This
is a photo of Dick Bell at the piano, with
Morris Miller on trumpet and Jim Beer on
bass. The photo was taken in 1945
when Dick led the University of Manitoba
Dance Band. He was 17 years old at
the time. The orchestra played at
all University functions, fraternity and
sorority dances.
Dick used many musicians for both
University and non-University dances, and
other music sessions including: Des Munn,
Marsh Phimister (bass fiddle), Al Joyal,
Del Wagner, Chuck Skelding (drums), Jim
Thompson, Dave Shearer, Tom or Pete Nazer,
Harold Fleishman (sax), Maurie Libman, Stu
Barnet, Paul Grosney (trumpet), Wally
Koster (trombone) amongst others and
Maxine Ware (vocalist).
In 1944, Dick’s first group of student
musicians played for the armed forces
personnel at the United Service Centre
canteen located in the annex of Eaton’s
Dept. Store on Portage Ave.
Dick continued to use up to a nine piece
orchestra until 1951 when he was asked to
lead a quartet at Smitty’s Yacht Club on
Archibald St. The group consisted of
a former Hong Kong war veteran named
George Sweeny who was a very fine alto sax
player along with Tommy Dixon on bass and
Joe McEwen on drums.
In 1952, Dick joined Johnny Bering’s
quintet. They played one night
stands seven nights a week in southern
Manitoba and Saskatchewan and did so from
April until late June at which time they
played every night throughout the summer
at “Danceland“, a log cabin style
dance hall in Clear Lake, Manitoba.
The musicians included Ernie Labovich on
sax, Lloyd VanDuesen on bass, George
Richardson on drums, with Johnny Bering on
vibraharp (xylophone) and trumpet.
In 1953, Dick travelled for about a year
to Brandon, Manitoba by train every
Saturday afternoon to play in a quartet.
In 1954, he led a trio consisting of bass
player Jimmy Piper and Leigh Warnock on
drums. They played gratis once or
twice a week at most of the legions in
Winnipeg for the veterans of the World
Wars. Dick also accompanied Peter
Scott, a very popular CKY late night radio
announcer and vocalist.
In 1955, Dick decided to end all musical
engagements in order to continue on with
his successful business career.
Dick Bell
May 2014
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