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The
Sun Journal
Lewiston, Maine
July, 1995
Shawna Sevigny
The tunes were pretty
The
CD & tapes bring it all back
Armand Paquette, of Saco,
still has fond memories of playing the fiddle in the Ken MacKenzie
Show in the 1950s. Apparently he's not the only one who remembers the
first country-western variety show in Maine. Over 900 copies of
"I'm following the stars," a tape of the late MacKenzie and
his wife's songs and yodeling have been sold since January.
"We have airplay in 18 states, nine foreign countries and four
stations in Maine play his music," said Richard MacKenzie, Ken
MacKenzie's son. Because of the strong support, MacKenzie's family
decided to release a second album featuring other members of
MacKenzie's band. Paquette, who's stage name is Pete Dixon, and the
other band members have all been inducted in the Maine Country Music
Hall of Fame and will finally get to hear their music on the radio
again.
"In those days everyone listened to western music, but there
aren't many of those any more," said Paquette. "They were
pretty tunes. You can't even make out the words to today's music
anymore." A retired deputy chief at the Saco Fire Department,
Paquette has not given up his music. He is in a band called Toots
Bouthot's band, which frequently plays at the senior citizen center in
Biddeford. He also judges a fiddling contest held annually at
Kennebunk City Hall.
The Ken MacKenzie Show, which played on WGAN (now WGME) television,
was one of Maine's most popular entertainment programs. Many believe
MacKenzie introduced more young Mainers to country music than anybody
else. While it has been more than 40 years since the show went on the
air, Paquette said the surviving band members could never forget times
spent recording. "You don't appreciate it until years
later," he said. "We had a lot of fun. Every night we
did something different."
The band's accordionist, Dick Monroe of Lyman, .and singer Betty
Gribbin of Portland, are among the locals also featured on the tape to
be released in the fall. Either tape costs $10, plus $2.75 for
shipping. Checks can be sent to Richard MacKenzie, P.O. Box 5849,
Darlington, Md., 21034-5849. Cd’s are now available for $15.00,
including shipping.
Copyright © 1998 MacKenzie
Family Productions
All Rights Reserved. Do not duplicate or redistribute in any form.
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