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.”