The column below by Barry Wells from Altlondon.org sums up my feelings and those of many others regarding what has happened to the legacy and museum of Lombardo in London in 2008 and in the many years preceding it. Thank you to www.altlondon.org for carrying the torch on this issue of history and heritage.
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ALT-LONDON IN LONDON, ONTARIO!
LONDON, ONTARIO'S MOST FAMOUS EXPORT TO THE WORLD: New Year's Eve without The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven is like hot, homemade pie minus the ice cream!
Here's world-famous Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians in a rare recording from 1933 ~ a decade after they left their hometown of London, Ontario!
It seems few Londoners realize that Guy Lombardo's mega-record-selling big band in their red jackets (emblazoned with the Canadian maple leaf) became such positive Canadian icons that they, along with the Mounties in their red tunics and the majestic Canadian rockies, made Canada one of the most loved and respected countries (and tourist destinations) in the world.
Further, bandleader Guy Lombardo often mentioned his hometown of London, Ontario, and its famous Labatt's beer during the legendary orchestra's countless live performances all over North America from 1923-1977.
Today the Lombardo museum is closed and its City-owned collection now largely in the hands of a private citizen, with no input whatsoever from City Council, London's heritage planner or London's Advisory Committee on Heritage. Welcome to the Creative City that Fun Forgot, banging away on three of eight cylinders.
And to think the City of London harassed the annual Big Band Music Festival (1983-2002) out of existence in 2001-2002, instead of helping to transform London into the Big Band, Jazz and Swing capital of North America via its annual Big Band Festival, winner of two prestigious awards from the American [Tour] Bus Associaition. The North American tour bus industry is a 20-billion-dollar-a-year enterprise.
