CHARLES JOSEPH NABESS
June 11, 1946 - May 06, 2014
On Tuesday, May 6, 2014, at the age of 67,
with his family by his side, Charles
peacefully passed away after a hard fought
battle with cancer at the Riverview Health
Centre.
Charles was born on June 11, 1946 to Marie
and Patrice Nabess in Cormorant, Manitoba,
and was the second youngest in a family of
12 kids. At the age of four Charles moved
to Thicket Portage, Manitoba after the
passing of his father. When he was 16 he
moved to The Pas where he and his brother,
Don, began performing together.
The two brothers moved to Winnipeg in 1963
and formed The Midnight Angels. They
recorded a single, I'm Sufferin' on the
Apex label in Toronto. Following the end
of their Apex deal in 1968 - Don and
Charles renamed the band Three Penny Opera
(named after the Berthold Brecht play) and
continued touring on the strength of their
reputation as a live band. The group
lasted in several incarnations until 1992
and played throughout North America and
Europe. Charles led the house band in
Yellowknife for six years before returning
to Winnipeg to spend more time with his
family in 2005.
Charles had been married twice; his first
marriage was to Doreen Bauer in 1974, and
then to his second wife Kris Nabess in
1984. Charles was most proud of his five
children, and how he was able to make a
living doing what he really loved -
playing music as a full-time musician.
Charles' love of music started early in
life, beginning at the age of 10 he taught
himself how to play the guitar. Charles
also was a songwriter, culminating in his
final song that he wrote and produced, his
crown jewel, "Bayline Train".
Charles also taught music throughout the
years, and was a mentor to many in the
industry.
Charles was predeceased by: his parents,
Marie and Patrice Nabess; sisters Violet
Jacobson, Irene Nabess, Lillian Ducharme,
Madeline Nabess, Elenor Nabess, and
brothers Rupert Nabess, Louis Nabess,
Robert Bignell and Archer Nabess. Those
left to mourn and cherish his memory are:
his sons Charles Ducharme (Irma), Rob
Bauer (Viola), Alan Nabess; daughters Ella
Nabess, Lisa Nabess; his grandchildren
Holly, Cherilea, Carlo, Marshall, Anthony,
Alexander and Brynjar, sister Gladys;
brothers Fred (Elsie), Donald (Donna),
nephews, nieces, cousins, and close
friends too numerous to mention.
The family would like to extend a
heartfelt thank you to the caring staff at
Riverview Centre for their loving care of
our Guitar Hero.
The Celebration of Charles' life will be
held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 14,
2014 at Sturgeon Creek United Church, 207
Thompson Drive, Winnipeg. Charles' sense
of humour and passion for life was with
him until the very end. NEIL BARDAL
FUNERAL CENTRE 204-949-2200
neilbardalinc.com
GROUNDBREAKING ABORIGINAL
MUSICIAN CHARLES NABESS DIES
Charles Nabess of Three Penny Opera dies
at the age of 68
The music and aboriginal communities are
marking the passing of guitarist and
fiddler Charles Nabess who died of cancer
on May 6 at the age of 68. He and his
brother were members of a band called
Three Penny Opera.
The Métis musician was born in Thicket
Portage in northern Manitoba. At the age
of 16 he moved to the Pas where he and his
brother, Donny, a singer, began performing
together. The two brothers moved to
Winnipeg in 1963 and formed The Midnight
Angels. They recorded a single, I'm
Sufferin' on the Apex label in Toronto,
which paved the way for a new group, Three
Penny Opera.
Dave McLeod of NCI FM said his passing is
huge in the aboriginal music community.
"He was a mentor for other musicians and
in a quiet way he was making a difference
by showing that an aboriginal person could
do this," he said.
Despite Three Penny Opera's success
touring in the U.S., Europe and on cruise
ships, McLeod said that Nabess was often
introduced as a Spanish guitar player.
"They even made up Spanish names for him
because the management would have frowned
upon having a native person in the band,
and yet he was the leader of the band.
Here's a great guitarist who has to hide
behind a veil of who he really is," McLeod
explained.
He fondly recalled a tribute concert in
2011 called Guitar Heroes which also
featured the likes of Billy Joe Green and
Jimmy Flett. The show received a rousing
standing ovation.
"It was a loving standing ovation because
these guys have been there since the '60s
and they made music their lives. Nobody's
gotten rich in their music career from
doing it but they've committed their lives
to it. They're the ground breakers, the
trailblazers," he said.
"Here's a guy from Thicket Portage,
northern Manitoba who did get to record,
who did travel the world."
Through it all, McLeod says he never lost
his culture and was equally at home on the
fiddle playing traditional tunes.
"He was first of all a gentleman, a really
kind, giving person, It was about just
sharing music from the heart. That's the
legacy that he's left, that it can be
done," he said.
