Olson, Dennis

Websites:  No
Origin: Riverton, Manitoba, 🇨🇦
Biography:

Dennis T. Olson has created close to a cult following, thanks largely to his recording "Truck Driving Outlaw", a song he co-wrote with fellow-Manitoba bred singer/songwriter Dale Russell. Ironically, notwithstanding the interest in the song, Dennis T. Olson has failed to chart nationally with any of his recordings, although he continues to garner heavy YouTube hits on several of his recordings.

Dennis T. Olson began his music career in Riverton, Manitoba during the mid-1960's, where he was a member of the local group The Whisky Jacks (not to be confused with a 1980's country/bluegrass group of the same name, who earned attention as recording artists and regulars on The Tommy Hunter TV Show). Olson's group were regular performers on the Riverton Hootenanny.

In the mid-1970's Dennis T. Olson hosted his own TV show "Sounds Country", and in 1978 he recorded the album "5th Avenue Cowboy" (Sunflower ST-1009) which contained his signature song "Truck Driving Outlaw", as well as three more of his original songs, and tunes penned by Hank Cochran, Roger Miller, Willie Nelson, etc. The album was produced in Winnipeg's Roade Recording Studios by Ron Halldorson, who also contributed his steel guitar work to the session.

In addition to his songs featured on his own "5th Avenue Cowboy" LP, Dennis T. Olson also had his song "I Started Trustin' You" included on the 1980 Dale Russell album "She Don't Like The Highway" (Sunshine SSLP-4015).

There was little in the way of follow-up material from Dennis T. Olson. He is featured with one song, "Don't It Make You Want To Go Home", on the 1980 vinyl LP "Reunion" (Sunshine Records-SSLP-4020), a 40th Anniversary tribute to the Riverton, Manitoba music scene where Olson launched his music career. His participation in the project led to his composition "Tribute To The Musical Mates", referring to the group "Johnny & His Musical Mates", an early act on the Riverton music scene.

While living in Manitoba, Dennis T. Olson pursued a second career as a barber and was dubbed "Riverton's Singing Barber". He subsequently relocated to Victoria, British Columbia where he operated the Dennis T. Olson & Associates Hair & Barber Salons for some 23 years.