On the evening of August 30th, 1997, Princess Diana  – known far and wide as The People’s Princess for her kindness, generosity and unshakable connection to both commoner and aristocrat alike – was the victim of a high speed car crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris.

Diana, 36, was pronounced dead in the early hours of August 31st, alongside her then partner Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul. 

A firestorm of celebrity-hounding, blood-sucking paparazzi had chased the couple’s black Mercedes Benz from the Ritz Hotel in Paris to their inevitable fate against the 13th pillar of the Pont d’Alma tunnel. 

It was a tragic end to a beloved and – realistically – deeply troubled life for a figure who seemingly never fit the mold of the prim, proper, and perfectly conformed British Royal.

Diana, rather, was a trend-setter, a norm-buster, opting to connect to the people rather than stand aloft from them. 25 years following her horrifically unjust end, The People’s Princess is still looked at in deity-like status, with fascination on her life, loss and legacy still at a fever pitch all these years removed from her final moments.

Discovering Diana

Fascination has not wained in the two and a half decades since Diana Spencer left this mortal coil. Rather, it has only grown. In the last three years, for example, Diana has been immortalized in film and television, with the recently acclaimed HBO max documentary The Princess buoyed by stunning portrayals in The Crown by Emma Corrin (and soon to be Elizabeth Debicki), as well as an Oscar nominated-turn by Kristen Stewart in the biopic Spencer.

A Breathe Of Fresh Air

Many royal pundits have viewed the entry of Diana into the royal household as a breathe of fresh air for the, at times, stuffy and seemingly unreachable British monarchs. The wedding of Diana and Charles, for example, was viewed by 17 million viewers around the globe. But it would not stop there.

Something as simple as opting for round tables as opposed to tradition regal banquet halls, and eating standing up in the kitchen, were down-to-earth and very human qualities that endeared Diana to Britain and beyond, earning her the title ‘The People’s Princess. It has been said that Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle have taken up some of Diana’s trait of bucking royal norms.

Diana’s Pride

By all accounts, Diana Spencer had no love in her life more profound than that for her sons, William and Harry. Royal observers have often speculated that, if she were still alive today, Diana would be a doting grandmother to what would be her five grandchildren, Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte and Archie and Lilibet. 

Giving Back

Charitable organizations were always close to the heart of Princess Diana. Among her many philanthropic endeavours over the years, Diana’s Lady Diana Foundation continues on today with the mission to continue the Samaritan deeds of the People’s Princess, with a fond memory of her bright personality and the ability to unify people in a single cause – the development and prosperity of humankind as a whole, as per the organization itself. A continued nod to her kind heart.

A Symbol of Life

There are monuments and symbols dedicated to the life and lasting love and legacy of Princess Diana across from globe. Just last year one particularly poignant memorial was erected in London. Prince’s William and Harry gathered in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace in commemoration of what would have been their mother’s 60th birthday. 

The statue unveiling, which was sculpted by Ian Rank-Broadley, “aimed to reflect her warmth, elegance and energy, in addition to her work and the effect she had on many people,” according to spokespersons at Kensington Garden. 

This is just one of many gestures and tokens that reflects the warm, laughter and love Diana Spencer brought to everyone she met throughout her brief life.

Sharon Snow finds it incredible when she reflects on her career at NTV. “22 years with Places to Go and 30 with NTV. It’s been quite a ride, and it’s not over yet,” she said with a laugh.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Snow one-on-one, then take our word for it: she’s just as incredible off camera and she is on. More so, if that’s even possible.

When we spoke, Snow was on vacation with family, but she didn’t miss a beat when she answered her phone. 

“That’s okay, my treasure, you called at a perfect time,” she opened. 

Of course, Snow is quite proud of Places to Go, sharing that each segment is like having a friend say, “I’ve been there, I loved it, go check it out!” 

“I was able to go to my hometown, and that was very special. There was so much to see and do in Fogo and so we kind of hit the road on Father’s Day weekend, and Tony (Barrington, camerman extraordinaire) joined me that Monday and we did a whole bunch of shoots which are still airing. We literally shot Places to Go nonstop, and that’s super cool that there’s so many amazing places to go,” she said. 

Tony Barrington has been enjoying going along for the ride, Snow said with a laugh as she reflects on the fun she’s had with her “side-kick.” 

“He loves to hang out with me. I mean, seriously, what’s not to love about going to fabulous places and experiencing amazing things? I keep telling him I got him spoiled rotten.”

22 years of Places to Go

Snow’s Places to Go is very popular with NTV fans. What is it that fans love so much, we ask. 

“We’re highlighting places within the province and it’s been going for 22 years so it’s kind of like a friend telling you, ‘Hey, you know, I was at this place, you should go. It’s super cool. I know you’re going to love it.’ So I think that’s kind of how people look upon the feature. They know me. They have been watching for 22 years. They like to know what this place is about and they like having some suggestions,” she said. 

Thinking back, we ask Snow about what she thinks of the last 30 years. She almost didn’t take the job, she admitted. But timing is everything, she added. 

“I was happy where I was, but the second time (the job was offered) it was at just the right time. So I absolutely believe timing is everything and I do believe it was meant to be.”

Some of her career, like the television pieces, were “by accident” she added. 

“I was hired for sales so the rest was by accident. Like they say; the best things are unplanned and they often turn out to be the most wonderful times of your life. And that’s the case as I look back now and say ‘30 years. Wow.’”

The friendships she’s made with chefs and with business owners, as well as with coworkers, has been a gift, she said.

“We did things like Supper with Sharon. I don’t know if you remember that, but that was a long time ago and we did it as part of live weather hits. We would literally go into local celebrities homes – into their kitchens – and make dinner for them from the ingredients in their cupboard and in their refrigerator. And those relationships are still special.”

But there’s the Frosty Festival and the Health Care foundation too. 

”What we do for them as a company  and the relationship that we have with them all, it’s all part of serving the community and that’s the mandate for television, for NTV. In doing so, by achieving that and by working on that and keeping that as a goal, then all of those beautiful relationships have been forged.” 

‘I love everyone’

Snow is known for her kindness. She’s known as a hard worker. And she’s known for her fashion sense too. 

She laughed. Tops for her? Her work family, she shared.

“Oh, my gosh. I love everyone. We get along. We support each other. We lift each other up. And that’s very important. There are so many things that you could say or do, but when you choose kindness it just works. That’s so important that we support each other.”

Anything else she wanted to add before she heads back to vacation mode, we ask?  “It’s been a great ride over 30 years. Who would have thought that?  22 years of Places to Go. And I just know I’m looking forward to the next number of years.”

But it won’t last forever, she teased. She has plans to settle down eventually and enjoy life at home. “Oh, there will be retirement. Oh, it’s going to happen. So I’m working on that, but even retirement promises to be exciting.”

It was an image that became iconic to a decade. But the story of how the picture happened is more bizarre than the photo itself

It was December of 1970, most Americans were in holiday mode, heading to malls and shops for presents. Comedian Red Skelton, variety host Ed Sullivan, TV impresario Jackie Gleason, and screen legend Doris Day, all had Christmas specials on TV.

Over 300 workers had been exposed to radiation at a Nevada nuclear test site. The father of NHL player, Brian Spencer, was killed in a shootout with RCMP in Prince George, after he held CBC-TV staff at gunpoint to protest the station not airing his son’s game with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The movie, Love Story, starring Ali McGraw and Ryan O’Neal debuted in cinemas.

Monday the 21st was eventful for two reasons. The Supreme Court lowered and set the voting age in the U.S. to 18. And staff at the White House had to scramble with an unscheduled visit from Elvis Presley.

Elvis’ journey to see then-President Richard Nixon followed a Presley family squabble. His wife, Priscilla and his parents scolded the King of Rock & Roll for spending over $100,000 on Christmas presents (32 handguns and 10 Mercedes-Benzes… as you do).

In a huff, Elvis took a plane out of Memphis, arriving at Los Angeles airport on Saturday, Dec 19. There, he called up an old friend and former employee, Jerry Schilling.

“He had some guns with him,“ Schilling remembered years later, “and a collection of his police badges.”

[It should be mentioned that when you happen to be Elvis Presley in 1970, airport security was a very different thing.]

“Elvis always travelled with an entourage,” Schilling told an audience at the National Archives in 2010. But this time, the music executive was surprised to hear that Elvis was travelling alone.

THE KING’S ROAD TRIP

“I don’t want anybody in the world to know where I am,” the music icon confided.

“He started giving me his flight numbers and what time he was coming in,” Schilling said. “Things that Elvis Presley never did. So on a Saturday night, about 1:30 in the morning, I picked him up at LAX. “We spent Sunday catching up and he told me, ‘I really got mad at Graceland. People were telling me how to spend my money.’

“I mean, [his father] Vernon and Priscilla were only looking out for him. But I think when the Colonel [Tom Parker, his manager] got involved, he got in his car and went to the airport. He just had an American Express credit card.”

Elvis was fixed on getting to Washington, intent on meeting President Nixon in order to get a badge from the federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.

Schilling and Presley caught a late-night flight from LAX destined for the nation’s capital. On the way, Elvis commandeered two pages of American Airlines letterhead. 

His handwritten letter laid out his reasons for why he wanted the president to give him a badge, citing his concern for the country’s “drug problem,” and how young people look up to him and trust him. Irony was not in short supply on this trip.

“Sir, I can and will be of any service that I can to help the country out,” Presley wrote.”I would love to meet you. I will be staying at the Washington Hotel under the alias Jon Burrows. I will be here for as long as it takes to get the credentials of a federal agent.”

Schilling remembers the night flight to Washington as special, not only for accompanying Elvis on his badge quest, but also that numerous American soldiers were also travelling, heading home for the holidays. 

Schilling remembers that Elvis struck up a conversation with one G.I. for 10 minutes then he came back to Schilling’s seat and said, “Where’s that money?”

Earlier in the day, Elvis cashed a personal cheque for $500 at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Schilling said, “That’s all the money we’ve got!” Elvis replied, “You don’t understand. This man’s been in Vietnam. He’s going back home for Christmas to see his family.”

MR. BURROWS GOES TO WASHINGTON

After landing in D.C., The King was insistent that he drop off his letter right away and so by 7:00am, Elvis and Jerry were standing outside the gates of the White House.

Inside, Bud Krogh, one of the president’s lawyers, was approached by another staffer who declared, “The King is outside!” Krogh was confused because after consulting the president’s diary for the day, saw no monarchs on the schedule.

“No!!” the staffer shouted. “Not any two-bit king. THE KING! The King of Rock. He’s here.”

Over the next three hours, President Nixon’s staff go into panic mode as they try to determine not only if Presley can meet Nixon, but should he, and when? Nixon’s chief of staff, Bob Haldeman got involved. Draft memos started circulating about how the meeting could bolster the president’s image.

The Secret Service got involved when it discovered that Elvis was carrying a gun, meant as a present for Nixon.

Eventually, it was decided that a meeting would be held, 11:45am in the Oval Office. Ali Atkins was the White House photographer and the job fell to him to capture the moments.

“Elvis was overwhelmed,” Krogh remembered. 

“He walked in the door and looked at the eagles engraved in the ceiling and engraved in the carpets. He’s a poor boy from Tupelo, Mississippi, and he’s here in the Oval Office of the President of the United States. So, it took a little effort to move him over to the desk. He’s wearing his cool glasses and his cape. And nobody ever dressed quite like that in the Oval Office.

“And the president had never seen anyone quite like that either.”

‘CAN YOU GET ME A BADGE?’

Two men, icons of the era in which they lived soon bonded as fathers, with Elvis showing off pictures of his daughter, Lisa Marie.

According to Bud Krogh’s notes of the meeting, after the back and forth, Elvis got to the point.  

“Mr. President, can you get me a badge from the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs?”

Nixon looked around at his staff to find out if such a gift was legal, and they gave their assurance to the president.

“Get him a badge,” Nixon orders. “I want him to have one.” 

Krogh reported that Elvis was overcome and grabbed the president to hug him. “That wasn’t the norm in that White House,” he added.

The whole meeting, the notes written, and the photos taken remained a secret from the public for a year. When it was written about in 1972, few showed much interest.

In 1977, the fates stepped in to claim the life of the King of Rock & Roll. The meeting between Nixon and Presley was largely a footnote. However, in 1988, a newspaper in Chicago reported that thousands of people had requested a copy of the photo taken during that 1970 meeting. It suddenly became big news and a big fundraiser for the National Archives, the repository of those images.

In a 2010 article for Smithsonian Magazine, Bud Krogh shared why he thinks the photo endured.

”It’s a jolt seeing them together. The leader of the western world and the king of rock ‘n’ roll in the same place, and they’re clearly enjoying each other. And you think, ‘How can this be?’”

But it was. It was another extraordinary moment in the extraordinary life of Elvis Presley.

There’s moments in life that just stand out in each generation. For folks in their 50s and up, the moon landing in 1969 was one of the bigger events, but the passing of the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, on August 16, 1977 at the age of 42 was one of those  lifetime moments when hearts were broken around the globe. 

The death of Elvis was different than the moon landing or any other significant historical event because there was no competition when it came to the beloved musical icon. There was no Russia vs America to contend with, it was simply the much-too-early loss of one of the most brilliant and talented – and complex – musical performers of all time. That he was – and remains to this day in the minds and heats of many – the best musician there ever was left little room for debate.

Back on the big screen

In the film Elvis, told from the perspective of his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, the story is again introduced to a new generation. The film, which has  grossed $217.2 million worldwide against its $85 million budget, is now the second highest-grossing music biopic of all-time behind Bohemian Rhapsody.

The tale of his last days on earth still captivates. The morning before his death, Elvis apparently played racquetball with his cousin Billy. It had been raining when they arrived, the story goes, and Billy told Elvis he wished it would stop. The King, it is said,  held out his hands and replied: “Ain’t no problem, I’ll take care of it.” 

The rain stopped, to which Elvis added: “If you have a little faith, you can stop anything.” If only that were true. 

After the game, Elvis sat behind a piano and played two gospel songs followed by Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain; apparently the last song he ever sang. His last book read? Frank Adams’ The Scientific Search for the Face of Jesus. 

Hours later, Elvis was dead. Shortly before his death, it’s reported that the megastar had expressed his greatest fear to ex-wife Priscilla: that no one will remember him after he’s gone. As we all know, that never happened. 

I was eight when The King died, and my friends and I gathered playing Old Shep as we mourned. Hard to believe that was 45 years ago. Like a line in that very song says, ‘the years fast did roll.’ 

Still, not all things change with time.  Elvis was loved then. He’s loved still. And to this very day, Elvis is still the best selling solo artist in history.

Pam Pardy, The Herald’s Managing Editor, can be reached by emailing pghent@nfldherald.com

A decade of influencing the local arts community serves as the backdrop for the 10th annual Ochre Fest, which will emulate from the Ochre House Retreat in Ochre Pit Cove, Conception Bay South from July 8-10th of this year.

The event, which returns to its in person format for the first time since the pandemic era, spotlights Newfoundland and Labrador’s vibrants arts and culture landscape, celebrating everything from books to art, wine and of course, music.

“We’re delighted to be running our 10th edition of Ochre Fest this year – especially since we’re getting to do it in person after two years of digital presentations,” shared Rebecca Rose, Co-Chair of the festival. 

“That’s a key priority for us this year, as so many authors and musicians released new work through COVID, but were prevented from adequately showcasing their work and finding their audiences.”

Number of artists

The 10th annual Ochre Fest kicks off on Friday July 8th with Wine & Words, which will see Sommelier Lynne Henley of TastingsNL ‘delight palates with a wine tasting event’, while acclaimed poets Douglas Walbourne-Gough and George Murray will serve up readings of their latest works. 

From there, a crop of local authors, including Gerard Collins, Aimee Wall, and Olivia Robinson, as well as the energetic stylings of Zay Nova, are on deck.

“We’ve almost doubled the number of artists in our show for this year in an effort to help those who lost performance opportunities through 2020-2021 and to highlight new work by the province’s writers and musician,” shared Rose. 

“There are so many talented Newfoundland and Labrador artists living here and away, and we’re really pleased to be offering a festival line-up including a great selection of them.”

Saturday July 9th begins with an afternoon panel led by Ainsley Hawthorn and featuring Sonja Boon, Dr. Dolores V. Mullings and Heather Nolan will explore Belonging Here, and finding a voice in this place. Evening entertainment includes authors Claire Wilkshire, Elisabeth de Mariaffi and Eva Crocker and country music powerhouse of the much-lauded Carolina East.

10 amazing years

The festival wraps on Sunday July 10th with the distinct voices of Megan Gail Coles, Dr. Hassan Khalili and Terry Doyle, who will read from their diverse works and have a lively discussion with Leslie Vryenhoek on why Home is Hard Work, before a free-for-all Closing Party to celebrate 10 amazing years, and set the organization on the path to another decade of fruitful content.

Originally debuted as The Festival at Ochre Pit Cove in 2013 by Rose of Breakwater Books and Ochre House Retreat’s Lisa Porter, Ochre Fest is a homage to the organizer’s love of storytelling, music, visual arts and culinary delights.

Ochre Fest 2022 proudly features ASL Interpreters supporting three of the festival’s events (Belonging here, Closer to the Heart and Home Is Hard Work). Ochre Fest tickets are on sale now and available online at ochrefest.ca/2022schedule

Thirty years after northern cod moratorium stock remains on its knees

Some stories stick with a journalist. The killing of a little girl in outport Newfoundland, the fall of a cabinet minister, our place in Canada. My list is long, but near the top is the day almost 30 years ago when the late John Crosbie shut down the northern cod fishery.

It was a job to focus on Crosbie at the front of the room (he never stopped talking) when fishermen were trying to batter their way in at the back. The news conference was the only one I ever covered where the speaker left under police escort. 

I was 25-years-old, recently given my first newspaper beat (fisheries) at the St. John’s Telegram, and hungry for a front-page byline.  

I had spent weeks leading up to the moratorium travelling the province’s northeast coast, speaking to fishermen, religious leaders, mayors, business owners, etc. about the rumoured shutdown.

The hill to die on

I was at the downtown St. John’s hotel when Crosbie shut down the northern cod fishery, the biggest layoff in Canadian history (to this day), when 30,000-plus lost their jobs. 

I also bore witness over decades to the slow drain of upwards of 80,000 of our people, the impact on rural communities, and on our psychic as a people. 

The northern cod moratorium ruined me as a journalist — because I couldn’t let the story go, and I took the mismanagement personally as a Newfoundlander.  

It drove me a Member of Parliament, as President of FISH-NL, and now as a leader of SEA-NL. I have planted my flag on the inshore fishery as the hill to die on, and it’s here I will be planted.

I may not have spent much time on the deck of a fishing boat, but I’ve become as close to the sea, in my own way, as any fisherman. 

As the 30th anniversary of the northern cod moratorium approaches, the state of federal fish science in this province is an embarrassment, the small-scale inshore fishery limps on with an average price of 64¢/lb, and the number of active enterprises has nose-dived to 1,259.

That’s a shadow of the fishery’s glory days when northern cod supported 30,000-40,000 direct jobs on and off the water.

DFO science 

On the plus side, scientists with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) finally acknowledge that seals “undoubtedly” have an impact on cod — just not as huge as the lack of caplin (which seals also eat by the millions of tonnes, but one DFO baby step at a time).

DFO science surveys were incomplete on all fish stocks last year, primarily because of mechanical issues with the research ships. This year’s northern cod assessment was canceled outright.

One industry representative said the level of patience with DFO science has gone from “frustration to embarrassment.” To me, that target was hit decades ago.

DFO officials say foreign fleets outside the 200-mile limit harvest only about 300 tonnes of northern cod a year, but then there’s little faith in department numbers.

Last October the captain of a Faroe Islands longliner accused “pirate trawlers” of destroying the Grand Banks under DFO’s nose by directing for moratorium species such as cod and other illegal fishing activities. The pirate skippers tell DFO there’s Covid among the crew so enforcement officers won’t board. 

Canada brought down the northern cod moratorium on July 2nd, 1992, but foreign draggers continue to pillage the migratory stock to this day with practical impunity when the fish swim outside the 200-mile limit. 

The landed value of the northern cod stewardship fishery last year was $15.2 million, a drop in the bucket compared to the snow crab fishery’s landed value of $612 million for the first 11 months of 2021.

But then the average landed price (round weight) for cod last year was 64¢/lb — an 8¢/lb drop from 2019, and $6.96/lb less than this year’s snow crab price. Many enterprise owners don’t want to hear talk of cod. 

What rebuilding plan?

After 28 years of moratorium, DFO released a rebuilding plan for northern cod in December 2020.

Independent cod scientists condemned the plan, saying it is not legally binding, can be modified at any time, and does not include rebuilding targets. 

The other bone of contention with the rebuilding plan is that its mathematical model is based on the premise that overfishing was not what led to the 1992 moratorium. (Gus Etchegary, among others, would beg to differ.).

The department now says the stock collapse was due to a massive sudden die off of cod — one that DFO scientists can’t explain. 

The delayed/cancelled/thinning out of DFO surveys — on top of recent interference complaints by the union representing scientists, and this year’s 30th anniversary of the moratorium, with little stock improvement — underscores, yet again, the urgent need for an independent review of DFO science/management. 

A class-action lawsuit against DFO/the federal government would be another way to push the fishery forward. What was initially supposed to be a two-year moratorium is now almost 30 years with no end in sight. 

It’s bad enough that Newfoundland and Labrador handed over management control of her fisheries to the Government of Canada with the Terms of Union, but the fact that federal mismanagement has been so epic — with no real action to correct the course — is Confederation’s greatest shame.

From Ennis Road to venues across the globe, Maureen, Karen and Teresa Ennis, lovingly known as The Ennis Sisters, have lived their childhood dreams of becoming internationally regarded singer-songwriters and touring artists. 

From their debut album launch in the summer of 1997, to proudly celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2022, the trio of sisters have seen the ebbs and flows of the music industry, overcome hurdles and experienced the highest of highs in the music business.

Now, ahead of their provincial 25th anniversary tour and upcoming new project On We Go, the trio sat-down with The Newfoundland Herald to, in their own words, reflect on a lifetime in the music business, on the roads less travelled and many lessons learned. 

THE EARLY DAYS

Teresa: So many changes have happened since we started back in 1997, which is when we released our first CD. We’ve actually been on the go longer than that, but that’s sort of when we felt like when we started counting, the professional official day. June 25th, 1997. And we released our CD at the Delta. 

Karen: We were so nervous. And I remember running into Alan Doyle and he said, ‘you’ll always remember your first and everything else you will have to measure up to this.’ And it’s true. Like that was just such an exciting time for us. We got to perform on this big stage, sold out crowd.

Teresa: I remember being in that room 25 years ago (first album launch) and I remember that was probably one of the very first interviews we ever gave because I believe it was Toni-Marie Wiseman came over and asked if we could give an interview about how we felt about our first album release. And we were so green. We had no idea how to answer questions. We didn’t reflect on our time in the studio or what any of this felt like. It was just like happening moment by moment.

Maureen: But I mean, it’s been such a wild ride of the highest highs and also seeing where the industry is in between when you’re trying to reinvent or figure things out. A lot of changes. The ups and downs of the industry and we’ve experienced so much in 25 years and what’s amazing is 25 years later, we’re going to be on the stage again at the tent, Iceberg Alley (June 25th, 2022).

The chances of that actually happening exactly 25 years later to have an opportunity to play that same music from 25 years ago, with the bands who were also there 25 years ago. It’s sort of like this weird serendipity, to be able to celebrate and probably with the same people that were in that room 25 years ago.

Teresa: Music was something that we just did anyway. So we didn’t even think of it as a career. We were all under the age of 19 and so we were just doing it for fun and had no idea really where it was going to take us. We just knew that this is what we love to do.

INDUSTRY CHANGES

Karen: I remember one time, a few months (after the album release show) driving down a road. Someone was set up just by the overpass there selling tapes and tops. And they had our tapes there and our tops. And the only way you could get music back then was to buy it or to listen to it on the radio. So you could actually make a living, which we did, by selling your music.

Dad would get calls because he was our manager at the time. He was getting calls all the time, we need restock! He was always going down to Fred’s, O’Brien’s, Walmart, Kmart, whatever was there, and just restocking because that’s the only way you could get it. And that album sold over 50,000 copies. Then when we signed our record deal back in the year 2000, that was around the time Napster started coming in. So people could then get on and download your music.

Teresa: First of all, it was a compliment in one sense that enough people were sharing it, but at the same time it was like, this is horrifying. How are we going to make money from this if it keeps going down this road? And it kept going. They’re (streaming giants) out in their yachts and their million dollar mansions off the backs of artists who are pouring their blood, sweat and tears and doing what they love to do and what they’re passionate about, but can no longer make money off music.

Maureen: In the 25 years, we were able to experience what it was and then what it became. And it’s amazing how we’ve been able to kind of move inside the evolving and the changing parameters of this industry.

PASSION & PATIENCE

Maureen: Over 25 years, you become very patient. For us, it’s like the long drives and showing up and doing your show. And there’s still so much joy in getting on stage because it’s the only time, 25 years later, singing the same songs like “Red is the Rose” and “Out From St Leonard’s” and talking about where we’re from brings us so much joy and so much pride of place, still, that that’s what keeps us going. 

Because I’ll tell you, this industry is tough, it’s hard, and we self-manage. Everything that we’re doing every single day, it’s enough to make you want to go, ‘okay, I don’t wanna do this anymore,’ but the payoff is showing up and people still enjoy what we do and we still love what we do 25 years later. 

And it’s so worth it.

Teresa: And you really would have to. You would really have to have passion in your heart for a music career and for music through all this. There’s been some really tough times and really low lows. But it’s that exact thing, getting on stage and getting to connect with people through music that makes it worth it.

Maureen: It’s finding the joy when we get on stage, finding the new stories to talk about and our perspective on different things and just plugging them into our show. And the only time that I feel like my mind is completely calm is when I walk out on stage. I think of nothing else but that. It’s a feeling, it becomes an emotion and it’s such a lovely, wonderful thing that I hope we get to do for many more years.

Teresa: And we’re very aware. Every time we go on stage we say ‘we got to enjoy this moment here,’ because you never know.

Maureen: How many more times are you going to load in your suitcase and your gear, do another show, sing this one song and I’m so aware of it. Every time is like ‘do we get to sing the song another 20 times? Do you get to sing the song another two times?’ We don’t know. 

It’s just an appreciation for our relationship and our time, being able to do this. This is such a lucky thing to do, see the world and sing our music.

LESSONS LEARNED

Karen: Dad and Mom managed us. Of course you’re teenagers and you always think you know better and you’re in your early twenties, you think you know better. And Dad was always trying to push us in a certain direction and trying to give us advice. 

‘This is really what you have to do.’ And we didn’t listen and we went and we did what we thought we needed to do. And then you do that and you look back and think wow, Dad was right. 

He kind of understood the industry part of it. And we were just kind of, we want to be famous. We didn’t see the business the way that he did. So I feel like Dad and Mom kind of knew and could see through some of the things we couldn’t at that time. 

Maureen: I think for me, in the beginning where it took off, and for us it just took off. It was a novel sister thing. And we were young and it just took off and it was so fast. We were exactly where we needed to be, right time, right place. 

I think if we had to be able to stop, I think what Karen’s trying to say is that there was a whole other layer of business that needed to be understood, along with really being solid in what message you wanted to put out in the world for your company. And then as we went along, that developed because you kind of had to deal with the ups and downs. This is the focus of our company. This is what The Ennis Sisters brand looks like. 

And when you understood the actual business sense of it, it would have made the road a little bit more smooth. Understanding the layer of business that this is a product you’re selling. And it’s not just getting up on stage and being a star or whatever. There is an actual business being run underneath the product.

Karen: With the music industry there is no manual. There’s nothing that every artist can follow that will get them the success that they want. It’s being true to yourself. And that’s the other thing. It’s like you learn that you’ve got to do what makes you happy.

Maureen: We also learned, with the three of us, is learning our relationship with each other and how to give each other space and when it’s necessary to kind of move in and help. But we really respect each other’s talent inside the group and know what each one offers the company. And then as soon as we all fit into our spaces, the company started to run like a well-oiled machine. And that was another big lesson for us was to let each other shine where you needed to shine and step in when it was necessary.

NEW MATERIAL

Teresa: We had a bunch of music ready to go to record a new album. The pandemic hit and then it was in lockdown mode. And then we were able to prepare, sit and really concentrate on that project. It gave us time. We had a really busy schedule and we were, at the time, trying to figure out when we were going to get time to record this thing? And we wanted to work with Alan Doyle again and we weren’t sure if he would have time in his schedule. 

Karen: I always say the one good thing about being trapped on the island was that Alan Doyle was also trapped on the island because he’s so busy, right? 

Teresa: We temporarily converted Mallard Inn into a studio. And we sort of bubbled up with Alan Doyle and Peter Green and basically we played everything ourselves.

Maureen: The entire point was to keep it as contained in our bubble and see how much of the project we could do ourselves. I mean, we did have Wade Tarling and Cory Tetford as outside musicians on the project. But other than that it was so contained to just what was in the room as much as we could do. It was kind of like this cool little thing: what can we do to make this music?

Teresa: And it was so fun. We took a month and just spent a month, as special as possible, just us. Like, how can we do this without adding too much to it? Let’s make this music during the pandemic in a bubble. And we’ll always remember it. You really could spend the time and focus on it because everything else was locked down and we could properly sit and concentrate and there were no time constraints or anything.

Maureen: And then we also didn’t lock ourselves in. This music has all kinds of different colours on it. It was true to every song.

We were so proud of these songs and it was just fun to make it. And again, we called it On We Go because it was during a pandemic. And let’s just keep moving on no matter what. For the last 25 years what have we done? Moved onward.

The Ennis Sisters anniversary tour in NL kicks off June 6th in Gander and includes stops in Grand Falls-Windsor, Corner Brook, St. John’s and a very special Come Home Year celebration set a the Iceberg Alley Performance Tent on June 25th.
For tickets and all things Ennis Sisters visit their official social medias and website theennissisters.com

Danny Williams still plays hockey regularly when he’s in town. While many know Williams as a powerhouse of a former premier, or as the developer of “Dannyland,” the man who always seemed to have the plan was also quite the sportsman. From player (from his St. Bon’s days on) to coach to promoter, Williams literally and figuratively kept his stick on the ice.

From the American League’s St. John’s Maple Leaf franchise to the wildly popular IceCaps, Williams played a prominent and influential role when it came to delivering professional hockey to The Rock.  

“We’ve got a regular Tuesday night group that get together and play (hockey) when I’m in town … I’ve been playing, coaching or involved at the executive level when it comes to hockey since I can remember,” he opened, reflecting. 

On swapping out the old Memorial Stadium for Mile One (now called the Mary Brown’s Centre), Williams shared that it was time to make some improvements for the sake of the game, the players, and the fans. 

“When the city got the franchise for the Toronto Maple Leafs (St. John’s Maple Leafs, also known with affection as the Baby Leafs) back in the 90s …  we became very much aware that Memorial Stadium was just basically wearing out. It was built in the early 50s and they needed a new facility. And because of our affiliation with Toronto and Toronto had just been in the process of completing the Air Canada Centre … so we just got started on a new stadium to support the league here,” he said.

For Williams, the fan support made the investment worthwhile. “The fan base is incredible. The greater Avalon region draws on basically half the population of the province, and when we had the IceCaps we had people coming from pretty much everywhere for games. We were basically selling out for three full years … we were providing a caliber of entertainment and it was great hockey,” he said.

‘Fill the house’

Was it profitable? Oh yes, though they worked at it, he admitted. “You need to get the numbers out. You know, it’s difficult to break even with small numbers, but as you fill the house that’s where it basically becomes worthwhile or profitable.”

But beyond the profit, the people who were involved stand out, he continued. Glenn Stanford, currently the Governor and Chief Operating Officer of the Newfoundland Growlers, stands out, he said.

“Glenn has been involved with the American Hockey League … and has brought a wealth of experience and a wealth of contacts through his affiliations with the various franchises. He  approached me and said, ‘Look, I think Winnipeg might have an interest in coming here because they’ve just started a new team,’ and we got on it right away and we had a team up and running and ready for a season opening run in under six months.” 

Stanford was able put a team on home ice in short order because he had experience and contacts, Williams said with admiration. Stanford was also a good friend of Dave Andrews (a former player and then president of the American Hockey League), Williams continued, and because of that, he was also a great friend to Newfoundland and Labrador.  

“Dave Andrews was instrumental in seeing various franchises come to St. John’s and to the province,” he said.

We ask if Williams feels pride in his accomplishments when it comes to bringing professional hockey to this province.

”There’s a lot of people that are involved, from trainers on, that were a key component to the success of the organization. Some have left here and have gone off and worked with NHL organizations as a result of the training and the connections that they had in St. John’s.”

We were also blessed to have had a “tremendous number of great hockey players, some who have stepped up to the NHL and finally got their big break,” he said.  Zachary Fucale and Michael Hutchinson  are two who come to mind, he added. 

“As you watch the game you see just how difficult it is for a young man or woman to make the grade to beat the top teams. You see a lot of very, very talented athletes – hockey players – who don’t get to the big show. And you feel their sorrow and you feel their disappointment because you know that they came out of communities across the continent where they were stars. But it’s tough. It’s tough to make it,” he said with admiration. 

From injuries to tougher opponents,  they just “don’t bring the big game when they needed to bring it,” he said. But thinking back to “his” teams and players? 

“Ninety-nine percent of the time they performed heroically for us, to be quite honest with you. You get to see the ups and downs of what has become what it is to become a professional athlete and that in itself was a real eye opener for me.” 

Super-fan Andrew Abbott

Another great memory is meeting and working with people like Andrew Abbott, one of the St. John’s IceCaps top fans.

“Andrew had Down Syndrome and Andrew’s father Jim approached us and said, ‘Look, is there any place where he would have a role within the team?’ And we said, absolutely, and we would bring him into the dressing room and he very much became a part of the team and the players totally embraced him. They would take him out to their barbecues, they would take him out to social events. And he’d come down to the games fully dressed in his jersey with his hair spiked and dyed a nice blue colour. He was a great morale booster for the entire team, the entire organization and for me personally.” 

There’s hundreds of stories like that, Williams shared. “I’ve said it time and time again. I’ve learned more from hockey and gained more friends and more contacts through hockey than anything else I’ve ever done in my entire life. So hockey has served me well and I’ve tried to serve it the best of my ability on every single level I can ever be involved in. And now, of course, I have grandsons who are coming up through the game and granddaughters who are coming up through the various organizations who are playing the sport, and it couldn’t be better and I couldn’t be happier.”

But beyond the personal, what the game of hockey, and the players themselves, give back is often not highlighted enough, he said.

“The Leafs Foundation back in the 90s were very actively involved in the community and the players were absolutely marvelous when it came to giving back. Another great contributor was Buddy the Puffin. Chris Abbott. What he did and what he’s done? He was remarkable. He made his time available and you could see him just brightening the lives up of those he touched and people lit up when he was in their presence. So that whole part, the philanthropic side of the sport, that makes a big difference.”

From dollars via donations to fundraising and appearances, “professional hockey played an enormous role in the community,”  he said.

Any last thoughts? “It was such an important part of my life and I totally enjoyed it. The friends that were made, we still stay in contact. Sport is a great glue for people and it does a lot for a city and a province.” 

While much has been written about the unsinkable Titanic, less is said about the object that eventually did sink the iconic ship on her maiden voyage

According to a report in a 2012 issue of Wired magazine, the only known photo of the iceberg that caused the buoyancy of the Titanic to become untenable, was taken on the morning of April 15, 1912, by “the chief steward of the German ocean liner SS Prinz Adalbert.”

The only reason the iceberg seemed noteworthy was that it was a time of year when icebergs wouldn’t normally be seen that far south, and there was a streak of red paint visible along the waterline.

Some of the science done around the history of this particular iceberg is speculative, but what’s known is that the snow that formed it fell on Greenland over 3000 years ago.  For three millennia, the frozen mass was part of the ice sheet that covers most of that northern country, but then it’s estimated that this iceberg calved as one of the thousands that break free every year.  

Less than 1 per cent ever make it to the Atlantic to be seen along the shores of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Climate scientists estimate that the Titanic iceberg would have broken away sometime around the spring of 1910, eternally unaware of its fate. 

It survived the impact with the great ship, however by the Spring of 1913, it too disappeared into the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

The berg did survive in the form of a photo and in 2015 as part of larger auction of Titanic memorabilia. That picture sold at auction for $40,000.  

TITANIC FACTS

Breaking the Ice

The movie cost was more than the actual ship!

The ship cost was $7.5 million when it was built (1910-1912). 

In 1997 dollars (when the movie was made), that cost comes close to $120 to $150 million. And the movie was filmed and made for a whopping $200 million!

A Captain’s Last Words

Last words of Edward Smith, captain of the ship, “Well boys, you’ve done your duty and done it well. I ask no more of you. I release you. You know the rule of the sea. It’s every man for himself now, and God bless you.”

Captain Smith also died along with 1516 passengers and crew members

A small coastal town in British Columbia suffered a powerful loss when The Titanic sank to the bottom of the sea, taking hopes and dreams with it

If anyone from this province happened to find themselves in the coastal city of Prince Rupert in British Columbia, they would no doubt feel at home. “Rupert,” as locals call it, is a place defined by its links to the sea for fishing and recreation. It wears its badge as the 4th rainiest place on the planet with pride.

The city itself is on an island and residents have to take a ferry to the airport located on another nearby island. In fact, quite a few Newfoundlanders have relocated to Prince Rupert and call the place home. This evergreen place of trees and ocean was settled for thousands of years by the Tsimshian people of the coastal mountains. Its harbour was safe and deep, the area rich in natural resources.  

When the Europeans started to arrive in the 1820s, they saw potential and trading with local First Nations was robust for several decades. The fishery drove the economy with fish plants and cannery operations dotting the north coast.

Grand Trunk Railway

By 1910, establishment of Prince Rupert as an important western port was well underway.  The Grand Trunk Railway preferred the location as it was (and still is) two days closer to China than anywhere else on the western seaboard. 

One of the early proponents to make Prince Rupert  the preeminent port for the west was Charles Hays. Hays was president of the Grand Trunk Railway and under his leadership, the railway opened and developed many western towns across the turn of the 20th century.

He envisioned Rupert as a “made-to-order” town, elegantly planned and ready for an influx of new residents.  Hays aggressively forged ahead with plans to build a second railway in Canada connecting Winnipeg to Prince Rupert.  He lobbied the Canadian government for subsidies, relentlessly courted bankers and financiers in New York and London to get on board with his grand dream. He even had plans drawn up to build a twin hotel of the Empress, the iconic building in BC’s capital of Victoria.

As the project gained steam, it also lost momentum. Workers demanded wages equivalent to their American counterparts, and supplies chains were getting harder to maintain and more expensive.  Hays himself was relentless in demanding the highest standards as he had boundless confidence he could raise whatever capital was necessary to see his plan through.

In the spring of 1912, Hays travelled to London, England, to once again sell his vision.  Cabinet members in Ottawa were growing weary of his demands, so finding new sources of capital was key to completing the route to the north coast.  While in London he received word that his daughter, Louise, was having a difficult pregnancy. He was also keen to return as he also had an invite to the gala opening of the Chateau Laurier, scheduled for April 25.  

Bruce Ismay, chairman of the White Star Line, invited Hays to join him on a transatlantic crossing to discuss business.  Hays was initially reluctant, as he ironically objected to the rapid expansion by steamship lines to win passengers with ever-faster vessels. 

Hays is reported to have said, “The time will come when this trend will be checked by some appalling disaster.”

Whether or not that is true may never be confirmed as Hays boarded the new vessel, RMS Titanic on April 11, 1912. Hays brought along his wife, Clara, another daughter and son-in-law, his personal secretary and a maid. They all shared a deluxe suite on the Bridge Deck.  

When disaster struck just before midnight on the evening of April 14, Hays escorted his wife, daughter and maid into a lifeboat.  Hays, his son-in-law, and secretary all remained behind and perished at sea.  

Even though Charles Hays was celebrated as one of North America’s greatest railwaymen, just a few years later, his plans for a great western port at Prince Rupert also met their demise.  The GTR tried to carry on with his policies but Hays had deceived investors with guarantees he did not have.  The government of Canada seized Grand Trunk assets and the focus of railway building shifted away from northern British Columbia.

The good old days

The Titanic disaster has always had a special place for many who live near the Atlantic. The ship’s potential has consumed many in much the same way that Hays himself was consumed by his dream.  But for one community nestled in a coastal rain forest, The Titanic still casts a shadow.  In 1964, journalist Allan Fotheringham wrote, “In Prince Rupert, they still talk of the sinking of the Titanic as if it was a local shipwreck.”

Prince Rupert is the stuff of dreams that almost were. A place where people still talk of the good old days of the fishing industry. Fishermen and captains would roll into local bars and shops with fistfuls of hundred dollar bills. A modern port for the 21st century starting construction but 20 years on, the city still struggles to get itself on the global shipping map. Cruise ship visits aren’t as frequent, out-migration is still a problem, and many point to closed businesses and lament what “used to be there.”

Up and down the coast of BC, the landscape is dotted with communities that “used to be there.” You see a few remnants of the vibrant places that once bustled with a busy trade in salmon.  As business dried up, residents simply moved on. Like the bones of a sunken ship, the bones of houses and wharves lay in wait for nature to reclaim.

However, Prince Rupert perseveres.  It still peaks out of the rain, drizzle and fog to proclaim, “we are still here.” 

You can always spot the tourist in Prince Rupert because they are the ones carrying an umbrella. If the weather isn’t, you can count on locals to be eternally sunny.  One day, their ship will come in.  Even it wasn’t to be The Titanic.