AL SIMMONS
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Albert William Simmons was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in 1948 to Romanian father and Scottish mother. His father, a charismatic magazine salesman and would-be performer, spent many hours telling tall tales and re-enacting old vaudeville routines. Al’s Mom taught him the genteel art of punning, silly songs and magic tricks that she had learned from her mother. His extended family was made up of punsters, pranksters and eccentrics, including Al’s Uncle Nick, who toured Eastern Canada as Steamboat Harris, best known for playing a ukulele made out of a toilet seat.
Al worked as a gas jockey, steelworker and clerk before his heart steered him toward the world of entertainment. He began by performing in amateur shows and volunteering his services for benefit concerts. He soon formed a comedy/rock band called Out to Lunch, then a comedy/folk band, Kornstalk, before venturing out on his own again as The Human Juke Box: “two bits a laff.” He ran for office as a federal candidate for the Rhino Party, promising to raise all of the desks in the House of Commons so that more deals could be done under the table. The subsequent notoriety landed him the starring roles in two TV series, CTV’s “All for Fun”, and CBC’s “Fabulous Festival”, both written by Al.
Al Simmons is a creative genius whose charm and humanity have won over a legion of fans at theaters and festivals around the world. His highly original performances of profound wackiness and array of off- the-wall inventions take the arts of Music and Comedy to unparalleled heights of hilarity.
His act, at once frenetic and engagingly simple, is a tour- de-force of ingenious and charming silliness. The popular Manitoba-based performer has been in the entertainment business since 1970. With his collection of homemade mechanical hats and inspired musical contraptions it’s no wonder he has been called “The Thomas Edison of entertainers.”
He has put out three CDs: Something’s Fishy at Camp Wiganishie, Celery Stalks at Midnight, and The Truck I Bought From Moe, all of which won Parents’ Choice honors and were nominated for Juno awards. Celery Stalks, Al’s brilliant ode to vaudeville, won the 1995 Juno Award for Best Children’s Album. He is an author; “Counting Feathers,” his illustrated children’s book, was short-listed for the McNally-Robinson Book of the Year in 1997. He received a coveted Cable Ace Award nomination for his music video “I Collect Rocks,” which is also the title track of his brand new DVD that contains 6 of his wacky music videos and features his Horse-cycle “Ol’ Spoke”.
Al married Barbara Freundl in 1976. They have three sons, Karl, Will, and Brad.
