Ontario’s Country Music Pioneers:
Paul Gurry

The late PAUL GURRY was born October 5, 1943, in Cobourg, Ontario. He was a masterful guitar player, a gifted songwriter, and a stylish vocalist.

As a much-in-demand guitarist/performer, Paul Gurry first played with the Peterborough-based group Davey Gibbs & His Country Hoppers, appearing on their pair of RCA Camden albums, with his guitar work and solo song entries. He later joined up with the Montreal-based groups Dougie Trineer & The Hackamores and the Dusty King & His Country Kats band.

After settling in Ottawa in the early 1980s Paul Gurry continued to perform with several Ottawa Valley groups headed-up by Ron McMunn (and “Carbine”), Chris McCann (and “Straight Goods”), Dennis Whitty (and “Wheatstone Bridge”), The Todd Nolan Band, and the Mike Graham (Michael Dee) band, “Southern Exposure”, among several other acts. Later, while living in South Western Ontario, Paul performed in a band headed up by the late J. Brian Oakes.

Paul Gurry has appeared as a session guitar player on recordings by Doug Trineer, Allan Trineer, Tom Kelly, Marty Howard (Chambers), Robert Bouchard, Joe Loutchan, Willie Thrasher, and many others. One of his early studio ventures was the production of the album “Ruthie & Bernie MacLean At The Blue Angel”.

Paul Gurry launched his own solo recording career in 1967 with the Rodeo/Banff album “Paul Gurry Sings Country Ballads”. The single, “Was She Always That Way” b/w “No Reason For Living” was pulled from the album and released on Melbourne Records. Both of those songs and several more on the album were written by Paul Gurry.

Paul followed up with the 1973 album “Country Gospel” released on the Canadian Cavalcade label. He also released a late 70s single, “The Devil’s Face” on the Amber Records label, which attracted radio airplay, and was subsequently covered by award-winning group South Mountain.

Paul Gurry passed away on September 18, 2001, in Hamilton, ON.