Bobby Gimby
Bobby Gimby, C.M. (October 25, 1918 – June 20, 1998) was a Canadian orchestra leader, trumpeter, and singer/songwriter.
He was born Robert Stead Gimby (pronounced Jim-bee) in Cabri, Saskatchewan where he played in a boys' band. He was a member of the popular radio show The Happy Gang. In the 1940s he went to Toronto, Ontario where he formed his own orchestra, hosted a TV show on CBC Television and founded a music school.
Known as "The Pied Piper of Canada", for his country's 1967 centennial celebrations Gimby wrote the bilingual song "Canada". More than fifty different recordings were made of the song, plus more than two hundred and fifty Canadian school choirs and bands recorded it. In 1971, Gimby donated the song's original manuscript and all future royalties to Scouts Canada. Gimby's compositions include centennial songs for the provinces of Manitoba and British Columbia.
Bobby also wrote "Malaysia Forever" for the celebration for the formation of Malaysian Federation in 1963.
In recognition of his musical contribution to his country, Gimby was made a member of the Order of Canada in 1968.
Gimby died in 1998 in North Bay, Ontario and was interred in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto.
See also
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Categories
1918 births | 1998 deaths | Canadian trumpet players | Canadian songwriters | Members of the Order of Canada | People from Saskatchewan