Oral History Interview with Connie Cote December 10th, 1997 Ann Breau, Interviewer

Ann Breau: Okay, I’m meeting with Connie Cote – it is December 10th – at her home in Auburn, Maine. I want to thank you Connie for agreeing to meet. It is indeed a privilege to have you agree to do this. We are collecting some information for the Franco American archives at LA College. We are particularly interested in obtaining information on people that have had significant impact in the musical area. I would like to start off by just getting some general background information that you would like to share; age, place of birth, children, anything like that to provide some kind of background.

Connie Cote: I am 70 years, old; I was born Nov. 17, 1927. I was the wife of Bert Cote, a well known musician and we have three children, Diane, Elaine and Bill. Diane is a teacher in New York, married with two children. Elaine is also a teacher and has one child. Bill is a lawyer, practicing here in Lewiston.

AB: Thank you. I would like to know about your early inclinations regarding music. Were you aware of you inclination as a young child, when did this start developing or when was that interest piqued in your life?

CC: My mother was very musical; she started to take me to the music concerts that they had in those days at the age of 11 years old. I remember they used to have concerts in Portland and in Augusta. They filled up a bus and I was the only young one in the bus. She exposed me to these concerts, which presented opera singers like James Melton and Risë Stevens.

This is when I thought that one day I wanted to be on stage do something like this. I started piano lessons at the age of 10. I started with the Dominican sisters at St. Peter’s school and of course, my mother was always there to send me to practice. She did push, it was the only way, I think, that anyone will get to practice. Instead of washing dishes or wiping dishes, “No no, I will do them, you go practice.” It was nice to go to the piano rather than do housework and the dishes.

My dad was a great singer. He had a wonderful tenor voice, - Willie Lebrun – he was a member of the Orphéon at that time. On Sunday nights we used to get together, at that young age; I used to accompany dad. This is how it all started, with the community concerts that went on for years and years here in Lewiston/Auburn.

AB: Now who sponsored – was there a sponsorship with community concerts? CC: It was a big organization here in town that sponsored the community concert. It was a big board of directors. They used to attract wonderful […] from all over the world. It was just wonderful, just marvelous. I wished they had this today.

AB: This I can interpret as maybe the predecessor to LA Arts, but it was more locally based or - ?

CC: It was locally based; it was a group of volunteers who served. It was a prestigious board and it was an honor to serve on that board, I remember at that time. My mother, of course, being musical, made sure I practiced even before I went to school in the morning. I would get up early in the morning and would get my practicing in. While I was in St. Peter’s school, Father Drouin – the late Fr. Drouin – asked the organist at St. Peter’s to teach me how to play the organ; the church paid for the lessons. I began accompanying the choir, the children’s choir from St. Peter’s School.

AB: May I ask how old you were then?

CC: I was 12 years old. I went on to accompany the 8 o’clock mass, then it was playing at the 10:15 mass. At that time I had gone from the [Dominican] Sisters to Professor Blanche Belleau [founder of Lewiston group, Le Foyer Musicale] – studying under Professor Blanche Belleau – and she used to attend masses which I played. She would say, “You distract me.” She had told me that you cannot be both an organist and a pianist; you’ve got to be one or the other. She was always puzzled, she would say, “I can‘t tell with you.” That was kind of gratifying.

I did play the organ at St. Peter’s Church for 6 or 7 years, I believe. When they dedicated the Casavant Organ at St. Peters church, they had this Charles Courtbois , celebrated organist, at St. Patrick’s Church, give the concert. I was invited to play for Mr. Courtbois by my teacher and play the Toccata in D Minor by Bach; I was 14 years old. He thought I was a child prodigy. I continued to play at St. Peter’s church, the superior church at the time, and that was a magnificent organ. It was just wonderful.

In 1946, when I was a senior in high school, Professor Belleau presented me in a concert at which was by invitation. Everyone wore long gowns there and it was at the Philharmonic Club. She had told me that it was the close to being a debutant, to coming out. I believe there were 400 people that attended the concert. It was the first time that my mother had ever worn an evening gown. I remember receiving my 45 bouquets of flowers. I had played all of the selections from memory, from the Campanella by Franz Liszt to Chopin’s Polonaises who by the way was my favorite composer, classical composer.

At the time I was accompanying local artists. We had some wonderful talent – singers – here in the two cities and I was probably the only one who could play these classical selections as an accompanist. On Sunday mornings I was always accompanying these people on the live radio show, “Le Messenger” […?] and did this for several years.

AB: May I ask, you mentioned – was it the Philharmonic?

CC: The Philharmonic Club on Main Street in Auburn.

AB: Oh, it was Main St. in Auburn. I can’t quite place it geographically. Does it still exist? CC: I don’t believe so; it was a large hall, had a nice concert grand [piano] and they had concerts; lots of music teachers in the area – Lewiston-Auburn area – presented their pupils at this. The acoustics were great, it was a great hall. It was on the second floor. I couldn’t give you the directions to where it was but it was there for years, and years, and years.

AB: Now I would like to also ask – obviously your parents had an influence – were there any other family members that were musical such as, siblings, aunts, uncles? If you were a phenomenon or if you felt that it was an extension of your entire family was musical?

CC: No, not really, not that I know of, not that I know of. I don’t recall anyone [else] in my family.

AB: Did people question, “Where does that talent come from?” You know how people often do when there is an exceptional talent.

CC: Well at the time I was so young playing on the radio accompanying people and being church organist at St. Peter’s. I didn’t always hear the praises but my mother used to tell me. It was gratifying, I enjoyed it. I remember getting up in the morning, particularly my senior year in high school and practicing; putting in four hours a day preparing for that concert. In the afternoon after school – I attended the high school at St. Peter’s my freshman and sophomore year – we went to school until 4 o’clock in the afternoon, then I would walk over to St. Peter’s church and practice the organ for an hour, then walk home. You don’t see this anymore.

AB: Yes, that is true dedication for one’s art. In looking back on that can – I don’t know if you have even tried to analyze it – but was it something just inherent or was it something that was a challenge, a discipline, or was it a combination of both?

CC: I was a very serious child I was told. Mother doesn’t remember bringing me up, she said. I have two brothers and she remembers bringing them up. I was very serious and I must have enjoyed it. I am one who, when she starts something, likes to see it accomplished, well done. It was easy; it was easy and enjoyable practicing.

AB: That is wonderful. So obviously it came naturally to you from what you are saying. That is wonderful. With your other – you mentioned the connections to church and the schools – were there other musical influences in the immediate environment or the environment beyond, in terms of life aspirations? You were very successful here.

CC: Well, my answer to this is – I attended the New England Conservatory in a […?] one summer and I met Bert Cote and decided that I would take modern music. He had heard of me and stopped to talk to me at the corner of Lisbon and Pine [Streets in Lewiston]. It was the Simpson’s Hardware Store and Bert was in the luggage department. He said that “I heard that you wanted to take modern piano lessons?”

I said, “Yes I do.” I went over for a lesson and we ended up playing Chopin’s Polonaises from memory. I took a second lesson, a third lesson and that was the end of my musical training with Bert. We started to date and we decided we could make beautiful music together. A year later we were married. AB: Oh, that is wonderful.

CC: That is when we started to play together as a team, piano and organ. Our first venture was here from home. We broadcast the Bert and Connie Cote Show, from 12:30 to 1:00 [pm]. It was right after Paul Harvey. Therefore, we had a wonderful audience.

AB: A captive audience.

CC: For a half hour we were on the air. I played the organ and he played the piano. I would then step to the microphone to advertise for Auburn Motor Sales; I did the ad. We did that for six years.

AB: Did you say it was done from here [your house]?

CC: Yes, from here via telephone line.

AB: I was wondering about the logistics.

CC: It was in the back room that I just showed you. We had a telephone line in, a microphone, and through the telephone we would hook up on Monday. I believe it was only twice a week from 12:30 to 1:00, the Bert and Connie Cote Show

AB: I assumed that drew in – you gained a lot of exposure through that.

CC: Yes

AB: What were the consequences of that?

CC: Well, the consequences were that I had joined Community Little Theatre, the Lewiston-Auburn Community Little Theatre, and there had never been a musical, only plays [produced by the CLT]

AB: Really? That is interesting!

CC: That is right, only plays and this was in 1956. I came home one day and I said, “Maybe we should try to do a musical, Berty.”

Oh, he was too busy. Oh well, I don’t have to be; he was not interested. Someone said that maybe we should get the Edward Little [High School] Band to accompany a Broadway musical. I kind of laughed. “Well, Bert we could accompany the show with piano and organ.”

He said, “Well, that is a great idea.” I didn’t know what I was doing and I decided to direct Kiss me Kate. This was a very foolish musical and it was presented by Community Little Theatre. I directed the musical portion and Bert accompanied the show with me. He only attended the dress rehearsals and this is how it started. This is the piano and organ team.

Then we did Showboat. The next year we did, Carousel, Camelot, My Fair Lady, South Pacific, Oklahoma, Sound of Norway. I’ve got here My Fair Lady at St. Dominic’s Regional High School Drama Club that Bert and I accompanied. That was his last musical, for he was very ill at the time. Brother Bert, who was the drama coach, had come over to my office at the Festival [de Joie?]. He said that his dream was to have Bert and Connie Cote play for one of his musicals. We found that he used to accompany his own musicals but found the score for My Fair Lady was too difficult and he begged. I was going through a political campaign at the time. We do this, so that we did direct for the alumni and the students at St. Dom’s. This was out last musical accompanying together. It was an enjoyable time dealing with the students at St. Dom’s.

AB: Well, it’s that strong heritage, maintaining the importance of theatre, drama and music.

CC: What I forgot to mentioned is that Brother Bert had taken piano lessons from Bert [Cote]. Bert [Cote] had had a heart attack, so I took over the teaching and taught Brother Bert for several years. That was his dream, that his teachers accompany the show for him.”

AB: Now, I think that facet of - I had no idea that that was the origin of the musical aspect of Community [Little] Theater, I wish some of it was – was any of that taped?”

CC: I do know that […?] taped the Song of Norway and I understand she is ill. That particular one I accompanied alone because it was so piano-ey , Edvard Grieg the composer, was very classical so it was my first show and I remember inviting Governor [James] Longley. The cast was so excited. That was my last musical at [Community] Little Theatre. It meant six month out of your life – three to four months – when you directed the show.

I went into politics, and this is why...

Before that, I must mention, the show that I enjoyed the most were two operettas. I directed the French operetta “The Merry Widow” – La Veuve Joyeuse – for the Centre d’Heritage Franco Americain. I served as coordinator for the Centre d’Heritage Franco Americain bringing in lots of people, people for concerts like Winnie Valincourt. I served as their coordinator for three years. They have all their artifacts at [USM] L[ewiston] A[uburn] College at the moment.

The Merry Widow was a smash hit, beautiful talent and of course it was French. Then I went on to direct Les Cloches de Corneville, which is The chimes of Normandy. That was also very, very, well received. It is a lot of difficult to do an operetta because your choice of artists really have to have great voices. That was quite a challenge and I must add that the Merry Widow and the Cloches de Corneville had been presented forty years prior at the Music Hall here in Lewiston, that was on Lisbon Street. In those days that was quite a feat, you know, too; I remember attending those operettas. That was a beautiful theater up above the Lewiston Hardware Store, so it was just a thrill to 40 years later or thereabouts to be able to [present them again]. Bert accompanied the operettas. Those were presented in, I think I have the – 1976 was The Merry Widow; in 1983 we did the Cloches de Corneville.

AB: If you can go back to the music theater, it is sort of a common thread that I hear echoed by many individuals who had the privilege of attending the events at the opera house – that it seemed to really have a marked influence on culture in Lewiston-Auburn. If I am reading this correctly, what I am seeing is that you were duly influenced by that and years later it ended up being translated and I think that is wonderful.

CC: Exactly! I remember going to the D’Youville Pavilion at the time we were rehearsing for the show. We had a photograph taken with the young lady who had played the lead in the Cloches de Corneville for the opera house 40 years prior. She was like 90 years old.

AB: Oh, isn’t that something, that is wonderful, that is great. You did mention some local venues and what I would like to ask in connection with that, did you know that there were opportunities for you here or did you have to make your own opportunities? How did you feel generally about extending beyond the local area? Did you aspire and have inclinations to like play a larger circuit? What was your grand vision?

CC: No, never, Bert had thought – my husband, Bert Cote – thought he would like to move to Florida at some time. That was never interesting to me. I was born and bought up here. I was happy with what I was doing – of course with a family of three children it never entered my mind to go on in the bigger circuit. I was contented, there was always something musical going on in this family, for instance, I directed the local Knapp Shoe shows for ten years and I still meet people every week. “Do you remember me? I was in the Knapp Shoe show!”

The shoe shop would take people from within the shop, who would join the cast. They would give me all the money I wanted. I went to Boston and bought the materials for the costumes. I would do excerpts from musicals like My Fair Lady, Annie, Get Your Gun, and these people had never been on the stage before. Those were always smash hits and were presented as a Christmas party at the armory. There were always 1,500 people that attended. They did this for ten years.

Rehearsals, there were plenty of rehearsals and there was always it seems someone would come here [to the house] to rehearse particularly when musicals were going on. The children were exposed to a lot of music. Bert never played unless we were – I only played unless I was directing or accompanying someone. We also did shows for different organizations and church groups. So there was always – so of course we played for weddings and funerals and bar mitzvahs. When Bert was over-booked, he would send Connie. It seems like there was never a dull moment musically. We were very, very involved.

AB: The origin of the Knapp Shoe Shows; I think that is an interesting concept, was it your or whose brain child was that?

CC: I just think it was the executive director of the factory got the idea of doing this. It was a lot of hard work but so fun. The finished product was unbelievable. They worked so hard and it was well worth it. We looked forward every year to this production. It was quite a production.

AB: Well, knowing and having done similar things, not on such as grand scale, I am aware of the time commitment; especially in the director’s position. I just cannot imagine.

CC: I directed for the Knights of Columbus and French groups. When I was coordinator for Centre d’Heritage Franco Americain we presented a lot of concerts that I was in charge of and if anyone was looking for an accompanist – I am going to say this, and you might just think I am humble but I did receive this lovely compliment three or four years ago when I served as Mistress of ceremonies for La Survivance Française, and I was asked to accompany two people doing the event. Raoul Pinette came to me and says, “You are the best accompanist in Lewiston/Auburn.”

I remember [when] Roland Desroscher, who is a wonderful singer who had played the lead in my Cloches de Corneville, was offered another accompanist. He said, “No, I will not sing unless Connie Cote accompanies me.”

The reason I am bringing this up is because you can be a wonderful pianist, a concert pianist and not be a good accompanist. There is a lot to this. I guess that was my forte. Accompanying sort of felt like I was singing along with them.

AB: Right, you have to obviously be intuitive and you have to be willing to – it s very reciprocal. It’s a lot of give and take. The sensitivity it involves is actually a gift. The gift you have in soul with is the same type of gift applied differently in terms of accompanying. I think a lot of people aren’t aware of that. A good accompanist – the key is that they make the solo performer look wonderful. So, that is the assumption; that people think that this sort of happens by magic.

CC: I also served as organist at St. Phillip’s Church [in Auburn] for two years.

AB: The new church.

CC: St. Phillips, was that always…? My husband was an organist at Sacred Heart and I replaced him several times. When we were sent to St. Phillips, they [the Diocese of Portland] had a reorganization of the parishes. Bert served as organist, whatever. I played the Saturday masses because Father Lane had come over here and asked me if I would play the Saturday service; a lot of older people attended that service. Where my background was in classical music, church music, they enjoyed that type of music, so this is why they asked me to play the organ on a Saturday; that was enjoyable also.

AB: How much leeway did you have in playing in churches in terms of – did you have to limit it to strictly liturgical pieces or were you allow to incorporate you classical repertoire ?

CC: No, I wasn’t the organist when this all started. I was able to choose the numbers that I wanted to play in church.

AB: May I ask as you go back – actually I think I will take the opportunity here to flip the tape over.

[Side 2]

CC: […] to be granted a, I guess I did a little bit.

AB: I had wanted – if I can get my numbers here – I had wanted to ask if you would speak a little bit more or elaborate more on the radio shows. You are still doing the radio show currently, is that correct?

CC: Yes, I am.

AB: All right, I would like to get some idea of chronology and how that evolved, how that has changed over the years, when it started, and how that is different than when you first started.

AB: Ann, I have been on the air for 30 years. I had thought it was like 20 but found an old picture that was in the Lewiston Sun-Journal and it gave the date. I thought, it’s been 30 years this year [i.e. since 1967]. How did that all start? Rosaire Hallé, the former mayor of Auburn, was doing a French show at WCME in Brunswick. He always had a partner. He lost his partner and called me one day. He says, “You are going to do the French show with me.”

I said, “I am?” I hadn’t spoken French in 20 or 25 years because our children went to Lake Street School and all of my work took me to Community Little Theater. Most people didn’t realize I spoke French. I went to Brunswick, it was a three hour show, and was very shy, afraid to say the wrong thing. I remember the first show, I was there for three hours. The children and my husband and I at Sunday dinner would turn on the radio and were listening. All I said was “Oui,” and “Non” throughout the three hours. The children said, “We could do this too.”

I was on at CME with Rosaire for a year and then we moved on to WJTO in Bath. I was there for six years, with Rosaire. At that time I used to write all the commentaries or the spots. We had about 20 sponsors. I used to write everything I said on the air and my French came back. That was my best subject in high school at St. Peter’s School and the first two years.

Then I left JTO; my mother was very ill, she was dying. I remember the owners of WCOU [in Lewiston] came over and said, “We would love to have you do our French show.” I hesitated, but I did it and started that year. I was on COU for 10 years. Ron Frizzell, the owner of WLAM [in Lewiston], kept saying, “Connie, you have got to come to WLAM. We have the best radio station but we don’t have the best French radio show.”

I remember telling Ron at one particular time, “I will come to WLAM.” He was so excited; he sent me roses even before I started.

AB: Oh, anticipating.

CC: He was hoping that I would not change my mind. So, all together – so now [for] my French radio spot, I don’t even bother with to write. I translate from the English copy, cold on the air. Throughout the years I have enjoyed doing the show because I remembered the very first show I did here in Lewiston at WCOU, I knew what people liked. Having been exposed to the old songs like ______, Coeur De Maman ,that Betty Cote had made so popular. T he first show I did I received 40 calls that came through that people were so excited, so elated over the fact that – I remember mother’s day, the song , the records that I had are like 40-50 years old. People called and said, “Connie, you make us cry, so emotional.” I sometimes and I very seldom tape this radio show; it’s always live unless I go to New York to visit my grandchildren. I try to; it’s not the same if it’s taped. People call in for requests, so I know everybody’s favorite song – in French, really. I’ll tell you why I am still doing the show after so many years. I am not burnt out because the audience, of course, I have the elderly people, who say it would not be Sunday without Connie’s show. There was another French show but this was really the show where we played the oldies. I tried to play Celine Dion’s rock, but they are not very well received and she is just magnificent. I do have a song of Celine Dion, Une Colombe, which is the song, she sang when the Pope [John Paul II] made his first visit to Canada [1984]. It’s a beautiful ballad and this was her very first number. People still request that number.

AB: What is titled again?

CC: Une Colombe

AB: Could you translate that

CC: A Dove.

AB: Ok, it didn’t come to mind, a dove.

CC: It’s a lovely, lovely, song. Of course she probably has the greatest voice in the world as far as I am concerned. My audience is not; will never, be ready, I don’t believe, for this rock.

Oh, and I forgot to tell you that for 14 years I have I have served as Mistress of Ceremonies in Canada for the Carnival of Quebec, Maine’s participation, which the governor, the legislature, and the speaker of the house organize. I bring my French records and become a French disc jockey. People dance and it’s all French. It’s all MC-ed in French and I have an audience from Quebec that throughout the years comes on that Saturday morning. They tell me, “We hear more French when you come, we hear our old favorites more than we do throughout the year here in Quebec.”

AB: Isn’t that ironic!

CC: Isn’t that something?

AB: Now how could you classify this, this corps of music that is popular to your listeners? Would you - it’s a certain thing that it is not pop so it is – what would call it? Old standards, or how would you call it?

CC: […?] sings a lot of the songs of the 50’s; for instance, he will sing Moon River in French, If I Love You, a lot of the popular songs. I have […?] singing […?] It’s wonderful. She is very popular on the show. A lot of the popular songs have been translated and it’s always a little strange to hear, to my engineers who engineer my show to hear a popular song being sung in French. They get a kick out of it, they really do. But people call in for requests and it’s gotten so after 30 years I know what their favorites are.

I also have interviews, for instance, in the last three weeks I have been advertising the Magic Pops Chorus Concert. They attribute their audience participation on Sunday morning to the radio show. I will attend the concert on Saturday night, and give a review. They are all listening. On Sunday, they get a greater bigger crowd from the review. It makes me feel right that I can do something like that to help because they put in so much work and so much time. They have great talent, they really do and more people should take in the concert. It’s wonderful that they are doing it.

AB: They are doing very well, it’s quite a phenomenon. That would sort of demystify some of why [that is]; I know that is wonderful. I know that particular music or venue really perhaps target the audience that is similar to yours.

CC: I have a knack of knowing what to play, what people like, what will be well received. That stems from my background when I was young. I remember the songs. I received a phone call a month ago. This woman was ecstatic. She said, “My husband thought your show was absolutely wonderful today.”

Tino Rossi, who has passed away; they just love his songs like J’Avais Vingt Ans is one of his most popular songs there is.

AB: Again, Can you translate that?

CC : J’Avais Vingt Ans is probably 100 years old; Souvenirs d’Un Vieillard.

The show is very peppy, actually. It’s not just old tunes, it’s a variety. I am also able with the French show to advertise the activities, whether they are musical, of all the French organizations. The public service announcements; I am very generous with the public service announcements.

I also do it for LA Arts and I was on the first board of directors [in 1973]. It was called then; there was a different name, LPL [Lewiston Public Library] Plus. When it first started I was on that board. They had wanted me to be the director I remember at that time, but I had just happened to accept to become coordinator of the Franco-American Festival. I did that for 10 years. That was also a great experience. I was able to.

I am very proud of Bert’s accomplishments in what we were able to do. I discovered that all out singers in town had a repertoire of maybe one or two French songs. That was it. They could not complete a French song, so what I did was that I took all of my records out of the station. I would lend them to different singers. They would come here and I would rehearse with them. Bert would do the same thing. He even went to the Marcotte Home [D’Youville Pavillion] with the nuns. They presented a program, a chorus, and he was very helpful in that way. This was how we were able to get our local people to sing French songs again. No one would; they would start a song but two or three times and that was it. That was quite a feat, quite an accomplishment that we were able to do this.

We presented a lot of local talent. My first festival we had received a grant from the Arts and Humanities, the money provided was an exhibit of […?] but also, part of the money was to be spent on local talent. We were able to revive a lot of the people who would play musical; we paid them and this encouraged them. The first few festivals were classed in that respect that we were able to flush out the French music once again. It had been a long time.

AB: What I am hearing is that the validity of musical culture, it seems like that, your authority in that area opened up political arenas for you. I think as you become established as a voice of authority in culture, the assumption is that you have an understanding of the greater scheme and the political scheme. Like you are saying that is very intuitive. It’s like knowing what people like and what is popular and understanding trends and concepts. You have mentioned briefly you political life. How did that tie in?

CC: Well, I’ll tell you how that tied in. I served 12 years in Augusta as a state representative and stayed in Augusta for five days [a week?]. That is when the piano and organ took a back seat. Bert died 12 years ago [1985]. Of course, for several years I just never went back to the piano or organ unless someone called me to. During the holidays I’ll play the organ when the grandchildren come. But I did, I have a grandparent needs to be repaired. I did buy this little Spinet in the event that I sell the house someday; this is big house and need to have a smaller apartment. My sister-in-law sold me this little Spinet, it needs to be tuned, but I did go back to practicing.

I do believe that I would have to practice four hours a day for two years to be back where I was years ago. I was surprised, you just don’t forget. The fingers don’t always just do what you want them to do but I’m planning on getting back into playing again. I became president of the Golden Age Club at Sacred Heart [Church in Lewiston] yesterday. I’m going to practice so I can give them a little concert at some point. So, this is being retired and cutting out a little bit. This is what my next project is going to be, going back to practicing. I do enjoy it, seems good to get back. There was a lull there.

AB: What is your political activity now at this point?

CC: I am an Androscoggin County Commissioner. I was appointed by Governor [Angus] King to replace someone who had retired two years ago, then I ran. It’s a four year term, so this is the end of my first year, three years to serve as Androscoggin County Commissioner representing all of Auburn, Minot, Poland. It’s an interesting office.

AB: In representing your constituency, I guess what I am asking is, what is your role exactly as that type of representative?

CC: As a commissioner?

AB: Right.

CC: Well, as you know, county government is the oldest form of government. We oversee the jail. The elected officials such as the sheriff registrar of probate, registrar of deeds, and the treasurer, county treasurer, come under our jurisdiction. We are in charge of hiring and firing people. We oversee all of the business transactions, the money. We are right now in the process of going through the budget. There is a budget committee. We turn out a budget with representation from all the towns. We have a budget of six million dollars.

It’s very interesting a job because there is always something different, something new. We also have the court room and the District Attorney’s office comes under out county government and all the spending that they do. We hire most of the people; there is an office in Lewiston and one in the county building. It’s very, very interesting. There are three commissioners. One that represents part of Lewiston and another that represents part of Lewiston, Sabattus and Livermore.

There is a lot more to the commission then I realized there was, there really is. It is very educational actually. I found it very educational being a representative. I am very happy that I have the background that I had at the state House to take on this position. I hoped to, when I did, to make a difference. I do believe that I have made a difference. It has not always been a commission where they got along, so I have managed for the last two years to keep peace, also in the building itself. I t has been a tough job, but here is so much more to do in that area. I enjoy it.

AB: May I ask, I would assume that you have served as a mentor to individuals. Are there any, or is there anything in particular you would like to mention about that or anyone that you feel that you influenced in his or her life?

CC: Well, going back to the first Franco American Festival, I remember a young man from the University of Maine in Orono coming to my office to pick up some brochures, festival fliers. He mentioned there was a young lady at the University that had a lovely voice. I said, what is your name? He said, “Josée Vachon.”

“Give me her number,” and he told me how I could get in touch with her. I called Yvon Labbé [Director of the Franco-American Center, University of Maine] and she [Josée] had never sung in public before, ever, ever. I booked her at 4 o’clock one afternoon and she came down. She was so scared, she had never sung in public in her life. Jose gave a concert then I scheduled her the following year in a better slot, at six o’clock, more people. I also had a Soirée Franco Americaine, a dance, and featured her. As a matter of fact there was an insurance owner and came to me and said, “Connie, I just love her voice. If I pay for Jose to record, would you help us sell the record?”

I said, “That will cost you probably $3 or $4 thousand dollars.”

He said, “I am willing.” So they got together and she did produce her first record and through the festival we pushed it. So, Jose had her start at the Franco American Festival. [So did] Lucie Therrien. We were the first.

I spent more time helping people organize in Augusta. I helped them get going. In Biddeford and all through New England, this is all I did. I spent more time helping people organize, so we must have been doing something right.

I noticed in the letter that you sent me; you had asked me a question about “What would my advice be to young ones starting out?” Well Bert’s philosophy and my philosophy has just been because of our experience in teaching. I did teach for awhile. I substituted for Bert in teaching. Then I taught for a few years piano. What we discovered is people start the young ones to early. I’m having the same difficulty with a grandchild. She is 12 years old, she started three years ago. She didn’t study last year and she had a beautiful talent. She no longer takes piano lessons because she was bored; it breaks my heart. She could have learned this year at 12, which she tried to accomplish in the two years. It’s difficult, the notes and the lines and the spaces, the left hand and the right hand. People would call Bert and say, “My daughter is wonderful with the piano, can you book her for piano lessons? “

“How old is she?”

“Five years old.”

“No!”

“Six years old.”

“No, no!” Bert always thought that nine or ten years old was the time to start because otherwise they get discouraged and then there is no going back. They learn at 10 and 11 in that particular year, what you tried to teach them in two years. So, we really feel through experience, that you shouldn’t start them as early as people have. I don’t know if that applies to instruments.

AB: I was thinking I have seen that echoed actually in that application because as you talk to music teachers oftentimes when starts at 12 and they shoot and they excel, they are called late bloomers and the whole adage is, “Oh yeah, watch out for those late bloomers.” The reasoning behind that is –

CC: I was ten or eleven I think when I - I’m not sure – maybe it was ten, maybe eleven.

AB: Yes, you are ready developmentally and you just take off.

CC: Let me give you an example, when you teach a grownup who starts late in their 30s or 40s, they accomplish a lot more than if they had [started as a child]

AB: That is very observant and interesting.

CC: Just give me a call, my schedule is pretty good between now and Christmas.

AB: I was just wondering if just quickly if there was anything, I would hate to have omitted or skipped over anything that we would want to contribute. Does anything else come to mind in reviewing your notes, anything that we haven’t touched upon that you would like to share?

CC: I told you about the amendment I sought to pass. I was proud of the five years I sat there.

Oh yes, I forgot something. Bert had a circus organist on Channel 8, WMTW [TV, Poland Spring], years ago. It was called Ladies Fair. I substituted for him many, many times – that was in 1957, so I did play the organ theme, the closing and solos throughout the program. They had guests. Then there was a talent spotlight show that I played for on Channel 8. They had talent come from all over the state, even though Canada. We would rehearse with these people. We would have like an hour and a half. An hour before, someone would bring their songs.

One guy brings me something from the Barber of Seville, some operatic – I almost died! I got psyched just before; I did that for about a year, we both did. AB: How long was that?

CC: In 1957. That lasted me maybe two years. Ladies Fair was an afternoon show. I went on to do some cooking and then I was interviewed for the Gosselin Monthly [?]. I had brought Eileen Levesque who had started this. The talent spotlight was on Saturday night and that was on for a couple of years, also. I don’t know, let’s see. There are lots of things to think about but if anything should pop up...

AB: Again, you have been very gracious with sharing your story.

CC: Did you want to take anything?

AB: Yes, that would be wonderful; I love to copy some material. Thank you so much

[END]