Information/Write-up
This record celebrates the Province of Manitoba's 100th Centennial 1870-1970. The B-Side features a local high school choir. This was the official song for the Province of Manitoba Centennial celebration in 1970. The record was produced by Bob Burns.
Whilst Moody Manitoba Morning became a radio favourite and the unofficial song of the musical caravan that travelled the province that summer, there were a number of official songs funded by the provincial government that also hit the airwaves.
The Manitoba Centennial Corporation held a nation-wide song contest in 1969 to find what would be crowned Manitoba's "official centennial song". The grand prize was $1,500 in cash and having your song professionally recorded. Second and third place winners received prizes of $500 each.
There were 164 entries submitted from across the country and read by an impartial jury of members of the local music industry.
In November, it was announced that the winner was a song titled Manitoba submitted by two Portage la Prairie residents. Gordon P. Watson, who wrote the tune, was a musician and music teacher in Portage. Anne M. Collier, who penned the lyrics, was an author and historian. Verna Solmundson of Edmonton Street and Richard W Carr of Crofton Bay came in second and third.
On January 1, 1970 the public got their first listen to the song when a choir of 85 kids from the Portage la Prairie school division sang it at the Legislature during New Year's Day celebrations.
After the initial hubbub, news about the song died out prompting some complaints that the contest was just for show and a waste of $2,500. In April, Maitland Steinkopf, president of the Manitoba Centennial Corporation, announced that the song would be recorded on April 25, 1970 at the Centennial Concert Hall by Century 21 Records.
Three versions of Manitoba were recorded.
On the "A" side was the English version sung by a 160-child choir composed of the Daniel McIntyre Madrigal Singers, Portage la Prairie Indian Students Glee Club, and the Rossburn Collegiate Girls Choir. It was followed by the French version sung by Daniel McIntyre's Madrigal singers and La Choral de l'Institut Collegial Louis Riel.
The "B" side of the record was the pop version recorded by local band The Fifth,
Richard Gwizdak: bass
Jimmy Grabowski: guitar, organ
Melvin Ksionzek: guitar
Barry Zdbiak: drums
Ron Rene: vocals
Produced by Bob Burns
No Comments