Gary'sGlimpses

  "In 1977, I had the privilege of hosting the hospitality suite at the TIFF. Among the many famous faces that graced the event, I had the pleasure of meeting Donald Sutherland. Although we had crossed paths at the club 22 in the Windsor Arms, we had never really had a chance to converse. That all changed when he arrived at the hospitality suite accompanied by the legendary Peter O'Toole. In need of a private space, they approached me and I quickly showed them to one of the bedrooms, fully stocked with a bar. They were grateful and thanked me profusely. With almost 200 credits to his name and 6ft 3in to his frame, the late Donald Sutherland cast a literal and figurative shadow over his industry for almost 50 years. Born in July 1935 in Saint John, New Brunswick, he was a radio news reporter in his youth and graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in engineering. But it was not long before the acting bug took hold, prompting him to leave his native Canada and tra...

MacLean and MacLean The MacLean’s came to my club one night and we immediately became fast friends. Soon after I became a small part of the act whenever they came to Ontario. I was the Lobsterman. I joined them in performing the second-oldest recorded song in the English language. It is an old Scottish Ballad called the ‘Lobster’ and I was known as the Lobsterman. I couldn’t sing that well but mostly got through it. To begin with I took it very much in stride. But eventually, I began to care about how I did. That is when I ran into trouble and got stage fright and I actually used to sweat before I did my bit. Then one night I did it, but I forgot the words. They waited through a chorus and then Gary Looked at me. “Did you forget the words?” I nodded my mind racing trying to find the words. “You Arsehole!” says the ever-helpful Gary. Somehow I found the words and finished the song and never really had much trouble again.  One of my favorite memories of the boys is with Murray McLa...

Catherine was a good friend she loved the after-hours scene. her brother Marcus ran the 505 another After Hours spot on Eastern Queen Street. But she often came to my place and always brought interesting people. So there I was at the Club 22 at the Windsor Arms. With my then-buddy Michael Ironside. Michael and I were trying to break our record of drinking about 80 margaritas. When Johnny Hart and Jack Caprio the cartoonists showed up and we were really throwing the drinks back and having a great time. When I saw Katherine waving at me. She had just come from the Courtyard Cafe where she had treated her parents to dinner. She waved me over and I gave her a peck and she says Gary I want you to meet my mother and father. 'Really How nice"I said trying to be polite and bent over with a little bow and extended my hand when: from out of nowhere Ironside bit my ass really hard. I don't know how he did it, but I screamed and jumped and kicked. He hung on like a pit bull. I writhed...

 I remember that night vividly. Bernie Fiedler, a well-known figure in the Yorkville music scene, brought Joni Mitchell to my after-hours club. Bernie and I were good friends, and he often frequented my club, sometimes bringing along his star attractions from the Riverboat coffeehouse. The Riverboat was an iconic venue, part of a prestigious circuit that included notable places like Detroit’s Chess Mate and New York’s Bitter End. Situated below street level, the Riverboat was an intimate setting that seated 120 people in red booths, surrounded by pine walls and brass portholes. Many great names in music had performed there, from Howlin’ Wolf to James Taylor.  It was one of those quiet nights when Bernie walked in with Joni Mitchell. We sat around, enjoying drinks and engaging in conversations that flowed naturally. After about an hour, Joni, with her signature poise and quietly engaging demeanor, asked if we wanted her to sing some songs from her new record. Of course, I jumpe...

  This was in 1979 I had just quit the booze can biz and was transgressing into the Movie biz.  A Night with Leonard ut play ▶ + Save to documents My usual haunt was Club 22 at the Windsor Arms, a spot where I always felt at ease, my own enclave of comfort and confidence. One evening, as I meandered into the familiar space, the faces that typically welcomed me were absent, so I settled for a drink at the bar. While scanning the room, a lone figure caught my attention—Leonard Cohen. With uncharacteristic boldness, I approached and introduced myself. "Hey Leonard, I'm Gary LeDrew, a friend of Lesley McDonells. She often speaks of you." Leonard’s eyes immediately sparkled with recognition. "The lovely Lesley. Have you seen her lately?" he inquired. I mentioned that I hadn’t seen much of her since she married that St. Nicholas fellow. This exchange about our mutual friend quickly eased us into further conversation. Being from Montreal, I shared my personal history...

 **Meeting John Allan Cameron at the Horseshoe (1975)** The year was 1975, and the iconic Horseshoe Tavern on Queen Street in Toronto was buzzing with energy. That was the night I met John Allan Cameron, a fellow Cape Bretoner and a legendary figure in the folk and Celtic music scene. I had recently opened an after-hours bar right across the street from the Horseshoe, a cozy spot where musicians and music lovers could unwind after a gig. Between John’s sets, I mustered the courage to introduce myself, sharing my Cape Breton roots. Our conversation flowed easily, filled with the usual Cape Breton inquiries of "who you know" and "where you're from." There was an instant connection, and we spent the night talking about our shared homeland, music, and life. What started as a simple introduction developed into a genuine friendship. Over the years, John and I often crossed paths in the vibrant musical scene of Toronto. He always took the time to stop, chat, and catc...

ALAN MACRAE Alan McRae, Ont.: Born in the British Isles, the son of a highland piper, Alan was a gold miner and with ...? was instrumental in organizing Canada's first folk club in Vancouver, BC. He moved to Toronto and became the resident singer at Toronto's first "folk bar" the Steeles' Tavern. he played the Horseshoe Tavern most of the summer of 1975. He was a mentor and friend to many Toronto folk musicians through the 60s and 70s before he passed away. T.C. played the Horseshoe the summer of 75 and hung out at my bar. I admired his drive a real folk star in spite of the lack of natural talent he could entertain. comments: Anonymous said... I remember persuading Basil Steele to book Gordon Lightfoot, give him a try for a week. Gordon was at home there for a long time. Hard to be precise about the year in the 1960s but Brita, Gord's first wife brought their first child to Steeles one night, the first night the child was out of the house. During this perio...

I hung out with Ken for a while at his coffee house in Toronto. The New Gate of Cleve. I was hanging out with him one afternoon. He was working on a poster for Mariposa 63. Ed Cowan came by and through him I ended up with a job at the Mariposa Folk Festival. Somewhere along the way Ken broke a leg and was hobbling along with a cast. A couple of weeks after Mariposa, Goodwood Go track had a big festival weekend with concerts and a tent city. I was a duty bootlegger. I had a tent filled with booze. Ken stayed in the tent with me. When suddenly we were raided by the provincial police. Ken and I sneaked away and sat up on a hill and watched the police check every tent except for mine. Ken was pretty much a wild guy to hang with at this time. I think this was his last hurrah. It was the last I saw of him as he suddenly cleaned up his act and concentrated on his painting. Ken Danby (1940-2007) was one of Canada's foremost practitioners of contemporary realism. Rooted in the Canadian p...

I met Jay (Eugene)Smith and the Majestics on a cold rainy fall night at Goodwood Go-Kart Track in 64. It was supposed to be the Last night of a Gala Weekend of racing and a tent city and a hootnanny etc. but they had got raided by the police for selling liquor illegally which was mostly me. (I was never caught) Nobody showed up. They were huddled on the porch when I met them trying to decide what to do. I gave Eugen a bottle of whisky to warm them up before I left. I met Jay (Eugene)Smith and the Majestics on a cold rainy fall night at Goodwood Go-Kart Track in 64. It was supposed to be the Last night of a Gala Weekend of racing and a tent city and a hootnanny etc. but they had got raided by the police for selling liquor illegally which was mostly me. (I was never caught) Nobody showed up. They were huddled on the porch when I met them trying to decide what to do. I gave Eugen a bottle of whisky to warm them up before I left.

I was introduced to him at the Filmores Hotel in Toronto when they tried a Jazz format He sat down with me between sets

Shared with Public I was Captain of a Charter Sailboat in Orillia in 1984. Brian chartered us for a night cruise for a couple dozen people. I partied with them afterward.

Back in the seventies when he was playing at Sherbourne Charles in Toronto and Doug Bush took me to meet him, Now I had a lot of black friends in those days and hung out with them and Doug and I had a run-in over a girl at one time. anyway, Doug led me down a path that Charlie took offense to, and became an argument and I had to leave Always felt bad about this.

Drinking with Richard Burton  "During the making of 'Circle of Two', I had the privilege of being Richard Burton's drinking companion. While I wasn't part of the actual filming, my company UDO Productions had owned the movie and sold it to Bill and Hank and I had been finishing some details. Every day, I would be sitting in the 22, and at the end of the day, Bob Harris, Richard's valet, would come in and hand me a crisp twenty-dollar bill. It was my winnings from our ongoing bet on the World Series. Richard had chosen the Phillies, while I went for Kansas City. As part of my ritual, I would always buy the loser a drink. And as soon as I pocketed the twenty, Richard would slip into the booth to collect his drink. But when he won, he would show up alone, collect his twenty, and buy me a drink in return. (The series went for seven games, with Kansas City ultimately emerging victorious.) Our friendly competition wasn't about the money, it was just an excuse f...

In the heart of Toronto, I ran an exclusive after-hours bar, a hidden gem known for its unique clientele and enigmatic charm. Gaining entry to this clandestine establishment wasn't easy; you either had to be a celebrity, most notably a musician, or have the privilege of knowing me personally. This unwritten rule provided a layer of secrecy that kept the authorities at bay for a long time. It was a sanctuary for those who craved anonymity and the freedom to unwind without the scrutiny of the public eye. One memorable evening, as I was tending to the door, a tall man donning braids and a large white cowboy hat appeared. He introduced himself in a confident yet humble manner. "Gary, you don't know me. I am Gordon Tootoosis," he said. "I am an actor, and a good actor too, I can play any tribe." His earnest declaration and imposing presence were enough for me to grant him entry. Gordon's reputation preceded him, particularly for his role in the movie Alien Th...

Michael Snow SALUTE Michael Snow a Canadian Icon has passed away. Condolences to family and friends I had the pleasure of knowing Michael personally and even attending a few of his art openings. We would often share a glass or two, and maybe even a toke or two, while listening to the talented Jazz band he would bring along. Though I must admit, I did suffer through a couple of his more experimental films. But let's not make this story about me. It's about the incredible party I was invited to after a Michael Snow retrospective at the AGO. Held in a lavish mansion in the affluent neighborhood of Rosedale, Toronto, I couldn't help but feel like a stranger in a strange land. The party had all the makings of a great time with delicious food and an abundance of booze, but it seemed like the usual crowd was missing. Even my attempts to strike up a conversation with Michael were thwarted by the never-ending line of admirers. Feeling a bit overwhelmed, I excused myself to find ...