY band filling in whenever needed. Janis has also played in many pit bands for musical productions.
Janis says, “Being part of the Boomer recording was a very interesting and rewarding challenge that has given me the chance to expand my musical experience. Every band offers its own unique learning opportunity.”
