Bobby Gimby

Bobby Gimby, CM (October 25, 1918 – June 20, 1998) was a Canadian orchestra leader, trumpeter, and singer/songwriter.

Biography

He was born Robert Stead Gimby (pronounced Jim-bee) in Cabri, Saskatchewan, where he played in a boys' band. He was a member of the popular radio show The Happy Gang. In the 1940s, he went to Toronto, Ontario, where he formed his own orchestra, hosted a TV show on CBC Television and founded a music school.

Known as "The Pied Piper of Canada", for his country's 1967 centennial celebrations Gimby wrote the bilingual song "Canada". More than 50 recordings were made of the song, plus more than 250 Canadian school choirs and bands recorded it. In 1971, Gimby donated the song's original manuscript and all future royalties to Scouts Canada. Gimby's compositions include centennial songs for the provinces of Manitoba and British Columbia.

Bobby also wrote "Malaysia Forever" for the celebration for the formation of Malaysian Federation in 1963.

In recognition of his musical contribution to his country, Gimby was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1968.

In a Wayne and Shuster skit about a mail-in record offer, the comedians offer a collection containing the entire works of "Brahms, Beethoven, Strauss, Wagner and Bobby Gimby!"

Gimby died in 1998 in North Bay, Ontario, and was interred in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto.

See also

• Canada (song)
• Expo 67

External links

• Order of Canada citation

Multimedia

• 1985 CBC Television clip on YouTube looking back at the "Ca-na-da" song, and the 'ruins' of the Expo site. The opening features Bob Gimby performing his song.
• CBC TV archives
• Expo 67 in Montreal Information, audio clip and a magazine interview featuring Bobby Gimby.