Wayne Rostad thrilled with recent induction into Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame
Posted Oct 28, 2010 By Jeff Maguire
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Popular Ottawa Valley singer-songwriter and entertainer Wayne Rostad was recently inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in Edmonton. The former host of the long running and highly popular CBC television series 'On the Road Again' is shown in front of the famous five-arch stone bridge in Pakenham Village.
In typical self-deprecating fashion and with a good measure of humour Wayne Rostad, the popular entertainer and long-time CBC television host, takes his recent induction into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in his - considerable - stride.
At 6' 4" in height the long-time Lanark County resident is hard to miss!
Rostad whose long running CBC television series 'On the Road Again' made him a national icon has never really left the road, despite the fact the eternally popular TV series came to an end three years ago after a highly successful 20-year run.
A long-time volunteer fundraiser, Rostad recently returned to the Pakenham area (Cedar Hill) home he shares with his wife Leanne Cusack, a presenter on CTV Ottawa. He made a summer-long commitment to a cause he promotes tirelessly, the 'Motorcycle Ride for Dad' which raises money for prostate cancer as well as awareness about a disease which strikes an average of 25,500 Canadian men each year and kills 4,400 annually.
"We performed twice a day for 31 days and in between we traveled," he told the EMC last week.
"It was grueling but everybody bucked up and held their own," the affable singer/songwriter explains.
"We raised a quarter million dollars and a whole lot of awareness," Rostad says with obvious satisfaction.
As he criss crossed the country he also assisted the Canadian Military Families Fund, entertaining at military bases from coast to coast.
"It was a long summer - but it was well worth it."
In early September Rostad, along with his wife and friends including fellow Lanark County entertainers Tracey Brown and Randall Prescott (of Family Brown and Prescott-Brown fame) spent a week in Edmonton.
The nation's country music fraternity gets together annually to renew acquaintances and honour individual members and groups. The highlight comes during formal ceremonies to induct new members of the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.
This year it was Rostad's turn!
On Sept. 10 he, along with such notables as Don Harron, the late Willie P. Bennett, Donna and Leroy Anderson (of Tommy Hunter Show fame) and Hal Willis were officially inducted into the hall. It was the latter who popularized a song Rostad himself performs regularly 'The Lumberjack' song. Willis' wife Ginger was inducted with him.
Song favourite
For Rostad one of the highlights was meeting Willis for the first time.
"I play the Lumberjack song at all of my shows," Rostad says, breaking into an impromptu chorus from the classic tune.
"It was a real pleasure to finally meet the man who wrote and popularized it."
He also enjoyed the opportunity to rub shoulders with Donna and Leroy.
"I was a guest on the (Tommy) Hunter show and it was great to see them again.
"It was a chance for the industry to connect for a week.
"At the ceremony (held in Edmonton's Winspear Centre) we all performed, entertained the crowd (a full house was on hand) and it was just a great musical night."
For Rostad one of the most enjoyable parts of the week was having the opportunity to spend some time with Prescott and his wife Brown, long-time friends and fellow Ottawa Valley entertainers. They live only a hop, skip and jump from the Pakenham Ward home in Mississippi Mills where Rostad has resided since 1985. Brown and Prescott operate their own music studio in the lakeside village of Clayton.
"We were thrilled to spend some time with Randall and Tracey. We followed parallel career paths."
"It was just a wonderful time for us."
Prescott makes it clear the feeling is mutual!
"We are long-time friends and it was great for us to be able to sit down and have breakfast with Wayne and Leanne and spend time together," Prescott told the EMC.
"We rubbed shoulders with a few oil patch millionaires," he laughs.
Turning serious Prescott says, "Wayne is a national icon. They (organizers) left him (induction) to last. It was great."
In fact it was a big night all around for Lanark County in Edmonton.
Brown and Prescott introduced Rostad and all three Mississippi Mills' residents performed.
The co-hosts for this year's Hall of Fame induction were Ontario-born country entertainers Michelle Wright and Jason McCoy.
"It was only September but Wayne sang Christmas in the Valley," Prescott explains.
It is a song that is very familiar to the Clayton couple. The three have performed together many times on the Canadian Pacific Railway's (CPR) 'Holiday Train' with Rostad's familiar seasonal song as the signature tune.
"The entire evening was first class," Prescott says.
Rostad echoes his friend's comments.
"The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) treated us like gold.
"There were courtesy cars to take us wherever we wanted to go. The meals were all paid for (by CCMA). It was wonderful," the new hall of famer observes.
Reflecting on the experience Rostad says, "You feel like at the end of a long road, you've made a mark - you've accomplished something.
"It pleases the soul!"
The long-time entertainer, an Ottawa native and former radio host (he once worked at the former CJET in Smiths Falls) says he is fortunate because one career complimented the other.
"I've been a singer and song writer for a long time.
"During the TV show (On the Road Again) I continued to write songs."
He says the difference (between he and other entertainers) is that his music "was broadcast nationally via television.
"One talent supported the other," he chuckles.
TELEVISION CAREER
In total Rostad had a 35-year TV career counting his time on 'Country Report' a regional show which, like the national program (On the Road), featured Rostad traveling to meet "all kinds of interesting people."
On the Road Again enjoyed what the host calls "an incredible 20-year run from sea-to-sea-to-sea."
His only regret in terms of the TV shows was that he had so little time to indulge his first love, entertaining live audiences.
"Traveling across the country doing the show didn't leave me enough time to do much performing."
That has changed significantly in the three years since he left weekly television.
After a busy summer of traveling the country raising funds for worthy causes, Rostad is now turning his attention to his upcoming pre-holiday tour 'Christmas in the Valley with Wayne and Friends'.
He and his latest cast of friends will appear in numerous Ontario communities beginning at Brockville Arts Centre Nov. 25 and concluding Dec. 17 at Peterborough's Showplace Centre. The tour includes a stop at Centrepoint Theatre in the Nepean section of Ottawa on Monday, Dec. 13. There are also shows in Renfrew Dec. 4 and Pembroke Dec. 10.
Rostad says that in order to keep the show fresh the list of entertainers changes annually.
"In other words the show you saw last year in Brockville will be different this year."
As for the classic holiday song which lends its name to the tour, Rostad calls Christmas in the Valley "an extremely strong song."
In fact it is so popular that despite the fact it was written with Rostad's own Ottawa Valley in mind he says "it has now been adopted by some other valleys."
He backs that up with a story about a radio appearance in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia.
"The lady hosting called it (song) 'Christmas in the Annapolis Valley'. I told her I wrote it for 'the Ottawa Valley.'
"No you didn't," she said.
Rostad repeated his contention.
"No you didn't," the radio host said with even more emphasis.
"I finally got it," he chuckles. "Christmas in the Valley fits any valley.
"In the Annapolis Valley they've adopted it as their Christmas anthem."
He expresses his gratitude relative to what has become his most familiar tune.
"I enjoy performing it at every concert we do."
Not surprisingly the upcoming series of shows will be in aid of one of Rostad's pet causes.
"It's a CHEO (Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario) fundraiser," he notes, saying CHEO and the young children the hospital assists on a daily basis "is near and dear to my heart.
"I've co-hosted the CHEO Telethon with Max (Keeping) for 27 years," he says proudly.
Rostad is also the volunteer host and annual headliner at the 'Light Up the Night' Christmas kick-off event in downtown Almonte each December. This year's venture on Friday, Dec. 3 will be the 20th annual. Watch for a complete story on the anniversary event in a future edition of the EMC!
"It's a heartwarming event and an annual love of mine," he stresses.
Complimented on his spirit of volunteerism, Rostad refuses to take credit.
"We all have to do something for our community.
"You show me a healthy community and I will show you a healthy volunteer community.
"My father taught me an important lesson. He said 'Learn to give before you receive.'"
For more information about Rostad and 'Christmas In the Valley with Wayne and Friends' visit the website: www.waynerostad.com
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