There’s something nostalgic about taking a trip down memory lane. Ray’s Strings and Things is giving people that opportunity to reminisce about the good ol’ days when it comes to music from the Valley with their Memory Lane. The project started as an idea and has now led to a collection of musicians and bands spanning over decades, from the Valley.
“We have a wall called Memory Lane here at the shop dedicated to musicians from the Valley,” said Ray’s Strings and Things Owner and Operator RJ McGregor. “One of our longtime customers and a good friend was talking with us about how many music stores there were back in the day and how many talented musicians there were. Back then there were posters and autographed pictures hung up all over, showcasing musical talent.
“We thought it would be interesting to put a spin on it if we featured all local talent. It kind of snowballed from there. Leonard Constant, a lifelong musician, donated the sign for our wall.”
McGregor is looking for people to bring in photos, posters, and bios of musicians and bands that have ties to the Swan Valley area. He will post them up on the Memory Lane wall in the shop for people to see.
“I received about a half dozen last week and they keep coming in,” said McGregor. “I have one five-piece band, about a dozen other bands, and then fifteen other artists. Every week, there are more coming in. The first two I received were from a granddaughter of two Benito musicians. I also have one from the Swan River School Band in 1967. There is a lot of school band history from here and that is great to have.
“People who bring us a submission for the Memory Lane provide us with a little bit of background on the musician or band. I had one person bring in a photo of a band from the 1960s and he not only brought in the photo, but one of the posters from a dance they performed at in 1966 or 1967.
“I have had people come into the shop, see the photos and tell me they are going to bring some in as well.
“The other thing we are trying to get a hold of as well is old dance posters too,” said McGregor. “If anyone has a paper poster from a dance back in the day, we would gladly copy it and hang it up on the wall. Some of these photos are the only ones people have, so we copy them and give them their originals back.
“I’ve had people mention they have some well-known musicians from the area, from back in the day, but the photo is old and of them playing at a kitchen party. I told them I wanted the photo for the Memory Lane wall. Back then, a lot of musicians played house parties or just sat around kitchen tables playing music.”
Looking back at the Valley’s musical history, there are many musicians who went on to do some recording. There are also familial ties to musical talent that can be seen as well.
“There are a few musicians from this area who have gone on to do some recording,” said McGregor. “Richard Adams wrote a song called Rodeo Cowboy for the band Garry Lee and Showdown.
“There are a few other musicians with local connections. One is Marianne Hulme and she is Austin Ryder’s great-aunt. So one can see how musical influence can span over generations. It’s really neat to look at.”
McGregor is accepting submissions for the Memory Lane wall and people can stop by the shop to show them what they have.
“I have a great big wall, so I have lots of room for submissions,” said McGregor. “I hope to fill it up.”

The Sled for Eternity Northern Manitoba run took place this past Saturday (Feb. 28), with registration taking place at the Swan Valley Historical Museum. A total of 32 riders pre-registered for the event with more showing up that morning. The Adult and Teen Challenge program helps people with life controlling addictions find freedom, get their lives back, as well as helping them reconcile with family and friends. They also offer supports for others. If you have someone you’re concerned about, or yourself, reach out. All money raised from the event will go directly back into the programs offered. Please visit www.teenchallenge.tc for further information. Pictured here, Danny Suchoplas (left) and Don Buhler (right) get ready to leave on the 232 kilometre trail ride.

The members of the Russell Figure Skating Club congratulated (back row) coach Lesley Wray, (front right) Julia Wray and Justice Tremblay with gifts in appreciation of representing the club at the upcoming Manitoba Winter Games.
The Manitoba Winter Games will be held in Thompson the first week of March, with skating competitions happening March 4th to 7th.
Their regional based team is named TEAM WEST.
Russell Skating Club is thrilled to announce that we that not one, but three individuals from the club will be involved in Team West at the Games this year!

Read more on page 2 of the March 3rd, 2026, Russell Banner.

The theme of the Russell Figure Skating Club’s 2026 carnival was Disney’s Under the Sea. So there were mermaids and pirates and a bunch of Sponge Bob’s pineapple buddies.
Every year, the Russell Figure Skating Club continues to grow and now includes 14 STAR level skaters, 28 CanSkaters along with four Bridge skaters, a program designed to allow the higher level CanSkaters to train alongside the STARskaters helping build their confidence and enthusiasm for the sport.
The club has always followed Skate Canada curriculum and have employed Skate Canada certified instructors for CanSkate. They now have five certified coaches allowing for more little skaters to enjoy the ice.

Get the whole front page story in this week's Russell Banner.

They say laughter is the best medicine and what better way to be entertained than through comedy? One local resident has been making people laugh for quite some time and is now taking his comedy on the stage and on record.
Chad Anderson grew up watching comedians. It fostered a love for stand-up comedy and a desire to become a stand-up comedian.
“I was born and raised in The Pas, grew up out at Ralls Island,” said Anderson. “I went to Mary Duncan when it was still an elementary School, Opasquia Middle School and MBCI.
“Growing up, the earliest comedians I can ever remember hearing are Jeff Foxworthy and Don Burnstick, but the comedian that made me love comedy was probably Dave Chapelle and shouting Chapelle show quotes with the boys. That show came out right around the end of high school, if I remember correctly and it kind of shaped my humour.

Opaskwayak Cree Nation singer Rhonda Head has been making music headlines all over the world and has now won a total of 54 international music awards. Earlier this year, Head received a World Entertainment Music Award, which was presented before the Grammys.
The World Entertainment Awards (WEA) provide winners with recognition of excellence, prestige
“Everyone submits to the awards show, which gets juried and then the nominations are released,” said Head. “The awards show was held on January 31, 2026, at the Whisky-A-Go-Go in Los Angeles and they announced the winners. A lot of the nominees for these awards showed up and the winners were announced. The winners got to walk the red carpet and give interviews on winning their award. It was really excited and everyone looked so beautiful.

A long-standing business in The Pas is under new ownership. The new owner is Leo Ho and his family has ties to the Swan Valley area, where his grandfather ran a restaurant. His entrepreneurial spirit derives from the work ethic his family instilled in him.
“My parents worked in the Quon’s Inn in Minnedosa, about 35 years ago,” said Ho. “They always worked six days a week and 10 to 12 hours per day. Therefore, when I was a teenager and I learned that everything you wish for or success in this world is through hard work and there is no luck.”
While in university, Ho opened Prairie Pantry, a roadside restaurant, which gave him firsthand experience in running his own business.

The Northern Manitoba Trapper’s Festival (NMTF) brings in government dignitaries on various levels and this year was no different. Some of the dignitaries are long-standing attenders of the festival and for some, it was their first time experiencing what the NMTF had to offer.
“This was my first year at the Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival and it was awesome,” said Manitoba Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan. “All the people there were so welcoming and there was an energy and a buzz when you drove into The Pas, right from the Opening Ceremony.
“I would have to say my highlight for the Trappers’ Festival was taking part in the Torchlite Parade and handing out candy in the freezing cold, to hundreds of happy kids. My other highlight was watching the dog sled races.

Based on perception, often the reality of a situation can be very divergent among different groups.

Knowing that, Dauphin and Area Welcoming Communities Coalition co-ordinator Anna Lermolenko has set out to determine where the perceptions of the city align and differ among long-time community leaders and new immigrants.

To get to the reality of the situation, Lermolenko has organized separate discussions with the two groups to gather information.

“The purpose of these sessions is to bring different perspectives together and to better understand key community needs,” Lermolenko said, prior to the first meeting with community leaders, Feb. 18.

“I will compare the findings from both sessions to see where the perspectives of community leaders and immigrants align and where they may differ.”

The focused discussion centred on five key areas with specific questions posed in each area.

In the priority area of Inclusion of Immigrants workshop participants were asked:

• Based on your work role, what helps immigrants integrate successfully into the community;
• What barriers do you observe most often for immigrants; and
• Which immigrant groups seem to face the greatest challenges?

Read the full story in this weeks Dauphin Herald.

Musical talent is a gift that can run deep in a family and can be the roots of the family tree. This is the case for Metis singer and songwriter Joe H. Henry. Henry is no stranger to the area or to music in Manitoba. His father was a well-known musician across the Prairies, with roots in the San Clara area. This is what drew Henry into music and into the area.
“I was born in Winnipeg and we moved between there and Stonewall,” said Henry. “My father was Harvey Henry and my mother is Tanis Nott. I was really young when we left Manitoba and headed to British Columbia. My father stayed in Winnipeg with my aunt. We moved around a lot during my childhood.
“I would go back to Prosper Valley, which was named after my grandfather Prosper Henry, with my dad from the time I was really little, up until I was about 18 years old. Every summer I spent with my dad was in that valley. It was constant music all the time. My uncles, aunts and father were always playing music. They would all get together and just play music.
“I remember my uncle Ephrem gave me my first musical instrument, which was the fiddle,” said Henry. “There was an old photo of me as a small child, sitting on the table holding that fiddle.
“They would build these great big bonfires that would sometimes go on for a couple of days. Also, in the kitchen of the old farmhouse, they would get together to talk, have tea, play cards and then play music. All of us kids would get put to bed in the house, and we would just go and sit by the window and listen to the music coming from outside by the bonfire.
“My entire childhood was immersed in music,” said Henry. “I was constantly surrounded by it. I came to realize that the reason my family had this gift of music was because the Metis people were meant to be the carriers of the story, not the creators of the tradition. What better way to spread and share that story than in a song?
“My father played almost any musical instrument, but he focused on playing guitar and bass and was mainly a singer, like me. My dad was mostly known for his voice. He won awards with the Harvey Henry Band. He was my biggest musical influence as a child. Listening to him play in the Harvey Henry Band and watching my family at gatherings, I just knew that was the path that I was going to end up on. I just watched how they did it, from writing to music to performing on stage.
“I slowly learned to play the fiddle, but then moved on to playing the guitar,” said Henry. “I always wanted to be a singer and playing the guitar was a way to accompany that. I built up my vocals by learning to yodel.”
It wasn’t until Henry experience a great loss that brought him back to Manitoba and his roots. Upon coming back to the area, he became connected again with family.
“I came back to Manitoba in 2013, when my father passed away,” said Henry. “I was living in Montreal at the time, and was heavily steeped in music and on the road, while also having a restaurant in Montreal. I got a call on my birthday from my Aunt Connie, who informed me of the news. It was tough.
“At that time, I realized I needed to get back to my roots. I made the plan to start my move back home to Manitoba. It happened really quickly. I stayed with my Aunt Connie and Uncle Gordon in San Clara for a bit, and started working on the same farm my dad had been working on, which was for Dave Grega. Then Dave gave me a place to stay at one of the houses he had on the farmland.”
It wasn’t long before Henry decided it was time to plant his own family roots and got married to a long-time friend. Together, they decided to build a home and a family and settled on coming to the Swan Valley area.
“I moved to Alpine a few years after coming back to Manitoba, in the San Clara area,” said Henry. “My wife, Shelby, and I needed a bigger home for us, including her two daughters, to live in. During this time, I had completely gotten out of music. I would occasionally just play music with my family. I felt I couldn’t be a musician and a father, as I needed to provide for them.
“It wasn’t until I played some music at the Benito Personal Care Home for a bit that I realized I needed to be doing more musically,” said Henry. “Then came the opportunity to perform at the Shell River Jamboree with Vaughan Poyser. Vaughan said he was interested in coming out and said he would bring Chris Taylor to play guitar and someone I might know to play drums. It ended up being my dad’s old drummer, Doug Yuel. We played the Shell River Jamboree together and it was pretty wild.
“I knew I couldn’t stay away from music, because it is a big part of who I am, so I had to learn to walk the line,” said Henry. “I would play a few gigs and then work in manufacturing for Ag Shield in Benito.”
While at work, Henry sustained an injury that almost cost him his music career.
“I had an unfortunate accident at work where I crushed my fingers and detached the tendons on the top and bottom of my chording hand,” said Henry. “I thought I would never play music again. When I went to the hospital, I was first told by a doctor that I would be fine in a few days once the swelling went down. I got a second opinion, because I couldn’t close my hand at all. It was then that I was told that I had detached the tendons on the top and bottom of my pointer, middle and ring fingers.
“I went to Winnipeg to a plastic surgeon who fixes these types of injuries. They said they could do an operation, but I asked what the likelihood was of my being able to play guitar again, and they said it wasn’t great. I went home and thought about it. I decided to reach out to someone else; I wound up doing physiotherapy instead. Now I have full use of my fingers like it never happened.

“That all led me to think about how I was going to provide, so I went on into sales,” said Henry. “I was trying to pretend I wasn’t a singer and songwriter, but instead focus on selling farm equipment. I managed to connect with a distant relative of mine that I didn’t even know, who is a fiddle player. We played together and would sometimes go play at the Benito Personal Care Home. That helped to keep me connected to music.
“It has now gotten to a point where the thing that I was trying to get away from is now the thing that I need to help provide for my family with.”
The winds of change came blowing in and Henry and his family knew it was time to move on. The calling for him to embrace his musical talents was strong and it led him away from Manitoba to another area rich in music.
“We left the Swan Valley area in 2019,” said Henry. “After playing a cousin’s wedding, it came to us that it was time for a change. All signs started pointing to the Maritimes, where we had never been. It felt like life was trying to tell us something and we needed to let it play out.
“When we came out to the East Coast, I wanted to do something different. I wound up selling farm equipment again, then when we started expecting our youngest, Wilder. We started having conversations about being happy with what I was doing. One day, we took a drive and it led to Shelby telling me to pull into a Long & McQuade parking lot. She told me to go in there and get the guitar that would get me back into songwriting. She said if it doesn’t work, at least you can say you gave it a shot.”
It took a bit of time, but then Henry began to make connections and started to work with some musical geniuses who had experience in bringing artists’ music to the forefront. It wasn’t long after that that Henry released his first EP.
“I became connected with a guy who started the Halifax Folk Festival and managed a lot of talented musicians from the East Coast,” said Henry. “He was put in my path by a good friend of mine and it all fell into place.”
In 2023, Henry released his debut EP, Keep the Fire Burning, which garnered multiple award nominations. Then in 2025, he released his second EP, Real Things, which reached number one on the Indigenous Music Countdown.
“I was working with Jamie Junger on Keep the Fire Burning, so I could get into the East Coast Music Conference with it,” said Henry. “Instead, he had a friend whom he called upon to help give us some pointers on it. This guy happened to be the one who was the producer for Sloan. That was pretty wild. He came over and listened to the song. He asked if that was all I wanted to do was get into the conference with that song, because he had some different news to tell me. That is where it all started to take place and I wrote the rest of the EP.
“With the song, Real Things, that was a culmination of everything that happened in the span of the release of Keep the Fire Burning and all of the opportunities that started to come out. It led to my first time being in Australia at the Woodwork Folk Festival.”
Henry draws his inspiration for writing songs from everyday life and that has been the focus of the songs he’s released and future ones he is working on.
“I don’t write about myself when it comes to songs,” said Henry. “For me, it’s not a cathartic experience to write a song like I’m writing in a personal journal. I feel that those moments were all lived and they served their purpose. I don’t like to look back at them unless there is a lesson to be learned. I would rather write about things that people are going through or things they might need and find how it could work lyrically with the idea that has picked me at that moment.”
Henry has been announced as one of the Socan Foundation’s 2025 TD Incubator Participants. He received a $3,000 funding grant as well as mentorship from leaders and representatives in the music industry, such as Billboard, Apple Music, Spotify, Warner, Universal, Sony and more. Recently, he just came home from a tour overseas and is working on his next one.
“This coming April will be my third time going to Australia and I just got back from my first time performing in the U.K. in Ireland, Scotland, Whales and England,” said Henry.
Henry is always looking to inspire and foster a love of music in people. He remembers what it was like to get started and be involved in music, and he hopes that more people will find the same joy and fulfillment it has brought him in his life.
“If there’s anything I can ever do to help Metis kids in the area, I’m more than happy to look into any opportunities,” said Henry.