The Village Corner
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The Village Corner The Village Corner opened in 1960 at 174 Avenue Rd. near Davenport. The house featured mainly folk until its closure in 1966. Identification in the public press of the artists who appeared is very poor for the first two years but improves thereafter. The August 20, 1960 Toronto Star article referenced below provides an excellent description of two after hours clubs, the Village Corner and the Clef Club at 40 Scollard Ave. It’s so useful the parts referencing the “Corner” are reproduced here in their entirety. The parts referring only to the Clef will be reproduced in its own listing. Folk-Song-Til-Dawn Clubs Booming, 3500 Are Members by Sid Adilman https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/adilman-an-influential-canadian-voice-in-the-arts-1.590168 “Folk songs, until recently associated with peasants and hill billies are attracting 3,500 Torontonians weekly to two “after hours” clubs. The clubs - the Village Corner, 174 Avenue Rd. and the Clef, 40 Scollard Ave, - feature songs m ade popular by the Kingston Trio, Harry Belafonte and Pete Seeger. These and less com mercial folk tunes are sung and their history explained to the uninitiated by youthful singers who exude intensity and deadly seriousness. “It takes a worried man to sing a worried song ...” the members croon, patrons joining in the prison camp chorus after hearing the original words which the commercial discs omit. The Village Corner is a tiny L-shaped room with dark blue walls, a large mural depicting Negro slaves being unshackled and a postage stamp stage. It is crowded with guitars, banjoes, a table, stools and a piano. Dotted around the room , which seats 60 people at a time, are square tables with checkered tablecloths. The “Corner” as it is known is owned by John Morley and Roy Davies, both 30 year-old expatriates from England. It is open from 10 pm to 6 am Tuesdays to Sundays and features different singers for the first two hours every night. The club is not a hangout for the student beatnik element or potential law breakers. Many professional people belong and sing occasionally. Included on the week’s bill are a doctor, an employee of a management consultant firm and a horse show rider. Both clubs serve only coffee, soft drinks and sandwiches. One “Corner” regular is Ian Tyson, a clean shaved 24-year-old Vancouverite who makes folk signing his career. Performing on Saturday nights in tight fitting blue jeans and a freshly laundered sports shirt open at the neck, he sings about feudal England, the Great Depression and prison blues w ith a relaxed easy manner. “The Corner” was opened by John Morley who gave up what he calls “the rat race of copywriting at a large department store” for the relaxing pace of folk songs”. He readily admits copywriting is more lucrative than a folk song club which charges 50 cent memberships and $1 Admission. But he says he is happier owning a place where people come from all walks of life can relax. Unlike jazz or classical music a few sweet chords on the guitar, a familiar melody, can make all the worries of the work-a- day-week disappear,” he said. The Clef charges $1.50 membership and $1 admission and has 900 members while the Corner has 2,660 members. Both clubs share entertainers and audiences but competition like the music, is friendly.” Another article from July 20, 1963 provides excellent insight into the operation/finances of the club and her (then owner/manager Shelly Abrams) commitment to the club and music in general. It was a club that appears to have been hanging by its fingertips financially most of its existence but with one of the best commitments to music. Updated: December 20, 2019 (6:11am) 1960 Jun 11 An long, excellent article by G&M Jun 11th p.A16 “One new club, The Village Corner is William French titled “Cool devoted exclusively to folk singing and operates on the music and hot coffee go down same after-hours basis as the jazz clubs” well after hours” on the music scene that also mentions some Also a good picture of Clem Hambourg of the shortest lived clubs. Aug 14 The Elizabethan Trio Star Aug 13th, p.26 Aug 20 Ian Tyson Star Aug 20th, p.24 - from the above referenced article by Sid Adilman again: “One ‘Corner’ regular is Ian Tyson, a clean shaved 24-year-old Vancouverite who makes folk signing his career. Performing on Saturday nights in tight fitting blue jeans and a freshly laundered sports shirt open at the neck, he sings about feudal England, the Great Depression and prison blues with a relaxed easy manner.” Aug 31 An advertisement for an art Star Aug 31st and the G&M Aug 31st p.21 “Visit the display Village Corner and see the exciting new collection of Modern Art by the talented young Portuguese artist Inacio Barata Dec 1 Noreen St. Pierre & Bob Star Nov 26th p.31 advertisement: “Toronto’s Folksong Wonk Centre” Over the next few months the club published advertisements simply promoting “folk singing” 1961 Aug 20 Mike White’s Imperial Jazz G&M Aug 19th p.13 “ ... launches Sunday sessions Band tomorrow” in an article by Patrick Scott critiquing the jazz scene; “He Had It Once, But It's All Gone Now”. He’s not talking about Mike White. 1962 Jun 22-23 Greg Curtis Star June 22 p.22: The “Corner” prides itself on “being the first folk-singing club in Toronto and tonight and tomorrow the featured artist will be Greg Curtis, Toronto’s first full time folk singer. This is the first time both club and singer have united”. Also reopening after “9 tonight” (Jun 22nd) the club has expanded to 100 seats by taking over the barber shop next door. And, “just after midnight tonight the club will feature a folk music hootenanny (when anyone in the audience can join in).” Jun 23 Mary Jane and Winston Star Jun 22nd p.22 as part of the folk-singing hootenanny Aug 24-26 John Winn Star Aug 24th, p. 17 “Troubadour, Classic Guitarist” 9:30-1 am, as the club seems to be moving away from its “after hours” moniker Sep 1-2 Ian and Sylvia plus David Star Sep 1st p.24 & 28 note there are three set shows: Wiffen 9:30, 11 and 12:30. From the 1966 Mariposa Festival program “England-born David Wiffen, 24, is a blues singer-guitarist. He has had the blues, lived the blues and said the blues all across Canada. He is the blues. He has appeared on CTV's Let's Sing Out and in numerous clubs from Toronto to Vancouver. This is Dave's first appearance at Mariposa.” Sep 7-9 Dave Campbell Star Sep 8th Sep 14-15 Dave Campbell Star Sep 15 p.24 Sep 27-30 Barry Kornfeld Star Sep 27th, p.40 “Direct from New York” Nov 2-4 John Winn Star Nov 2nd, p. 31 “9;30 to 1 am” Dec 1 Reference in a Globe article by G&M Dec 1st p.17 “The Village Corner, one of the original Gordon Froggatt “Audrey houses in Toronto to present folk songsters with coffee Hepburn Type Gets a Wicked and sandwiches is open on Sunday afternoons and Role” Monday nights to anyone who feels they’ve got what it takes to be a singer of folk songs. Says Shelley Abrams, the girl behind the idea: We feel there is a lot of singing talent in Toronto without an outlet. This way youngsters can face an audience and test their abilities.” Dec 1-2 Al Cromwell Star Dec 1st p.31 also: “With the Purple Onion and the Fifth Peg leaning towards U.S. imports, Toronto’s first folk club, the Village Corner has embarked on a “Buy- Canadian” folk entertainment policy” Dec 8-9 John Smith Star Dec 1st p.31 “... bawdy ballads and East Coast songs.” Dec 15 Gerry Barker’s In Town & Out Star Dec 15th p.22 acknowledgment that “Shelley column Abrams and Michael Cavendish are leasing the Village Corner starting in the new year ... A crackdown by the Guild of Canadian Folk Artists has resulted in more performers getting paid and cancellation of ‘impromptu’ hootenannys”. Dec 28 The Halifax Three Star Dec 28th p.14 Dec 31 Kel Lindzy Star Dec 28th p.14 and continuing this week 1963 Jan 11-12 Michael & Vicki Star Jan 11th p.27 Jan 18-20 Jim McCarthy Star Jan 18th p.30 Jan 22-27 Leon Morenzie Star Jan 18th p.30 Feb 7-10 Dave Campbell Star Feb 7th p.21 Feb 15-17 Gord Lightfoot Star Feb 7th p.21 Mar 22-23 Chanteclairs with Jim Star Mar 22nd p.23 McCarthy Mar 26-30 Judy Orban Star Mar 22nd p.23 and 29th p.22 “folksongs” Apr 1-6 Kit Snow Star Mar 29th p.22 “blues” (Saturday end presumed) Apr 11-13 The Villagers Three Star Apr 11th p.26 Apr 15 Sonny Terry & Brownie Star Apr 11th p.26, Apr 13th p.27 all in a Monday Apr 15th McGhee, the Chanteclairs, hootenanny according to the Star Apr 15th p.29 “to help The Pioneers, Dave out a financially suffering Village Corner” Campbell, John Smith, Dave Wiffen Al Campbell and Jim McCarthy Apr 26-27 Fernwood Trio Star Apr 26th p.23 Apr 27 Dave Caplan in his Man About Star Apr 27 p.28 “Monday to Thursday and Sunday 9:30 - Jazz column 1 am, Friday and Saturday 9 pm - 3am Membership Apr 30-May 4 Ted Schafer Star Apr 25th p.23 refers to Ted Schafer as “one of the founders of the Village Corner” and Star 26th p.23 “on Banjo” May 24-25 Bruce Farwell Star May 24th p.25, G&M May 24th p.5 May 27-June 1 Barry Kornfield Star May 24th p.25, G&M May 31st p.4 Jun 14-15 Doug Brown Star Jun 14th p.23, G&M Jun 14th p.4 Jun 16 “Oriental Dancers” Star Jun 14th p.23 Jun 17-20 Joanne Hyndley-Smith Star Jun 14th p.23 “Patio opening tonight” Jun 21-22 John Smith Star Jun 22nd p.22 advertisement Jun 24 -27 Adriana Harmon Star Jun 22nd p.22 “starts Monday” Jun 28-29 The Underground Four G&M Jun 28th p.35 Jul 12-13 Fernwood Trio Star Jul 12th p.18 Jul 15-20 Peter Wyborn Star Jul 16th p.15 an interesting and critical description of Wyborn’s style by Morris Duff in his article “Scream For More Of Lynn Jul 20 An excellent article by Morris Star Jul 20th p.19 - In it Duff identifies Shelly Abrams as Duff: “You Wouldn’t Recognize the Owner a “.