Marg Osburne
Encyclopedia
Marg Osburne was a Canadian country, folk and gospel singer.
and received her vocal training as a member of a community choir. When she was 17 her cousin made her a bet that she did not have the nerve to answer a newspaper advertisement for a female vocalist for CKCW
in Moncton. Marg answered the ad and got the job.
Don Messer was travelling through Moncton in 1947 and heard Marg singing on CKCW
, billed as “The Girl From the Singing Hills”. He hired her immediately to fill in for Charlie Chamberlain
who was recovering from an automobile accident.
Don Messer and His Islanders were then broadcasting on CFCY out of Charlottetown
, PEI
thrice-weekly beginning in 1939 and the show was broadcast nationwide by the CBC
.
Marg and Charlie quickly became popular performers on the show and on records. The group toured each summer mounting a national tour in 1967 as part of Canada's Centennial, playing 66 shows across the country. Marg's folk and gospel solos were also very popular and her records sold well.
1956 brought about the first appearance of The Islanders on television when CFCY radio launched CFCY-TV. When Messer made the move to Halifax in 1958, most of the band followed - including Marg. From being occasional TV guests, the band began a summer series called The Don Messer Show on August 7, 1959 as a replacement for Country Hoedown broadcast on CBC television. The show continued in the fall as Don Messer's Jubilee
, Marg remained with the show throughout the 1960s, winning a wide audience across the country as one of the show stars, and enlarging her fan base dramatically.
After Don Messer died in 1973, Marg began a second successful career as a nightclub singer, and she was extremely popular in the Western Provinces
and Territories of Canada
. During this period she had three hit songs for Jack Boswell's Marathon label, "Albert County Soil", "Falling Leaves", and "Blues Comin' 'Round". "Falling Leaves" is also the only song she wrote herself.
and died before she reached the hospital. She was 49 years old.
History
She was born in Moncton, New BrunswickNew Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and received her vocal training as a member of a community choir. When she was 17 her cousin made her a bet that she did not have the nerve to answer a newspaper advertisement for a female vocalist for CKCW
CKCW-FM
CKCW-FM is an Canadian radio station broadcasting at a frequency of 94.5 MHz in Moncton, New Brunswick. The station plays an adult top 40 format and is owned by the Maritime Broadcasting System....
in Moncton. Marg answered the ad and got the job.
Don Messer was travelling through Moncton in 1947 and heard Marg singing on CKCW
CKCW-FM
CKCW-FM is an Canadian radio station broadcasting at a frequency of 94.5 MHz in Moncton, New Brunswick. The station plays an adult top 40 format and is owned by the Maritime Broadcasting System....
, billed as “The Girl From the Singing Hills”. He hired her immediately to fill in for Charlie Chamberlain
Charlie Chamberlain
Charlie Chamberlain was a featured entertainer on Don Messer's Jubilee, which ran from 1957 through 1969 on CBC Television.-Death:...
who was recovering from an automobile accident.
Don Messer and His Islanders were then broadcasting on CFCY out of Charlottetown
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
, PEI
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
thrice-weekly beginning in 1939 and the show was broadcast nationwide by the CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
.
Marg and Charlie quickly became popular performers on the show and on records. The group toured each summer mounting a national tour in 1967 as part of Canada's Centennial, playing 66 shows across the country. Marg's folk and gospel solos were also very popular and her records sold well.
1956 brought about the first appearance of The Islanders on television when CFCY radio launched CFCY-TV. When Messer made the move to Halifax in 1958, most of the band followed - including Marg. From being occasional TV guests, the band began a summer series called The Don Messer Show on August 7, 1959 as a replacement for Country Hoedown broadcast on CBC television. The show continued in the fall as Don Messer's Jubilee
Don Messer's Jubilee
Don Messer's Jubilee was a television folk musical variety show produced at station CBHT in Halifax, Nova Scotia and broadcast by CBC Television nationwide from 1957 until 1969....
, Marg remained with the show throughout the 1960s, winning a wide audience across the country as one of the show stars, and enlarging her fan base dramatically.
After Don Messer died in 1973, Marg began a second successful career as a nightclub singer, and she was extremely popular in the Western Provinces
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
and Territories of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. During this period she had three hit songs for Jack Boswell's Marathon label, "Albert County Soil", "Falling Leaves", and "Blues Comin' 'Round". "Falling Leaves" is also the only song she wrote herself.
Death
Marg continued to perform until July 16, 1977, when she collapsed during a concert in Rockland, OntarioRockland, Ontario
Rockland is a bilingual community located about east of downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, part of the city of Clarence–Rockland. Rockland has a population of 9,210.-History:...
and died before she reached the hospital. She was 49 years old.
Albums
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1959 | By Request: Favourite Sacred Songs (with Charlie Chamberlain) |
| A Century of Folk Songs | |
| 1960 | Songs Of Reverence - Vol.2 (with Charlie Chamberlain) |
| 1966 | The Best of Marg Osburne |
| 1967 | They Never Grow Old (with Charlie Chamberlain) |
| Favorite Sacred Songs (with Charlie Chamberlain) | |
| 1968 | The Golden Era of Marg Osburne |
| 1972 | My Kind of Country (with Melody Faye) |
| 1973 | Country Gospel |
| 1974 | Old, Gold, and New |
Singles
| Year | Single | CAN Country | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | "Albert Country Soil" | 15 | My Kind of Country |
| 1974 | "Blues Comin' 'Round" | 19 | Old, Gold, and New |
| "City of Tears" | 20 |