Putting a Personal Face to Don Messer

In the summer of 2009, our community will be celebrating the 100th birthday of Don Messer. Though other provinces have claimed Messer as their own, he was truly a child of New Brunswick, born at Tweedside, on the outskirts of Harvey Station.

Many Canadians feel they know this man. For many years they listened to him on the radio, watched him on the television or attended live performances.

But there is more to Don Messer than the one dimensional man portrayed on the show. A musician of renown, he was also a great supporter of Canadian musicians and talent. He had a family, was a savvy businessman and an innovator.

My goal in writing a book about him is to present to Canada a more personal view of the man behind the music, to tell the story of Don Messer the person, not just Don Messer the musician and TV personality.

I ask for your help. I am looking for stories about Don Messer, personal anecdotes that speak to the nature of the man and the era. They can be entire stories, or simply a memory of a single event or conversation. I am looking for stories from people who went to barn and house raisings where fiddling went on into the early morning hours. And stories from people who liked the Don Messer show, or who thought it was corny. And stories from people who lived through the Depression and know that $1.85 went a long way.

donmesserbook@hotmail.com
or Box 348, Harvey Station, N.B. E6K 1W9

Welcome!

Thank you for visiting my blog today. Blogging is new to me, so please bear with me as I work out the intricacies of the blog world.

In the coming weeks, I will update it with reviews of, and excerpts from my books. I will include an order form so you can purchase books from me directly, allowing you to have the book inscribed to yourself or to whomever you are gifting it to.

Over the coming months, I will take you on a tour with me as I start a new writing project. There is no better way to get a glimpse into the work that goes into writing books, columns and articles.

Please feel free to leave comments on my blog. I would especially love to hear from people who have read my books or have an interest in Canadian history.