Norman Hilt's video: Highway 11 - Wayne Rostad 4K

Being an old railroader Wayne Rostad’s song “Highway 11” evokes wonderful memories of the era of steam locomotives. It is one of my favorites and Wayne sang it during his show at Spencerville, Ontario on September 9, 2018. My late spouse and I followed the career of Wayne Rostad for many years. We first enjoyed his music at a coffee house on Somerset Street I believe, in downtown Ottawa back in 1981 or thereabouts. We were literally blown away with the quality of his performance and were utterly amazed how he could make that wonderful guitar of his sound like an entire band was backing him up. We became huge fans, attended many of his concerts at local fairs and, of course, watched his CJOH television show which featured many local country music artists including the Family Brown. I taped all of those shows and uploaded many of Wayne’s songs to YouTube so others could repeatedly enjoy his great repertoire of songs. A number of factors help one to determine the measure of an excellent musician. In the case of a singer the quality of his/her voice greatly influences the extent to which the song will gain acceptance by the listeners. Of course, there are many other crucial elements that help establish whether any given song will prove to be popular such as the artist’s mastery over the instrument being played, the pleasantness of the accompanying melody and how well the lyrics convey the songs’ essential message. Although Wayne has shown remarkable abilities with respect to all of these factors, I believe it is his unique ability to integrate these components in a way that provides immense amusement and enjoyment to his audience. In essence, this is what makes him such a truly great entertainer. Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of speaking with Wayne can readily see that he is a “people person”. Because he is so adept at making people laugh I sometimes wonder whether some people come away with the impression that his primary mission in life is to write songs that are mainly lighthearted so as to create an atmosphere of cheerfulness and festivity. To be sure songs such as “J Ulysses Moses Hansen”, “Boney Fingers”, “Ryan’s BP Station” and “King of Fools” are capable of making anyone laugh wholeheartedly. However, there is also a very serious side to Wayne and this comes out in songs such as “Dollard Marlowe”, “The Watchman at Dalton’s Garage”, “Lolly Ray”, “Rideau Street Queen” and “Baby, Lady, Poet and Writer of Songs”. While I personally favor these songs, it can be readily appreciated that, depending on one’s mood, Wayne’s songs run the gamut of human endeavors and make for excellent listening at most any time. A short while ago Wayne decided to “pull the pin” on his singing career but the lure of singing/writing apparently became too difficult to suppress and he has decided to jump back in to the entertainment business. Needless to say when I heard he was performing at the Spencerville Fair on September 9, 2018 I just had to go and am I glad I did. He sang a number of old favorites which gave me the opportunity to upload video clips of much improved quality. He is just as good as he ever was and, judging by the reception he got, I’m sure everyone wants Wayne to keep strumming that guitar and singing those songs. We love ya Wayne!