Couple enjoy thirty years of making music
Published Thursday October 1st, 2009
Randy and Cheryl Currie have had a long presence in the New Brunswick country and rock music scene and it is still going strong. They currently play in two bands and were part of the well-known Silver Canyon band from 1987 until 1998. Randy Currie comes from a musical family and was influenced by his mother Verna Currie.
"That's who got me started on guitar," he said of growing up in Havelock. "We played together over the years, we played around the house, that was our entertainment." Currie also plays the fiddle, lap steel and mandolin.
"I met him in 1979, in Fredericton," said Cheryl of her future husband. She was born in Nova Scotia and then lived in Quispamsis. Soon after meeting, they began playing music together in The Brownie Band, a rock band that took its name from Cheryl's family name, Brown. They played around the Maritimes and the couple was in other rock bands over the years, such as Legends and Midnight Special.
"After that, we started in a country band called Country Blues," said Cheryl. Going down the country road led to one of their biggest successes, Silver Canyon.
The Curries joined Silver Canyon after a couple of original members left. The performing and recording line-up then became Randy on lead guitar and vocals, Cheryl on vocals, Danny O'Donnell on bass and vocals, Donnie Elliott on drums, Dale Arsenault on fiddle and vocals and Darian Steeves on piano and vocals. The band released a cassette and in 1993 won a battle of the bands contest with the prize being a chance to record a CD. The contest was called Startrack '93 and the final event was held in Halifax.
That CD, Kindred Spirits, was nominated for an East Coast Music Award for country recording of the year, putting the band in the same category as Anne Murray, Rita MacNeil and Julian Austin. All of the songs on the CD were originals, with Randy writing or co-writing five tracks and Cheryl writing one track.
The band drifted apart, but the Curries were always involved in music. Randy hooked up with two friends, Dale Stiles and Colleen Bannister and they performed as a trio. At this time, Cheryl was staying home with their son Aaron, who has been featured in this column before.
"Randy started up with Colleen when Aaron was quite young," said Cheryl, adding that Stiles later moved out west. "He moved away, they said you might as well come along." So she joined the group three years ago and they took on the name Marshall's Hill. She said they play gigs in Saint John and Moncton.
"And Goshen and Havelock," added Randy.
One band or project is never enough for Randy, he played in Two Weeks Notice backing Darren McGinnis for a few years as well. In 2007 Two Weeks Notice was also the house band for the Kent Country Star contest in Saint John.
"We learned 20 songs in two days," said Randy of the hectic schedule of backing up all the contestants in the singing contest.
He left Two Weeks Notice to concentrate on Marshall's Hill, but wound up playing in another band when the Dooly's bar in Sussex decided to feature live bands on Saturday nights. Cheryl joined him in the band, as did their son Aaron, Elliott from Silver Canyon on drums and Jimmy O'Donnell on bass.
"We never really made up a (band) name, it's a thrown together band with some really great musicians," said Randy. They have been dubbed The Dooly Brothers. Musicians will rotate depending on other gigs they may have, such as a recent weekend when Aaron was in Nova Scotia, playing guitar for Darren McGinnis one night and for Julian Austin another.
The Curries are also in demand studio performers. One recent session was for New Brunswick country recording artist Randy Vail.
"We laid down some tracks," said Randy Currie, "In the comfort of our own home on a portable studio."
Next year will be the 25th anniversary of the Atlantic International Balloon Fiesta in Sussex, as well as the 25th anniversary of Silver Canyon. To celebrate, the band will be given the prime concert spot on the Atlantic Superstore outdoor concert stage that runs with the AIBF. The years may have flown by, but the Curries have had a great run and played a lot of great music.
* NB Country is a regular This Week feature about New Brunswick country music and performers. If you have an idea for a future NB Country column, contact Tony McGarrigle at kingscountycountry@yahoo.com.
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