Saturday 5 June 2021

Hal Lone Pine born 5 June 1916


Hal Lone Pine (born Harold J. Breau June 5, 1916 in Pea Cove, Maine  - March 26, 1977) and his wife Betty Cody (born Rita Cote in Sherbrooke, Quebec August 17, 1921 - July 1, 2014,Maine) are best-known these days as the parents of guitar phenom Lenny Breau, but in their day they were bona-fide country music stars themselves. 

The professional Country Music career of this fine gentleman commenced in the 1940s and early 1950s when he and his group were known as "The Lone Pine Mountaineer & The Noisiest Gang in Radio." Lone Pine and his lovely wife, Betty Cody, along with their "Gang" entertained Country Music lovers throughout New England and Canada for a number of years and later moved on to be national stars of the profession. Hal and Betty were blessed with four devoted sons, Lenny, Dick, Denny and Bob Breau.

Harold initiated his radio career at WABI in Bangor in the mid-30's and soon came to lead a group known as the Lone Pine Mountaineers and changed his name to Hal Lone Pine (although he sometimes said the name was given to him by local Indians). Meanwhile, young Rita Coté had moved to Auburn, Maine, with her parents. She took an interest in singing at an early age. About 1936, her brother brought home a Patsy Montana record and the "little French girl," as Rita was known, determined to perfect the technique. The following year, Rita started to sing on radio at WCOU in nearby Lewiston with a group called Curly and the Country Boys. In 1938, she met Lone Pine in the radio studio and the two married on June 29, 1940. Rita began using the stage name "Betty Lou," later changing to Betty Cody, which was an Anglicized form of her maiden name. 

Hal & Betty with Tex Ritter

Hal was heard and seen on numerous radio, TV and road shows. Hal broadcast from Radio CFBC, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada and Radio WABI, Bangor, Maine where he had a weekly coast to coast program over the ABC Network which originated from WABI. The Lone Pine Mountaineers continued on radio in Maine through the 40's and into the 50's. In 1952, they signed with RCA Victor and each had several solo and duet releases over the next three or four years. 


                            

Hal Lone Pine composed and recorded many fine songs for such recording companies as Event Records (Westbrook, Maine), RCA Victor and Rodeo International of Canada. His recordings of "Prince Edward Island Is Heaven To Me," "Annapolis Valley," "It's Good-bye and So-Long To You," "Waltz Of The Bride" and "O Lord Please Tell Me Do" are remembered well by fans of Hal Lone Pine. 

He and Betty Cody also broadcast from WCOU in Lewiston, Maine and later moved on to WWVA, Wheeling, West Virginia where they became favourite stars on the world renowned WWVA Wheeling Jamboree.  From 1953, Lone Pine and Betty Cody worked as regulars on the World's Original Jamboree at WWVA Wheeling, West Virginia. Sometime later in the 50's, the Breaus went to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where they subsequently split. Betty Cody gave up her career and worked in a shoe shop in Lewiston, Maine to care for her three younger sons. 

Hal "Lone Pine," as he generally became known in this later period, remained based in Winnipeg, where he cut albums for the Canadian label Arc, some with a girl vocalist named Jeanie Ward. Later, he returned to Maine and remarried, working at some of his old haunts in New England and the Maritimes. Very suddenly on 26 March 1977 Hal passed away. 

The Hal Lone Pine Memorial Award was established by the producers of the State of Maine Country Music Awards Show and in October 1977 this first annual award was presented to Betty Gribbin by Hal's sons, Dick, Denny and Bob Breau. Hal closed his programs and shows with a very appropriate message and has left us with these words, "Good-bye friends. I've got to leave you now. So I'll leave you with a smile." He was  inducted into the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame on April 30, 1978. 

Betty Cody remained out of music for some years until her children had grown older. In the early 70's, she toured some with Dick Curless and played one night a week for ten years (1972-1982) at the Poland Springs Inn. She remarried in 1979 to George Binette, by which marriage she became stepmother to four children. That same year  she cut a new record album. Her eldest son, Lenny Breau, who had lived with his father, later moved to California. Lenny became a noted jazz guitarist. In 1984, Lenny Breau's dead body was found in a swimming pool. The death was ruled a murder and the case was never solved. Another son, Denny Breau, is also a musician. 

Betty Cody died from undisclosed illness on July 1, 2014, at age 92 in Lewiston, Maine. 

(Edited mainly from Century Of Country & Wikipedia)

3 comments:

boppinbob said...

For “Hal Lone Pine & Betty Cody – On The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine (Bear Family 2006)” go here:

https://mega.nz/file/InoWCZQB#2_UKIxvX7SdlqFsCkTv1bT8lx-wKpX9OcAeOou2TYSQ

1 On The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine - Hal Lone Pine & Betty Cody
2 I'm Talkin', Start Walkin'- Hal Lone Pine & Betty Cody
3 Lipstick On Your Collar
4 From One O'Clock To Midnight
5 Pretty As A Queen
6 Little Jeannie
7 Prince Edward Island Is Heaven To Me
8 From Paree To Tennessee
9 Honey, Honey Mine
10 Come Back To This Heart Of Mine - Hal Lone Pine & Betty Cody
11 In Sunny Tennessee - Hal Lone Pine & Betty Cody
12 She Took
13 Don't Stop - I Like It! - Hal Lone Pine & Betty Cody
14 Fuzzy Wuzzy Teddy Bear
15 Pale Moon – Betty Cody
16 The Waltz Of The Bride - Hal Lone Pine & Betty Cody
17 Yes I Do, No I Don't (The Question Song) - Hal Lone Pine & Betty Cody
18 When It's Appleblossomtime In Annapolis Valley
19 O Lord Please Tell Me, Do
20 I'l Be Waiting Patiently
21 One Poor Lonely Heart
22 O Mama Come Home
23 Tom-Tom Yodel - Betty Cody
24 Jealous Love - Betty Cody
25 No Heart At All
26 Add A Name
27 Gonna Build A Fence Around You
28 Tell It Right - Betty Cody
29 I Heard The Bluebirds Sing - Hal Lone Pine & Betty Cody
30 It's Good-bye And So Long To You - Hal Lone Pine & Betty Cody

All titles by Hal Lone Pine unless stated. 1950 – 1955 recordings.

A big thank you to slapbop @ RockHall who posted this album back in 2007.
----------------------------------------------

For “HAL "LONE PINE" Arc Recordings” go here:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/kvwgvfmdyy2/hal_lone_pine_arc.zip/file


1. Prince Edward Island Is Heaven To Me
2. Frankie And Johnny
3. Poor Ole Me
4. Who's Been Here Since I've Been Gone
5. Hannah
6. Lucky, Lucky Someone Else
7. Apple Blossom Time In Annapolis Valley
8. Call Me Up And I'll Come Calling On You
9. Hold Fast To The Right
10. Pretty Blue Eyes
11. One More Time
12. Oh Lonesome Me
13. Pretty As A Queen
14. Alabam
15. Come Back To This Heart Of Mine
16. Down By The Railroad Track
17. Softly And Tenderly
18. Barefoot Boy
19. Foolin' Around
20. Shotgun Boogie
21. Precious Little Baby
22. Down By The Riverside
23. The New Brunswick Song
24. Rattle-Snakin' Daddy
25. Devils Dream (featuring Fiddlin' Harold Carter)
26. A Winding Lane On The Coast Of Maine
27. Walk Me To The Door
28. I Joined The Navy
29. Cattle Call
30. Daddy Gave My Dog Away
31. Time Goes By
32. A Million Years Or So
33. Winter Time In Maine
34. Six Days On The Road
35. Talk Back Trembling Lips
36. Little Ole You
37. Jealous Lover

Here is a 37 track collection containing the complete solo recordings of Hal "Lone Pine" on Toronto's Arc label. Originally released as three Arc LPs in the early to mid 60's :- Hal "Lone Pine" Sings His All-Time Favourites,
More Show Stoppers and Coast of Maine and Other Favourites. These tracks stand up well against much of his 1950's RCA Victor work. As well as tributes to his home state of Maine, there are tunes in praise of the Canadian maritimes, where Pine had a large following.

A big thank you to Lonesome Lefty’s Scratchy Attic for this album and active link from 2008.

rntcj said...

Hi!

Thanx for the Arc recordings. A "new" artist = "new" hears here. Not mentioned but is Betty Cody singing on these? Although he's American it's Arc records so will add it to Canadian music collection.

Cheers!
Ciao! For now.
rntcj

Леди Пиратские said...

Thank you very much