One of my niche LP collections is Canadian Centennial/Expo 67 LPs…
Canadian Centennial and Expo 67 albums aren’t really documented too many places, so I thought I should go ahead and start that. I’m adding more and more all the time so check back and see what else I’ve managed to find. The hope it to make a website dedicated to it specifically, but for now I thought I’d start here, get the ball rolling.
It’s not only albums from 1967, but ones that are specifically part of Expo 67, or the Canadian Centennial celebration. Canadians were encouraged to contribute in their own way so I know there’s a lot more independent Centennial-inspired albums to find. Some of the high school and church recordings made to celebrate the centennial are my favourites. I even have one from my old High School. If you have or know of any not listed here, drop me a line or add a comment. I’d love to hear from you.
Update: There are, coincidentally, 67 albums in this collection. Surely to change soon as more are found, but I thought it was worth pointing that out.
In 1967, I was part of a youth Centennial choir (over 1000 kids) in Ottawa that sang on the Centennial Tribute LP you have listed. We performed at Vincent Massey Park on May 24, 1967. How could I find more information on it? I’d love to hear it/ see the lyrics/learn more about who wrote the side A song “Proudly We Praise” Thanks!
Excellent! I’m afraid I don’t know any more about ‘Proudly We Praise’. There’s virtually no information on the LP release (https://www.discogs.com/release/7405567-1000-Voices-Of-The-Combined-Choirs-Of-The-Nepean-Public-Schools-Centennial-Tribute-1867-1967-A-Cente), but the same song (or at least the same title) is used on The Edmonton Centennial Singers album ‘On Tour’ (https://www.discogs.com/release/8971773-The-Edmonton-Centennial-Singers-On-Tour). Unfortunately I don’t have a copy of that one (yet) so I can’t look up any details on that one, and the Discogs listing is also a bit light.
There’s a ‘Leaside Public Schools Centennial Choir’ album called ‘All Canada Revue’ from 1967 which has a song called Proudly We Praise a Toast To Canada/This Land Is Your Land, so maybe that’s the same song? Another album called the Lethbridge Girls Sing Again also lists a ‘Proudly We Praise (A Salute To Canada), so it’s feeling like this was a Centennial song that was going around at the time? I’m just guessing there, but it makes sense. Searching that on Google points to a book of the same title by Don Wright, and the Canadian Encyclopedia says he composed ‘Proudly We Praise’ in 1966, which it calls ‘a tribute to Canada, which has been performed by school choirs across the country’. You can read more here: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/don-wright-emc
It’s Canada Day 2025 and I just pulled out my choir’s Centennial album to listen to, except the turntable isn’t wired in correctly. In ’67 our Vaughan Township Festival Choir (north of Toronto) sang at the Montreal Expo with Bobby Gimby conducting us in his “Ca-na-da!” song. As well “Proudly We Praise” was part of our repertoire by Don Wright – a full 17 minute recording! Challenging for 12-13 year-olds, especially in the summer sun! Because of copyright laws I could only find the lyrics listed for sign-out at the Toronto Reference Library.
I have a copy of Fisher Park High School (Ottawa)’s Cantabile Club Centennial album, called ‘Proudly We Praise’. The entire A side is devoted to that song. The B side contains solo performances by some of the choir members. Tracks include Waltzin’ Matilda, Blowin’ in the Wind, and She’s Like the Swallow.
From the notes on the back of the album:
“Wherever this was sung audiences rose to their feet – a real tribute to this great land, to an inspired composer and a salute to the youth of Canada. It is the hope of the Cantabile Club that each time ‘Proudly we Praise’ is played the Centennial pride will be rekindled in the heart of the listener.’
The album is in excellent condition and if there is anyone in Ottawa with a connection to the Cantabile Club who would like my copy, just let me know. No charge, it would be great to know it has found a good home.
Bill
Dear Bill,
I am looking for a recording of Proudly We Praise – I conduct The London Singers and may do this “mini” Cantata in the future with my community choir next – perhaps for Canada 160! If you are willing to send it to me that would be great. Contact me at TheLondonSingers@gmail.com.
When I was at W. F. Herman Secondary School in Windsor we performed Proudly We Praise for a Spring Festival at school in 1981 with the high school band accompaning about 500 elementary kids singing from the local feeder schools – the singers were all stacked on bleachers on one side in the big gym. Certain schools were assigned various sections to sing – there are 10 sections in the work, one for every province and in a few places everyone sang together. What a sound! I had the distinction of playing the piano part that went along with the band accompaniment. I also remember being assigned by our band teacher, Mr. Murray Dresser, to figure out a place where we could hang up a big Canadian Flag. We decided to hang it from the basketball net at one end – it could be raised up high with a pully system after we attached it. We students also had the bright idea to find a large fan which we placed strategically so it would blow on the flag during the performance – all for dramatic effect! I can still visualize it all. Oh the memories you have from school days! I just retired from teaching high school music for 37 years!
“Proudly We Praise” was also performed in London Ontario in the early 2000’s by the Amabile Choirs at Alumni Hall at UWO. It was a concert to honour Don Wright. I was in the audience. There were over 2000 in the audience and the choir was large – perhaps hundreds of singers. The late John Barron, member of the Order of Canada, was conducting the choir and orchestra. Don Wright was the guest of honour on stage during the show sitting in a big fancy wing chair and I had the honour of meeting him at a reception after the concert with other local music teachers & directors. The Faculty of Music at Western was named after him that year because he made a very large donation to the school. I forget the year but Don Wright was in his 90’s at that point. I hear he made a lot of money writing jingles for radio and TV commercials! He was a real personality on the radio in the days when LIVE music was the thing! A great legacy he has left – a great musician and generous man!
David Weaver
Response sent.