George McFarlane

Long-time association member George McFarlane died at St. Vincent’s Hospital on December 11, 2000. He was 72.

George was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and learned to play trumpet/cornet while studying at the Glasgow School of Architecture. He played with several rehearsal bands.

After moving to London, he worked with Keith Nichols and his Swing Six (soon to become famous with his Midnight Follies Orchestra), with John Goddard’s Black Bottom Stampers and Colin Kingwell’s Jazz Bandits.

When he and Joan were married, their best man was Dick Charlesworth of “City Gents” fame.

In 1967, they emigrated to Canada and settled in Ottawa. George worked for what was then the Government of Canada’s Exhibition Commission. His first gigs were with the Capital City Jazz Band, but it was when the Phoenix Jazz Band was formed that George found his stride. In his words, “This was the band I most enjoyed playing with. I had a run of 15 years playing lead trumpet, and we had a large and faithful following until the restaurant went belly up…. Through deaths and attrition, the Phoenix broke up and the various members drifted away to other groups and areas of the country.”

George was felled by a stroke in April of 1996 that affected his speech and his left side; despite therapy, his condition gradually worsened. He spent the rest of his life at St. Vincent’s often enjoying performances from Trust Fund bands of Local 180 and visits from his musician friends.

He was an enthusiastic but critical champion of the local Dixieland scene and until the very end was to be found with “his ciggy and wee dram” seated in what he called his “Chariot of Fire” at either the east or west Royal Oak.

George’s widow Joan wishes to acknowledge the help of Local 180 and to thank the many musicians who, along with their spouses, organized the wonderful benefit performance when he first became ill.

Joan appreciates all the encouragement and support she has received.

Source: The News Harp, March 2001