The Very First Juno Was Awarded to Dianne Leigh! "Who is that" you ask?
In 1961, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union called the cops to remove Dianne from the Horseshoe Tavern stage...she was only 19. Maybe they disapproved of how good she was?
I post here every Thursday but today, I’m making an exception. This is such a great story.
During one of my many conversations with Canadian musician/steel guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Mickey Andrews, he made reference to Dianne Leigh. Shame on me for not recognizing that name but as I soon learned, I’m not the only Canadian country music fan who wasn’t familiar with her. Back in the 1960’s, Mickey was one third of a trio called, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. They were the resident back-up band to the big stars who walked on the big stage at the Horseshoe Tavern in downtown Toronto - people like Mel Tillis, Faron Young, Stompin’ Tom and more. If there ever was a stage that was the home of Canadian country music, it was the Horseshoe Tavern. Dianne Leigh appeared many times with this trio… Mickey describes it this way…
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“Jack Thibeault managed Dianne Leigh. She was the queen of country music in Canada. She was on the TV with Carl Smith - sounded a lot like Patsy Cline. She was living in Scarborough at the time. This was the late 1960’s.
Jack Thibeault asked Randy McDonald, me and Gerry Hall (The Good The Bad and The Ugly) to play with her which we did. When we got to the Horseshoe, Jack Starr asked the three of us to be the house band.”
To delve deeper into her life and career, read this terrific story.
I spent a few minutes on the phone with Dianne yesterday. Here’s our conversation. If you don’t know the story behind this Canadian superstar, give it a listen.