Performing at The Wedgewood brings back musical memories for Bob Hudson
Posted Mar 4, 2010 By Roy Lewis
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EMC Entertainment - Brockville musician and singer, Bob Hudson, performed recently at a location where he has entertained audiences off and on for over 45 years but in entirely different buildings.
Roy Lewis, St. Lawrence EMC
Classic balladeer Bob Hudson performs in the Nautical Room of The Wedgewood Retirement Resort in the same location where part of The Wedgewood ballroom, once a major feature of the Manitonna Hotel and the social hub of Brockville, once existed.
On Feb. 26, Hudson entertained the residents of The Wedgewood Retirement Resort at the corner of King and Market Street East in downtown Brockville. Hudson, accompanying himself on his guitar, performed old standards during the retirement residence happy hour and monthly birthday celebration for those observing a birthday in February.
He was performing in the resort's Nautical Lounge, almost the exact same position where he and fellow members of his band entertained at frequent dances and social functions in the 1960s. But at that time, the musicians were performing in The Wedgewood Room of the Manitonna Hotel.
Hudson has found it somewhat ironic that he would still be singing songs in the same place but in a modern structure rather than a building that was once the premier hotel in Brockville.
His introduction to music and performing publicly came at a young age. Hudson's father Marcus, who played the fiddle, would often perform in public and he would take his two sons, Robert and Bill, with him when he performed, including at the former Charleston Lake Hotel. It wasn't long before the youngsters started performing as well since both their father, and mother Beatrice, who played piano, had a love of music.
Hudson spent his entire working career at Du Pont first in production, then instrumentation, clerical crews, maintenance resources and materials management until his retirement in 2000. But from the early 1960s until the mid-1970s, he pursued a part-time career in music. At that time, Hudson formed his band, The Futuras, consisting of himself on rhythm guitar and vocals, Bill Easter on lead guitar, Brian Wells on drums and Winston Robinson on piano, organ and trumpet.
The Futuras played dance music, some country and western and European-style numbers but no rock and roll.
"We were trying to please the people we were playing for," said Hudson.
And, in those days, one of the prime locations for performers was The Wedgewood Room at the Manitonna Hotel. Opened in 1930, the Manitonna was a popular place to stay for tourists travelling between Toronto and Montreal. The sweeping view of the St. Lawrence from the rear of the hotel was a great attraction but for local residents, the building's focal point was its ballroom located on the second floor at the rear of the hotel.
"The Wedgewood Room was a beautiful setting with a big stage, tapestries hanging from the walls and a large dance floor," said Hudson.
On the south side of the ballroom was a connected gallery known as The Terrace Room where smaller events could be held and downstairs was a lounge which, in its heyday, played host to famous performing bands from both the United States and Canada.
The ballroom was also utilized extensively by local service clubs. The Brockville Rotary Club held its noon luncheon meetings there for many years and the Kiwanis Club met there at noon on Tuesday.
Corporations both in town and the region used the ballroom to host annual company dinners and Christmas gatherings. And politicians used the room to celebrate their victories following an election.
For several years, those attending dances at the ballroom could listen to The Futuras one Saturday or they could attend a dance at the nearby Brockville Rowing Club where another popular local band, The Graduates, was performing. The following Saturday would find The Futuras performing at the rowing club and The Graduates playing in The Wedgewood Room.
IN DEMAND
Along with performing in Brockville, The Futuras were in demand throughout Eastern Ontario. In later years, Hudson's brother, Bill, joined the group playing drums.
Another musician to join the band was Doug Davison who played saxophone and clarinet.
By 1975, The Futuras ceased to perform and the Manitonna Hotel was slipping into decline. The Wedgewood Room, once the centre of Brockville social functions, was no longer popular with other, modern facilities, opening in the city.
The building was eventually gutted in preparation for rebuilding the interior. Those plans never came to fruition and the structure was demolished. The site sat vacant for years until The Wedgewood Retirement Resort opened in 2008.
Hudson, who bills himself as a classic balladeer, still performs at local and area retirement and nursing homes. But he always has special memories when he plays at The Wedgewood Retirement Resort named after the famous Manitonna Hotel ballroom.
"A lot of us were very sad to see that fine old building (Manitonna Hotel) disappear but are pleased to now be able to look at this new retirement home known as The Wedgewood," said Hudson.
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