Born: 1919 in Cabri, Saskatchewan; d. June 19, 1998
[Links]
Trumpeteer,
orchestra leader, arranger and music teacher Gimby gained public attention
in Vancouver as a troupe member of CBC Radio's 'Happy Gang' throughout the
1940's and 1950's and soon moved to television on the 'Juliette' show
(1958-1961).
During a world tour he composed the song "Malaysia
Forever" which would later be adopted by Malaysia as their National
Anthem.
Gimby wore a cape and played a decorated heraldic trumpet
as he paraded around being followed by children who sang along to his
songs. He soon gained the nickname "The Pied Piper Of Canada".
It
was Gimby's 1967 Centennial song "Canada" that gained him international
recognition. The song would eventually be recorded by more than thirty
other acts including The Sugar Shoppe who made it a hit all over again.
The song was adopted by Tourism Canada but Gimby donated all the
song's royalties to The Boy Scouts Of Canada. Ironically, a 1980's
songwriters' lobby group used the song as a call-to-arms for better
royalty rates and pointed out to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney that a song
like "Canada" was only receiving one cent each time it was played -- the
lowest rate in the world.
Gimby won the Order Of Canada for his
continual musical contribution to the Canadian identity. He would later
lead a band at the Leisure World Retirement Home in North Bay, Ontario.
Gimby died of natural causes in June 1998.
Singles
1967 Canada [with
The Young Canada Singers]
1970 Manitoba Hundred
1971 Go
British Columbia
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