The Fake McCoys

GOOD TIME BLUEGRASS BAND
We're in it for a good time - so we make sure you have one too!

It all started in November of 1994 with a criptic phone call from Mikee to Bob, who were both involved in the Scouting Movement in Thunder Bay. The call went something like this:

BOB: "Hello"
MIKEE: "Hello, is this Bob Cameron, the Scout Leader?"
BOB (thinking what does this guy want from me?): "Yup, sure is"
MIKEE (tentatively): "Are you the guy that plays guitar and sings at all the Scouting events?"
BOB (now positive that he is about to get touched up for something): "Ya, thats me, what can I do ya for?"
MIKEE (forges on ahead): "Well, I'm a Beaver Leader and I play banjo"
BOB (oh no, not a banjo player): "Ya, so what do you want?"
MIKEE (getting on a role now): "Ever play any bluegrass?"
BOB (bluegrass?): "I play mostly folk and kids music, and jam blues with some buddies of mine."
MIKEE (oh no, not a folkie): "Wanna get together and see if we can put something together to play around the Scout groups, maybe we can get to play at CJ97 [the Canadian Scout Jamboree to be held in Thunder Bay in July 1997] "

As they say: the rest is history! About two weeks later we met at a Wolf Cub sleep over and did some jamming. We both immeadiately knew we were born to play together and have been ever since.

We soon added two other Scouters: Janet on scrub board and Jim on guitar, as well as Denis LeBlanc on bass and dubbed ourselves "The Bluegrass Scouters". It wasn't long before we were in great demand at local Scouting events playing a blend of traditional bluegrass numbers and kid's tunes adapted to the bluegrass style. That summer we did alot of playing, and learned alot of lessons. We did one gig at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park as "The Bluegrass Scouters".

It was also in the summer of 95 that Mikey talked Bob into heading off to Manitowish Waters for Gerry Florian's Midsumer In The Northwoods Bluegrass Festival. Bill Monroe was to be the headliner but didn't make it due to health problems. In any case it turned out to be a life changing event for Bob. Claire Lynch on stage, Bob and Mike jamming their butts off in the bar and under the Blister Sisters' parachute. There is no place like it on earth!

That fall Mikee talked me into coming out to the local Bluegrass and Old Time Music Assoc. jams. The next thing we knew we were booked to play the Thunder Bay Bluegrass Jammers Association Chili and Bluegrass Coffeehouse. We didn't want to go under the name of "The Bluegrass Scouters" at a non-scouting event so "The Fake McCoys" were born. We played the gig in February of 1996 and wowed em'.

Songlist For "The Fake McCoys" First Gig Thunder Bay Bluegrass Jammers Chili & Bluegrass Coffeehouse February 1995
The Crawdad Song Standin' On A Rock Please Don't Bury Me Rocky Road Blues Gospel Medley: Swing Low Sweet Chariot, I'll Fly Away, I Saw The Light

That summer we seemed to be playing somewhere every weekend. We did two shows at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, which has become almost like our "home venue". We played a country festival in Geraldton, Ontario that was a really different for us. From that first sing-a-long Mikee and Bob put together in 1995 we were now sharing billing with the likes of "The Good Brothers" and "Trooper". What a rush, even if we were on at 11:00 a.m. Sunday morning and the only people there to see us were those that were too drunk to crawl off the field after the late finish Saturday night, and they weren't particularly pleased to be awakened by bluegrass.

"The Fake McCoys" have continued developing their skills and stage act over time, and the hard work paid off in July of 1997. After three years of playing everything from Sleeping Giant Provincial Park to parties to old folks homes and legions and even a wedding they were invited to play at the 1997 Canadian Scout Jamboree. The original deal was for them to play one hour a day in the Thunderdome venue. However, after four hot nights they won over the event organizers and were asked to play the closing ceremonies, for 14,000 screaming Scouts, Venturers and Leaders from all over Canada and around the world. The original dream of playing for the Jamboree had been fufilled, in spades. The only question is: Where will "The Fake McCoys" go from here?