SAULT STE. MARIE—Musician George Williamson is the latest Islander to been inducted into the Great Northern Opry in Sault Ste. Marie.
“It was pretty amazing,” Mr. Williamson told the Expositor on Sunday, having been inducted on Saturday evening. “I felt like a movie star, meeting all the other inductees, who have an amazing amount of talent. It was real special and I am very proud to have been inducted along with all of these talented musicians.”
Mr. Williamson said, “I was very surprised when Ben (Lentir) (a fellow musician and Opry inductee) came over in the spring and told me he had booked me for the Bluegrass In The Country event, and said ‘by the way you have been chosen to the be next inductee in the Great Northern Opry.’ I was like wow, really?”
“Ben is an awesome musician, and is doing a great job in making sure our area is recognized for the musical talent locally,” said Mr. Williamson.
Jeff Pyette, Mr. Williamson’s cousin, had nominated Mr. Williamson for the award. “I thought that was great,” he said. “It’s such an honour. I’m not a competitive person, but when things like this happen it’s great, and so well-appreciated.”
Mr. Williamson comes by his love of music honestly. His father played a lap steel guitar. He said he didn’t know too many songs, but he loved to play. In high school, the musician then managed to talk himself into a band headed by his Lively High School’s music teacher. “We were booked solid for two years playing all over Sudbury and the North Shore,” he shared. “I got a lot of good training there.”
“It is a real honour to win this award,” said Mr. Williamson. “I am not the type of person who expects to win an award. I do play a lot of music around the Island and have for about eight years.” He is a fixture playing in downtown in Little Current on Friday nights at Soldier Park during the summer. “I play an open mic session every Friday with the money raised going to the Manitoulin Food Bank. I’ve been doing this for about eight years, (the last few) with Cole Hughson. During COVID we broadcast online every week. Cole is an amazing musician.”
“I had met (the late) Dave Patterson, the founder of the Great Northern Opry even before I moved to the Island,” said Mr. Williamson. “He had put a lot of his own money into starting the Opry to recognize musicians in Northern Ontario. His daughter Jen now runs it and does an awesome job.”
At the award ceremony, Mr. Lentir presented Mr. Williamson with his induction ring, with the (inductee) number 148 and his name on it, a certificate and a letter from the Mayor of Sault Ste. Marie.
“George said he was proud to be inducted into such a wonderful organization,” said Mr. Lentir. Mr. Lentir added, “It was a really fun weekend,” pointing out he was among 44 people from Manitoulin who travelled up to the Sault for the weekend celebration.
Opry members and guests from each district who were to be inducted sang a song with a back-up band as part of the Saturday evening ceremony.
“Mr. Williamson sang the George Jones song ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today,” said Mr. Lentir. “it was fantastic.”
Mr. Williamson explained, “I had a table full of cousins and other relatives from the Sault at the ceremony. He also had his sisters, Joan Sagle and Betty Heis on hand, his son Curtis along with his wife Miranda and his daughter Cassidy in attendance. Saturday morning, we all went for breakfast and my daughter gave me another gift; she asked me to walk her down the aisle at her upcoming wedding. I used to sing “Butterfly Kisses” to her when she was younger, so her gift left me emotional. And the George Jones song I sang (at the awards ceremony) is a sad song, so I wasn’t sure I was going to get through it.” He pointed out among the Island musicians on hand for the celebration included Robbie Shawana, Doug Hore, Roy Robertson, Carol Gilmore, Jeff Pyette, Debbie Robinson and many others.
“Having the opportunity to meet many of the other musicians who have been inducted, and knowing how much talent they have, I am really proud to be a member of the Opry. It is really special,” said Mr. Williamson who added, “this is the first time I’ve attended a Great Northern Opry event. I am totally impressed with everything about it. And I feel it is an important organization because it brings together so many talented people and recognizes the importance of music in the North.”
