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RED FISHER
Bush Party receives its fair share of emails. The occassional angry Toronto Maple Leaf fan, a submission for the ugliest hockey logo section, a music lover, etc. But by and far the most emails we have received have been in regards to the article on Red Fisher that was published in Bush Party's inaugral issue.
Everything from queries as to where one can find video copies of the original Red Fisher Show and whether there is a market for copies of Red's poem collection - "Poems of Our Great Outdoors" to reports from friends of Red stating feelings about the article and informing me that Red was doing well. It was apparent that the internet was ripe for Red Fisher.
At the time of writing the "Outsider Poet" article, there had been very little written about Red in the last few years. An internet search for Red Fisher usually showed up a few links to a now extinct Canadian rock band, and little else. To my knowledge, there was little else than a few copies of "Poems of Our Great Outdoors" and some old sportsman's memories (both collecting dust) that were keeping the Red Fisher legacy alive.
What a difference a year makes. First off, I was informed that there are not one but two different books of poems. For completists out there, the second edition contains all of the poems found in the first one, plus approximately 30 pages of additional poetry that was later added.
Secondly, through the kindness of ebay vinyl vendor Steve Milo, I received a copy of a very rare copy of an album entitled "Poems of Our Great Outdoors" (Saga Records) in which Red reads his outdoor poems with musical accompaniment. A true gem. His voice was instantly recognizable and his readings resonated with the lighthearted fun that was always permeated his show as well as his passion for wilderness conservation (I've included a few MP3s from the album. S. Milo still has a few copies available for a reasonable price. Write Bush Party and we can hook you up while quantities last).
Unbeknownst to me, while I was writing the Bush Party article, Red himself was busy putting together a chronicle of his career and adventures called "Tight Lines and Tall Tales". The book features a star-studded cast of celebrities from the 50's and 60's (James Lovell, Stan Mikita, Gordie Howe, Alan Hale Jr. and Ted Williams to name a few), but the real star here is Red. Written in a casual, conversational vernacular, you get the sense at times that you are sitting up at a remote fishing lodge, listening to Red spin a yarn about the good old days. While most of Tight Lines concentrates on fishing and hunting, you also get a sense of the life he led as a journalist, sport show performer and television personality. Included is letters from fishing buddies and show guests, pictures (mostly of men holding rods), and, of course, a few choice poems from his collection. Below is a brief excerpt of one of Red's tales from "Tight Lines and Tall Tales":
 " It was the closest thing to what all four of the kids felt when we lived in Morton Grove, Illinois and I was in the den, sitting in my favorite rocker recliner, trying to relieve a head crushing hangover, that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. All of them had cap guns at the time, courtesy of their dear mother. I was just starting to feel like I was going to live, when all four kids came bursting in, shooting off their cap guns like they were in the battle of the bulge. Well rather than try to plead with them to knock it off, I quietly went back to room, loaded my six shot 357 magnum with extra loud blanks, and went back to the den yelling, "So you like to shoot guns, well I got one too." With that I pulled the trigger six times, which was useless, because all four kids had scattered out the back door by the third shot, and was telling their mother, that daddy had gone berserk, and was shooting up the house. I, on the other hand, sat back in my rocker recliner, and after the calling down their mother gave me, enjoyed peace and quiet for the rest of the day, as did my poor aching head."
You can purchase "Tight Lines and Tall Tales" from the Ontario Federation of Angler and Hunter's website. As a legacy to the woods and the wild, Red is donating his profits to various outdoor conservation organizations.
Poems of Our Great Outdoors MP3s:
When Ya
T'was the Night Before Fishing
Ontario Out of Doors conducted a good interview with Red while he was promoting "Tight Lines and Tall Tales". Click here to read that interview.
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