Interview with Al Simmons

February 27, 2024

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

I was 20 years old in 1969 and working as a clerk in the engineering department at Manitoba Hydro.  Part of my job was to visit each engineer twice a day and take their blueprints to the reproduction room where they were photocopied, put on microfiche, or acetate.  I would deliver the finished product back to the engineers.  I usually had a humorous story, poem or song to share. Twice a day, every day, I entertained a few dozen employees individually. The Hydro employees were always supportive and encouraging. In the evenings I was entering talent contests in the Winnipeg bars.  At the very first talent show I was in I sang Hava Nagila, did a Ukrainian high kicking dance and won first prize. I thought I was king of the world.  I lost the next 4 contests.   I was even booed off the stage once.  No matter what, I always had a story to tell at Hydro.  Plenty of my co-workers suggested I should be an entertainer. So, I quit my job.  On a Friday I was earning minimum wage as a clerk, on Monday I was an unemployed entertainer.  I made the mistake of quitting my day job without any other plan in place.  It took me a few months start working as the leader of a comedy-show-band.  

If I hadn’t gotten into music I would have taken early retirement from Hydro 20 years ago.  

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

I enjoy working outdoors.  We live in the bush country near Anola, Manitoba.  I gather firewood, move rocks, make trails, dig holes and turn the compost.  I love walking, biking, cross-country skiing and swimming.  If I reach a creative roadblock I’ll get active outside and a solution usually comes to me.  I’ve even written songs about: moving rocks (I Collect Rocks), riding a bicycle (I Got A Horse), gathering firewood (I Got My Axe), and digging holes (Digging A Hole)

How long have you been making music?

Since, 1970.  55 Years.

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

I was born and raised in Winnipeg and I now call the tiny town of Anola, Manitoba home.  Home is where I recharge my spirit.  My wife, Barb, and I raised 3 boys (boy, oh boy, oh boy).  We now have 5 grand-daughters who come to visit often.  I am sure I would not have written a song about the life-cycle of a mosquito if I didn’t live in Manitoba.

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

I will never forget the first time I appeared with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.  The musicians were all so very supportive. I’ve gone on to play with most of the major orchestras in Canada.  

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

I always love doing shows in any venue in Churchill, Manitoba —“The Polar Bear Capitol of the World.” I wrote two songs about polar bears based on my experiences up there. I enjoy an intimate theatre with an audience of all ages.  The Lyric Theatre in Beausejour, Manitoba, The Tempest Theatre in Penticton B.C., or The Sunset Theatre in Wells, B.C. all hold less than 200 people.  On the other hand I performed one evening for 60 thousand people at the 1988 World’s Fair in Brisbane, Australia and that was great fun.  I have never taken my show to Europe; there is still a chance.  

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

It would be a variety show.  I’ve met so many talented people that I dearly love, it would be impossible to pick and choose.  The concert would include dance, music, comedy, acrobats, magic, a trained dog and a plate spinner.

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into making music and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

Go for it.  Don’t try and do someone else’s act. Be yourself, or a slightly exaggerated version of yourself.  Engage with the people who are watching you.  It is totally natural to have a bit of anxiety before a show, but don’t worry, the audience wants you to succeed.  

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

“We Came Here Too Late” is based on a true story told to me by a waitress in Dawson City, Yukon.  My aunt had just died from Alzheimer’s disease and I asked Deirdre Mulcahy if I could write a song about her encounter with a gentleman customer whose wife was suffering from dementia.  The song and story still stir up emotions for me.  Does a song about dementia belong on a fun family CD?  I think that there are many families out there with aging Great-Aunts, Uncles and Grand-Parents.  This song might bring comfort to many folks as they watch their loved ones slowly fading away.  My friend Keri Latimer wrote the melody and sings harmony with me on the recording.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

I enjoy watching the audience’s reaction to my on-stage antics.  I travel with cases full of mechanical hats, whimsical fish and eccentric costumes, but when I simply sing “I Collect Rocks” the crowd goes wild.  It is my most requested song and it’s a lot of fun to sing.  There is something about the melody that Ken Whiteley came up with for my rock collecting poem that never gets tired.  

What is your creative process, and what inspires you to write your music?

I like writing songs, and telling tall tales that create images in the audience’s minds.  I remember being 5 years old, sitting in front of our record player, and being drawn into other worlds. I’ve never lost that vivid imagination. Teachers used to say that I spent too much time daydreaming in class.  That is now how I earn a living.  Every now and then I get an idea that won’t go away until I follow through and write a song.  I always write it as a poem first.  I’ll even perform it as a poem for a long time until it gradually falls into a melody.  Sometimes I’ll get a musical pal to write the melody.

Do you have messages that you like to get across in your music, if so please tell me about them?

If there are messages in my songs they are subliminal.  Life is short. Be nice to each other. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Find joy in everything.  Be grateful for what you’ve got.  Get outside and breathe the fresh air.  

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

I will be touring Alberta and B.C. in the next year or so, including and appearance with The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra —shh, it hasn’t been formally announced yet.   You will find me at numerous theatres and festivals this year, starting with St. Boniface/Winnipeg’s Festival Du Voyageur in February.  

How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?

TikTok: @alsimmonsentertainer

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