*** 20th Anniversary: 2004 to 2024 ***

The one, the only, the primary music leader

Find more about music and Calgary.

Who's that lady with the long red hair?

Let's talk a bit about Ann Jamieson. This little girl started playing steeldrums around 1967. In her school setting, she learned a bit about the drums and how they're constructed.

In fact she even had the opportunity to make one of her own as a school project.

Then, of all coincidences, after 1970 she and her family started spending considerable time each year in Barbados, West Indies, the easternmost of the southern Caribbean Islands. 

Steel bands were considered the hoodlums of Caribbean society, and rarely before had a female player been seen. And never a white one.

Yet she had her parents' support and soldiered on, studying the music with fascination. The local Bajans loved her. Called her Ginger, well actually "Gingah!" But you get the point.

Adult Life of this primary music leader

Marriage and career brought her way across the map to Calgary, Alberta.

What is this, an Arctic expedition gone awry? Nope. The calling of the energy industry, booming as it was in the 70's here, and even more in recent years, could not go unheard. Harold "Hal" and Ann Jamieson relocated here to start their professional vocations.

A few years later, this she inaugerated the local steel band, Calysto Steelband.

It's purpose, to prompt neighbouring children to include world music as part of their education. It gave them a constructive medium to use their youthful exuberance. Some were as young as four.

Some are still in the band when it wrapped up for good in 2010, 20-some-odd years later.  When she packed it up and started a similar band back at home in Saint John, New Brunswick.  It's called the Balysto Steelband.

And the Band played on..

Back to Calgary.  The Lion King crowd grew up, enrolled in college, and went their own ways. We value those veterans who returned. This band is definitely a part of them.

Other adults, myself and Arthur Springer included, have joined them and the band thrives today. Going to Barbados to play on a regular basis. Right behind our primary music leader. There were well over a dozen of us on stage at any given time.

If you would like to see more about the band as it once was, see this page. And see a songlist at this page. Go back from Primary Music Leader to the Famous Albertans web page, or visit the Calgary City Maps homepage.

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