Stephen Michell

About the Author:

Dad, as I like to call him or ‘Your Old Man’ as he called himself, was born in Toronto on June 6th, 1917 (D-day but about 27 years too early). Dad came to music by accident. He rescued a boy who was being bullied by much larger boys. He was 11 years old at the time. The two became close friends. Guy Noakes came from a more affluent family who gifted their son with music. My father, not so much. Guy got my dad involved in music with the Yorktown Boy’s Band.

Around that time, many of the local Firehalls had orchestra bands to fill their spare time; Yorktown was one of them. As the story was related to me; The fire chief’s son; not to be outdone by his father, started up an orchestra for boys. Entre one Stephen Henry Michell. Noakes on trumpet and Michell on trombone were part of that gang. Dad loved the music and took to it like a ‘duck-to-water’.

The depression was hard on everyone. Dad had to drop out of school at the end of grade nine because in those days, students were required to buy their own textbooks. Many families couldn’t afford it, Dad’s included. He played his way through the depression and earned his living delivering newspapers for the Toronto Star. Two hundred and fifty customers per day he told me.

Dad left his job and joined Eckhart’s Travelling Road Show playing his trombone in their jazz ensemble. They primarily toured the eastern part of Canada.

THEN CAME THE WAR! This is the story found between the pages of Profile on Twelve Platoon.

When Dad returned to England after liberation, he married his childhood sweetheart, Doreen Marjory Cambridge, who, although also a neighbour to my father in Toronto had been trapped in England during the war years. While Dad was in training in Britain, their romance flourished.

Mother and Father returned to Toronto and lived for several years; Dad working for Canada Post until his health forced him to move to Huntsville, Ontario.

Dad took over leadership of a jazz band who would play local lodges and bars along the Bracebridge / Huntsville / Algonquin corridor. He was one of the guiding lights behind the Muskoka District Band under Dr. Lynn Sergeant. Dad would moonlight tuning pianos as well. He also ran the local American Federation of Musicians (A.F. of M.) union. along with his good friend and fellow bandsman, Eddie Terziano.

During the 60’s and 70’s Dad often put pen to paper whether it was writing music, a book or even an operetta.

His additional accomplishments included: ‘Men of Dieppe / Les Homme de Dieppe’ – military band march, ‘Canadians All / Les Canadienne Unis’ - military band march, ‘Ready Aye, Ready’ - military band march, ‘After Ski Stomp’ – Dixieland, ‘They Were Invincible’ – book, ‘Hi Jinx’ – book, ‘Pandemania’ – operetta (including 30+ original scores)

Dad continued to play all through his retirement, spending many an hour volunteering to coach local student musicians at the Huntsville High School band room, and although he stepped back from the trombone for lack of wind, he was often heard playing saxophone until two weeks before his death. The man could play damn near anything.

We salute you, Dad!

Marjory, Stephen Jr., Robert and John