We had conceived "The BLUENOSE OPERA HOUSE" as a maritime version of "Prairie Home Companion", as a new radio program filled with lots of original "down home" stories mixed with music beloved and created by Atlantic Canadians.  It was to be a vehicle promoting the arts in every form, plus new ideas involving innovative business startups; and would occasionally feature young people who've headed back in this direction (bucking out-migration) to realize a dream.  Without being stuck in the past, we wanted to counter internet, text messaging and unlimited video distractions by passing along our stories before they are lost.

We launched a radio pilot in front of a "live" audience at the Old Confidence Lodge (IOOF Hall) in Riverport some years ago.  Between music sets of rock, jazz, folk, bluegrass, blues, country, we told stories of the Maritimes in a character building that had no heat -- on a dank April day -- but over 90 audience members kept the enthusiasm and warmth going.  Musicians contributed their fine talent from the South Shore and Halifax areas... all for the "reward" of helping launch an unproven idea, speculating that it might work if given a chance.

It couldn't work.  The senior CBC management were quite enthused when they heard a copy of the show, but warned that budgets were tight... and getting worse.  Commercial stations had mostly become (thanks to the CRTC) computerized juke boxes with few local exceptions. "Music-driven" in the parlance meant hardly any personality or passion like radio used to have, and certainly no stimulating talk and interviews.  We were up against the wall.


While I was painting (a wall) one day, I thought: "Either the idea was dead being not right for the times, or we needed to think outside of the box." (how difficult when you'd been working, planning this thing for six years!).  Going back to square one, I stepped back and remembered two things.

The first was recalling that Britain's BBC had incredible success with the longest-running radio show ever: the ever-popular "Desert Island Discs".  Prominent guests (castaways) were invited onto the program to play their favourite music they'd have with them if stranded on an...... island.  Quite revealing in their choices: music they remembered in their parents' home, songs they danced to as kids, a tune that inspired them by lifting spirits even on a grey day (we all have them) or was privately "their song" with their partner.

My second memory was from my first year in radio.  It was the height of the Beatles (1968.... I must have been three!) when I received a call after 2 am while playing music on the "graveyard shift".  The caller was George Harrison calling from a rest area payphone (there were no cellphones back then) while traveling through by limousine at night (no dark out windows either, at the peak of "Beatlemania") as his wife (Patti Boyd) was sleeping.  It was the coldest night of the year (February) and George talked with me for over 20 minutes until his voice was shaking from the cold.  His last words were: "Paul, you have my dream job".  (me): "What?  I'm doing an all-night show on the second floor of the Exide Battery factory!"  (GH): "Someday when we're out of this damned gilt cage, I want to sit in a radio studio like you're doing, talk about other people's music, then play it!".

I continued painting the wall, thinking about those two ideas.  The last thing I wanted was to mimic every other show, including the syndicated ones that play non-stop music introduced by (yet another) formatted, bubble-headed DJ with no depth or even music history knowledge.  How do you do that with today's economic realities?  

Then it hit me: combine those two concepts and have a different Guest Co-Host for each show, who not only brings in their favourite, meaningful music, but actually introduces it themselves.  Who better to do it?  In between, have a kitchen chat about their life's work, their story.  NOT an incisive, go-for-the-jugular interview, but a real look into their life and learn what makes them tick.  It's also another way to vibrantly learn about our culture and rich heritage and bring it to life with real people telling their own stories in their own language, as imperfect and fun as that may be.  The music would be theirs, mixed in with Atlantic Canadian-originated work and the music Maritimers love from around the world.

While mulling all of that over, I went to a Petite Riviere (NS) songwriters' circle that featured four musicians.  Talented Kev Corbett took a turn, introducing his song (somewhat like this -- may not be accurate): "Went back to visit my dad in the house I grew up in, headed upstairs to my old bedroom, looked out the window at the same view I knew so well for so many years...." (or some such, forgive me Kev) but more importantly, he then went into the title song of his newest release called "Son Of A Rudderless Boat" and a huge bell went off in my head.  "That's IT!" I silently exclaimed to no one. Who better to introduce a song than the creator of it, or someone who has taken ownership of it.... NOT some mindless DJ following a format in a sterile studio!  (Thanks Kev).

At that point something kicked in, and I promised myself that I would take those concepts, merge them and create a program with a little more depth than you'd hear almost anywhere.  After much writing, years of planning, changing, fine-tuning, we launched the first "BLUENOSE OPERA HOUSE" radio show on November 20th, 2011.  Novelist William Kowalski agreed to test the waters and Co-Host with me, using CKBW (Acadia Broadcasting) in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia as the platform.  This, thanks to the belief, encouragement and support of (wonderfully big-hearted and community-minded) Program Director John Wiles, who had let us use their old studios to edit the earlier pilot.

We recorded the show about six days before actual airing on Sunday night.  Neighbours and pals including MLA Pam Birdsall and Canadian Senator Wilfred Moore (who sat on the floor for the entire two hours) gathered at our home to hear it for themselves, as my "brother" (who was out of town) Mayor Don Downe sent his best wishes.  

Other community-minded stations (including Seaside radio in Halifax) were telling us they liked the concept, and the first to launch outside of Acadia in Bridgewater (with repeaters in Liverpool and Shelburne) was Antigonish broadcasting in June (with transmitter repeaters in northern Cape Breton at Inverness and Pleasant Bay); then adding "The Coast" radio in Glace Bay (southeast Cape Breton) in September, really meant we were covering significant parts of Nova Scotia.  All along, including hearing actual shows (not just the edited pilot) CBC Atlantic Canada has been an enormous supporter.

Our mail comes from most provinces across Canada, many American states from Florida to Washington, plus Mexico, Greenland, Spain, England and elsewhere.  Some may say we produce a variety show, but the real "glue" are the Guest Co-Hosts, who tell their own story mixed in with their music...THEIR way.

LENNIE GALLANT and the BLUENOSE OPERA HOUSE (syndicated) Radio Show had quietly been playing "email tag" for the better part of a year.  Schedule conflicts, touring, recording, writing and (sadly) a serious and threatening health issue with one of LENNIE's siblings meant numerous postponements before he could appear as Guest Co-Host.  Not wanting to be part of the aggressive, pushy side of the media, we kept telling him, "Family first LENNIE.  We'll be here when you have the time."  

The day was finally arriving, notes put together, music picked, scripts printed, program logs established.... then the regular host (me) had a terrible cold that was taking its time to move on.  Two weeks to go before LENNIE was to solo before Symphony Nova Scotia in both Lunenburg and Halifax for concerts of the year, and we both still had the sneezes and light coughs.  I warned both his affable manager and LENNIE directly that once again, perhaps we should postpone (his entire career is based on his vocal work).  No response.  Sent a notice the second time, suggesting a new date.  Nothing came back.  

Recording date arrived along with cheerful LENNIE GALLANT at the studio door. His cold was worse than mine!  We were probably immune to each other.  As he later wrote: "We were two sickos when we did the show!"  (No kidding).  Perhaps it was the adrenaline, maybe just his raw talent that means when the lights go on, his professionalism takes over and the show is rolling.  Whatever it was, we had an amazing time with it: stories to tell about his personal life; influences; people he's worked with; and mining the gold of his music that has won him so many awards and the admiration of his peers.

GALLANT doesn't boast, strut, list the honours or even mention the accolades.  Like his music, he just lays it out there with unbelievable modesty.  "This is it. I'll tell you where it came from. I hope you like it, thank you very much."
So if anyone "went over the top", I did.  I had to.  LENNIE is not a Rustico, nor a PEI nor an Atlantic Canadian icon alone..... he's nothing less than a national treasure -- the best there is.

Check out the last song we played (podcast show # 44): "Extraordinary, Ordinary Life".  It's not just a stunningly beautiful song -- it's a landmark one that can very well touch and speak for each one of us.  Every decade seems to have that generation's "wedding song", the one that you hear at anniversaries, weddings, receptions.  This one is it.  Up there in the rarified stratosphere of: "heard it once, love it immediately, becomes a private connect" and you never, ever forget it.  It happily resonates around inside as if you had written it for your own life's event...never, ever to be forgotten.

LENNIE GALLANT comes off in the most modest, ordinary way one-on-one until his music touches you, and you realize how extraordinary he is.  Working with LENNIE -- as sick as we both were -- was one of the greatest honours on my own life's long, winding road...and a true highlight beyond every BLUENOSE OPERA HOUSE program we've ever done.