Ontario’s Country Music Pioneers:
Ollie Strong

OLLIE STRONG was born William Oliver Steven Strong, July 2, 1935, in Bolton, Ontario. He is recognized as being among the first pedal steel guitar players on the Canadian music scene and has long been an influence on many of the steel guitar players who have since come on stream.

As a teenager, Ollie Strong first performed with a local group, The Humber River Ranch Boys, which also included his sister, Edna (Richardson). Later, he was a member of the Chuck Joyce Ramblers, where he worked at square dances and social events. By the mid-1950s, Ollie was gaining notice while playing at musical events staged at Fred Roden’s Record Corral in Toronto. He soon began playing the Crang Plaza Jamboree and the Toronto club scene with such notables as Chef Adams, Dick Nolan, Bernie Hughes and others.

While playing steel guitar with various bands during night hours and weekend gigs, Ollie “paid the bills” with a variety of day jobs: at Avro Aircraft, as a shipping clerk for Arc Records, and other similar occupations. One of his first steady gigs was playing steel on the Bill Long TV show, which aired out of Hamilton.

In 1956, The Canadian Sweethearts (Lucille Starr and Bob Regan) booked a cross-Canada tour, hiring Ollie on steel and fiddler Peter Dawson for their accompaniment.

By the early 1960s, Ollie Strong had been hired to play in the house band for CBC’s popular “Country Hoedown” TV show, which at the time was an early venue for new artists Gordon Lightfoot, Tommy Common and Tommy Hunter. In 1965, the show evolved into the “Tommy Hunter Show”, allowing Ollie the opportunity to play steel for many of Nashville’s top stars who guested on the show, including Ray Price, Jim Reeves, Johnny Cash, Carl Smith, The Everly Brothers, and many others.

In the 1970s, Ollie was being called upon to record steel guitar parts on sessions for Canada’s top artists. Some of his most memorable sessions included Gordon Lightfoot’s “Old Dan’s Records” album. Ollie also played on the first album by James & The Good Brothers and would later be featured on albums by The Mercey Brothers, The Rhythm Pals, Dick Damron, Joe Firth, Tommy Hunter, Graham Townsend, Russell Thornberry, Brent Williams, The Myrol Brothers, Cindy Church, Wayne Mack, Hank Smith… and literally, dozens more. Ollie’s steel playing is also heard on albums recorded by Nashville artists George Hamilton IV, Joe Pain and more.

Notwithstanding his massive recording credits, Ollie himself has only released one album – an early Arc Records LP, “Sleepwalk”, which also features the talents of guitarist Kenny Hepburn. Two entries on the album – “Day Dreaming” and “Walking Up The Road” are original compositions by Ollie.

Ollie has produced sessions for other artists, including an early career album by the late Bev Barker, which yielded several nationally-charted hits, and a Doug Richards & The Diamonds album. He also dabbled as a songwriter. His song, “Stop Before We Start”, is featured on an album by Bernie & Elaine Hughes, while his song, “Do I Have To Hate Her”, is featured on a Ron McLeod album.

Throughout his many years of performing, Ollie has also worked lengthy stints as a member of the North Forty Band (while living in Calgary) and toured internationally with the Hank Smith & Wild Rose Country band.

While Ollie Strong has been hailed as one of the “greats” in Canadian Country music, formal industry recognition was slow in coming. It wasn’t until 2022 that Ollie was bestowed with the CCMA’s “Hank Smith Award of Excellence”, acknowledging his many years of playing steel guitar and mentoring many of those who have followed in his footsteps.

Ollie and his wife, Rae Strong, who often supports his live performances with her own talents as a gifted bass player and vocalist, now make their home in Oro-Medonte (Simcoe County), Ontario, where Ollie still plays his steel guitar four hours daily (to keep in shape) and works local gigs with the Bustin’ Loose band.