As Gravenhurst Urban Legend Has It - The Rolling Stones Visited Currie's Music - Yea Right! But Denying it Doesn't Seem to Work

Birch Hollow Photo by Suzanne Currie

      For a few years now, we have been asked rather frequently, in comparison to many other entertainment related rumors having supposedly occurred, in and around Currie's Music, here in Gravenhurst, if it was true the Rolling Stones visited our shop one summer day several years ago. Fundamentally, these curious voyeurs, from literally all walks of life and portals along the main street, ask the question and then impose the answer they want to hear. Sort of reminds one these days of the big election lie in the United States. How do you convince election result deniers that JoeBiden is the duly, legitimately elected President. It's a bigger problem down there than with us, because we've just accepted the fact that the rumor mill is doing a brisk business of spreading baseless gossip. And yes, it is true, that we have simply got to the point where we just stare the teller down, and hope that the expression on our faces doesn't offer any validation to their assumption; but seeing as we aren't very good at this, I'm afraid the now urban legend round these parts, has kind of grown over in local entertainment lore. But we most certainly are not riding the coattails of the Stones, by not renting a bulletin board on the Highway to disassociate ourselves with this particular hearsay. So do you want the real story? Straight from the media rep., and that of course would be me.

     There was most definitely a British rock band in our shop, and I suppose, to the fleeting glance, of motorist, or passenger caught off guard, a few of the bandmates, on an Ontario tour, did look as little like The Stones, but honestly, that would be a pretty far fetched parallel at least on closer inspection. They did come on a nice tour bus parked up the street from Currie's Music, and they were trundling back and forth with rental gear that we were providing, and selling the band members a few regional souvenirs and funky clothing from our back room. We couldn't have imagined, at the time we were dealing with the band, (a nice bunch of musicians we should note, happy to be in Canada), that the rumor mill was pounding out gossip up and down Muskoka Road, to the point there were gawkers lining the opposite side of the street, and if we had any celebrity photographers nearby, there might have even been a media scrum. It wasn't until the band had re-boarded the tour bus, that we started to get people coming in, pretty much telling us that "it was the Rolling Stones, wasn't it?" As much as we tried to clarify that the band in our shop, was as far removed from the Stones, as the earth to the sun. But the tales persisted for a year, and even today, I have heard visitors say to their friends, that this was where the Rolling Stones visited that summer day, and yes, with Keith Richards. Gosh, can you believe this stuff? Well, frankly, yes. And we still find it awkward to give any answer than sounds or appears neutral from the expression on our faces, because some of these patrons, and Stones' Fans, think we're purposely misleading them from what has become a popular bit of folklore to spin in perpetuity. Think what you wish.

     In the matter of celebrity guests at our Gravenhurst Music and Antique Shop, yes, indeed, it is one of the glorious perks of aligning ourselves with the regional entertainment scene. Even through the Covid lockdown period, we have had many well known Canadian musicians and song writers visit for outside "masked" and "socially distanced" social meetings, and a few others for business, especially guitar repairs, headed-up by son Andrew. The one strict protocol we have at the shop, is that we never reveal a visiting celebrity, unless it is cool with them. These often weary celebrities want to visit the music component, more so than antiques, to catch up on the local news since they last visited, and really prefer to being able to wander the building anonymously, and that's perfect for us. Quite a few have been identified by other customers, and asked for autographs, and each of these individuals kindly obliged. We do have many fond memories of these singers and musicians, over the past 16 years, and in some cases, because they were performing at nearby venues where Andrew and Robert were providing some technical services, you can see some of our visitors posted on the wall in our lobby. Often having signed their images to add to our collection. I can't tell you how many times we've been asked if Andrew would consider selling some of them to fans of the performer, who was visiting town, possibly to attend a show.

     Suzanne, in the antique wing, has been absolutely floored by some of the guests she has met with, across her sales counter, and on one case, the lead singer of a group arrived in the sales room to hear her record, and her voice, playing for other customers quite enjoying the music. We probably shouldn't have been playing it, but truth be known, we knew she was going to visit "our mom" and this heralded whipping on the CD which is one of her favorites. Have you ever heard of the talented group,"The Good Lovelies?"

     When Andrew and Robert did tech work for the Gravenhurst Opera House, and several other entertainment venues, it was often the case that the star performer and band members, would come to visit the Currie brothers in their daily work place, in the few hours before sound check; and sometimes after the technical aspects of the evening's show had been taken care of, and approved by all. Andrew, who did most of the tech work, would often have take time away from the sales desk of the shop, to do these all important sound checks, and would occasionally return to our building with a few of the band members, looking to buy guitar strings, try out amps, and maybe get a few quick upgrades from their new guitar-tech buddy. Yes, it was very good for business, and even by itself, working with these well known musicians, inspired expansion our part to meet growing needs through South Muskoka in particular. Both boys have even performed with celebrity musicians, on stage in front of a paying audience, and in those pop-up jam sessions that often break-out in Rob's recording studio. Now just to set the record straight; they most definitely have not performed with the Rolling Stones. I think I would have remembered that, as their second biggest fan. Suzanne is the number one booster, and of this I willing surrender any assertion otherwise. But I have to tell you, that it is the one perk in this regard, of having a big business instead of one that is space limited. I have worked daily, for quite a few years now, somewhat loosely recording the actual history of our little shop that acts too big for its britches. I have had the personal, and intimate pleasure, of sitting and chatting with many of these kindly performers, and managers, in Rob's Studio, where they share so many of their interesting career highlights, and present tour occurrences, both good and bad, and who really like the opportunity to talk about their own collecting and home decorating themes, with the wide-eyed dealers in the chair beside. I had a long conversation one afternoon with a Canadian music legend, who told Suzanne, Rob and I, about the "Scary Clown" dolls he collects from shops like ours across North America. And by the way, as far as celebrities go, we had an actor / musician visit with us one afternoon, a few years back, who played the designated President of the United States on a popular American network. That was pretty awesome if I do say so myself, as the writer, historian, biographer in residence.

     Yet these well established, and internationally known celebrities do not demand special treatment, and are just so pleased to be invited into our shop inner sanctum, to sit back with a cold beverage or coffee, and often with some bakery goods from the shop up the street; wishing only to have a few moments to lighten the burden of an often long road trip.

     It's hard then, to buy into the argument, that us Curries would still rather have a "smaller" small business, that doesn't tax us quite the way our warehouse sized building does each day; especially when it's raining in a tourist town, and browsing the local shops is the choice preoccupation for one and all otherwise confined to the cottage. Geez, we'd love to be stuck in a lakefront cottage. No hardship at all.

     Anyway, the Rolling Stones did not visit us, but sure, we wish the rumors had been true. Maybe one day? You never know in our line of work!