The Latest Tidbits February 11, 1999...

Finally a new newsletter! To sum up 1998 "Wow!". Ragged pup released some great music for Wyckham, Bill, Luann and Myk There were tours and riverboats and festivals and showcases and mostly there was great music. How could it get better? Well it just did.

As of January 1, 1999 Michael Burke, President and CEO of the Cordova Bay Entertainment Group and Doug Baxter were pleased to announce that ragged pup records had merged to form Cordova Bay/ragged pup records.

The Cordova Bay Entertainment Group is also based in Victoria and has offices in Toronto and London, England. Our Toronto office is operated by well known Canadian musician Tony Quarrington who is the Vice President of Artist&Repoirtiore for both companies. This merger has enhanced ragged pup both as a company and in terms of it's artist roster. Both labels will remain free standing and continue to grow and nurture a mixture of new and established artists in many genres.

At the same time as the merger we had the pleasure of signing Nanaimo based blues guitar player and singer David Gogo. Yes I said David Gogo of EMI fame. We are now getting ready to release an accoustic blues album for David titled "Bare Bones" in February and in late spring a new electric rockin blues album that is produced by Barney Bentall.

Enough you say! Well that's only the beginning. We also signed Doug Cox, the well known dobro and resophonic guitar player and also a resident of Vancouver Island. As of Feb. 1 Doug has just finished recording a new album for ragged pup at Edmontons Beta Sound with one of our favorite producers Rick Fenton. The album, titled "Life Is So Peculiar" is a strong solo album that features the guitar playing of Stony Plain Records recording artist Amos Garret who even joins in to sing on one track.

But it just keeps getting better because it was with great pride we received the news that Bill Bourne has been nominated for a Juno Award in the "Best Roots and Traditional Album - Solo" catagory for his amazing ragged pup solo album, Sally's Dream. Our congratulations go out to Bill, who, at the time of this writing, is on the road touring the west coast of the US and Canada in his hot rod Lincoln. We also want to thank Rick Fenton who produced that fine album at Beta Sound.

So just what more could possibly happen in the face of this freight train of good news? Well how about the fact that yet another Juno nomination has gone to Willie P. Bennett for his song "Heartstrings" and that this song is written by Tony Quarrington and is published by Cordova Bay Music Publishing.

Okay so hang on because there is more. We are also recording a new album for the truly amazing singer Sonya- Marie. This is one of the finest country swing albums I have ever heard. It will be ready for release in mid May. For real country music fans this will be a delight for your ears. The album is being recorded in Toronto and produced by our VP of A&R Tony Quarrington.

Be patient since there is only a bit more good news to get through. That being that we are also now the happy kennel to two prize winning young rock bands. Naked Ear and Fan Tan Alley. These dynamic young bands were the both winners of the Herald Street Centre for the Performing Arts Battle Ot The Bands contest.