Welcome to the site for Ray Bell and for the acoustic duo 'Bellingham' (Ray Bell & Tahnis Cunningham)
This performance of 'New Found Melody' is from April 2009 and is part of a series called 'Stripped Down'. We played tunes from Karrnnel's CD as well as some Canadian Fiddle standards.
In Praise Of Reel To Reel
Tape Recorders!
Cover On
Cover Off!
Back in the early 1970's I bought a Sony TC266 Reel to Reel Tape Recorder. Up till then I had been using my Dad's but this was a much better machine and sounded great! I would record myself at home playing songs that I had learned then, mostly these were songs I would perform at 'The Guild' coffee house or at other places where us folkies would be asked to play.
I would also take the recorder to 'The Guild' and record other acts there and also to the Regina Folk Festival where I would record local performers as well as those from other provinces. Back then no one seemed to mind there being a few more microphones in front of them for their performance.
That wonderful TC266 stopped working a couple of decades ago but as luck would have it I was able to get one from my friends Peggy and Gordon in Strasbourg. This was the next model up from mine, a Sony TC377. When I set it up the first tape I played was the wonderful John Antle from the 1973 Folk Festival. I was amazed how good the tapes sounded after all those years! Luckily they were stored properly and kept in a cool dark basement which I'm sure helped preserve them.
I've been transferring the performances to a digital format and sending them to the people that I recorded, most of whom had no idea those recordings existed!
Among the performers I recorded back then were: Everyday Dirt, Bob Evans, John Antle, Roberta Nichol, Jack Semple, Raffi, Bim (Roy Forbes), Ken Hamm, Rick Neufeldt and many more.
Myself and guitarist Nerissa BeBeau will be playing instrumental guitar music at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum's annual fundraiser, Artifact/Artifiction. The fundraiser hasn't happened for the last two years so I'm really exited to be back to the great atmosphere there.
I'll be accompanying Tahnis Cunningham as she gives a presentation about Metis Fiddle music. Check with the Library for the event time.
Tahnis Cunningham and myself will be playing for a private function at Casino Regina.
I'll be stepping back in time with my best friends, Kings Of The Twin Fiddles, J.J. Guy and Gordon Stobbe as we play for an old time Barn Dance.
I'll be back at Government House for this years Canada Day Celebration performing with my dear friend Karrnnel Sawitsky fiddler and Juno award winner, and the great Don Benedictson on Bass.
I'm so happy to let you know that I WILL be teaching at a camp this Summer!!! Fiddly Ness is going online the 4th and 5th of July 2020. The camp will include an online jam session, online classes with instructors in fiddle, banjo, piano, guitar, upright bass, and evening concerts put together by world class musicians! See you there!
I'll be back playing instrumental acoustic guitar music for the Museum's annual fundraiser. A wonderful facility and a gig I always look forward to!
The first New Year's Day Levee was started in 1884 by Lieutenant Governor Edgar Dewdney. This is a continuation of that tradition and I'll be accompanying fiddler Tahnis Cunningham as we play a variety of fiddle music at this open house.
I'm really looking forward to being at Sawchyn's Guitar Shop and to be talking about and demonstrating Sigma Guitars. I'll be playing several different styles and talking about my approach to playing as it has evolved over the years. Hope to see you there!
I'm really excited to be teaching at this camp for the first time with Tahnis Cunningham, Gordon Stobbe, J.J. Guy, Geoff Horrocks and Trish Horrocks. I'll be teaching the guitar student different ways to accompany fiddlers. See you there!
I'll be back again to the this fabulous Camp in the Kootenay Mountains in Castlegar B.C. This is the 16th annual camp where I'll get to teach with Gordon stobbe, J.J. Guy, Tahnis Cunningham, Ivonne Hernandez, Geoff Horrocks, Trish Horrocks Mike Sanyshyn and Kimberly Holmes and Colin Buchart.
I'll be accompanying Master Metis Fiddler John Arcand and Metis jigger Krystle Pederson as we celebrate Canada 150 at the beautiful grounds of Government House in Regina.
A guitar happening where I'll be performing and demonstrating different styles and techniques. I'll be starting at 1pm and will be followed by Rob D. (The Bureau) Justin Bender (Into Eternity) and Murray Pulver (Crash Test Dummies). There will also be a Guest Panel as well as a Guitar Maintenance Workshop and a Trade Show.
A private function where I'll be playing instrumental guitar music for the nice folks at Kreate Architecture.
I'll be back at this wonderful camp in the heart of the Kootenay mountains for another great week of teaching and playing along with, among others, Gordon Stobbe, JJ Guy and Tahnis Cunningham.