The Bruce Grey Music Hall of Fame celebrated its grand opening on Sunday with live music and an official unveiling of memorabilia.
The original hall of fame was housed in the Hepworth Shallow Lake Legion which burned down in January of 2022, destroying the legion and all of the hall of fame memorabilia .
The Hall had been created by long-time musicians and friends Arnie Clark and the late former MPP Bill Murdoch in 2015 to celebrate local musicians. During the rebuilding planning process for the Hepworth Shallow Lake legion, members voted against including the hall of fame in the new build.
Bill Murdoch fundraised for a new location while he was in hospice, and passed away in the summer of 2022. A tribute concert for him raised even more money, and members of the community also donated their time, efforts and memorabilia to help bring the hall of fame back. “It was something Bill really put his heart into and wanted continued,” says Sue Murdoch, Bill’s wife and a Bruce Grey Music Hall of Fame Director, alongside Arnie Clark, Bill Vanstone and Barry Smith.
She says the new location at the Owen Sound Legion makes sense because it’s central to Grey Bruce. “The legion has been over-the-top cooperative with us and we really feel like we’ve got a good partnership with them,” says Murdoch, adding she’s thankful to the legion.
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“They’ve really worked hard. Every event we’ve had there’s been quite a crew from the legion membership there.”
This year’s induction ceremony is set to be held in September. The hall is taking nominations until August 4th. Murdoch says nominees should be local and have contributed to the local scene either as musicians or builders who promote music in the area.
Last summer, Jim Merriam, Jim Beech, the original Tombstones, Lloyd Williamson, the Rainbow Country Band & Arnie Clark were inducted into the Hall.