Skip to main content

Harry Hibbs




Meeting Harry Hibbs at the Horseshoe in Toronto, 1977

It was the summer of 1977 when I first met Harry Hibbs at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. The Horseshoe, a legendary venue known for its gritty charm and vibrant music scene, was the perfect backdrop for what would become a memorable encounter. Harry, a celebrated Newfoundland folk musician, was in town for a week-long engagement, and I happened to be there through a stroke of luck—or perhaps fate.

We struck up a conversation thanks to a mutual friend, Chick Roberts, who had introduced us. Harry was a man of warmth and charisma, carrying with him two cases: one for his beloved accordion and the other, a briefcase he jokingly referred to as his “music archive.” Over the next few days, our casual acquaintance blossomed into a genuine friendship.

Harry shared stories of his life back in Newfoundland, where he had recently opened his own club, Conception Bay. The name resonated with me deeply, as my grandfather hailed from the same area. This shared connection seemed to deepen our bond, and by midweek, Harry invited me to join him in his dressing room after the show.

It was there that he revealed the contents of his mysterious briefcase: two bottles of rum. Harry was a man who knew how to celebrate life, and that night was no exception. He started the evening with a bang, his laughter filling the room as he poured drinks and played a few impromptu tunes on his accordion. But as the night wore on, the mood shifted.

During his performance of Me Mother, a song that spoke of love, loss, and longing, Harry’s emotions got the better of him. Tears streamed down his face as he sang, his voice trembling with raw vulnerability. It was a poignant moment, one that revealed the depth of his struggles—not just with the bottle, but with the weight of his own heart.

Despite his battles, Harry remained a kind and generous soul, a true entertainer who poured his heart into every note. That night at the Horseshoe Tavern left an indelible mark on me, a reminder of the power of music to connect us, to heal us, and to reveal the shared humanity that binds us all.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Elway Yost

  My sister Gaille was Elway Yost's secretary for a few years at TV Ontario. "I had the incredible opportunity to meet and engage in conversation with the talented Elwy on multiple occasions. On two separate occasions, I was even asked to be a stand-by guest for his show, Magic Shadows. Though I never had the chance to step in, just being considered by Elwy himself was an honor I will never forget. As a devoted fan of Magic Shadows from the very start, these moments were truly unforgettable.
Post a Comment
Read more

Keenan Wynn

This is me with Keenan Wynn during the shooting of 'The Ballonist' a "Littlest Hobo" episode shot in my parents home in Uxbridge Ontario in the Summer of 1980. It was directed by Allen Eastman (Alien) and Keenan enjoyed tormenting him a bit.  Keenan and I spent the breaks talking about movies like 'Dr. Strangelove' etc. it was a fun afternoon. Keenan had the shakes a bit and didn't want to sign autographs, he always had the continuity girl around to take poloroids and gave out pictures instead .
1 comment
Read more

Roy Payne

I first met Roy at the Horseshoe in the summer of 75 The horseshoe was across the street I was a regular and a good friend of Morty Starr the manager. Morty pointed to Roy setting up on stage. Morty told me that Roy owed him 3000 dollars so he had hired him for the whole month of August so he could get his money back. He told the waiter and the bartender not to let Roy have anything to drink until the last half of the show that night. Morty went off to the office. I was sitting in a booth opposite the bar with Morgan Vice who was leader of the usual house band. suddenly I felt something grab my ankle. it was Roy he had crawled under all the empty booths going back to the stage so that Morty or the Bartender couldn't see him. Get me a beer bye he croaked. I ordered him a beer and we became fast friends. He was at my bar pretty well every night for the month. At the end of the month Morty told me Roy owed him 6,000 dollars. One night Roy found a water pistol somewhere and squirted me...
9 comments
Read more