Congratulations Karl and Harley

Karl Smith (l) and Harley Renaud (r) were all smiles after being installed into the Nipissing Country Music Wall of Honour Friday night.

A packed house of country music fans gathered Friday night at the Voyager Inn for a long overdue party. The celebration was in honour of two area musicians for their hard work and dedication to Country Music and the community for over 3 decades.

The Nipissing Country Music Association recognised two of their most popular artists Harley Renaud and Karl Smith by installing them into the Nipissing Country Music Wall of Honour.

Harley Renaud was born in Niagara Falls, Ontario but has lived most of his life in North Bay. He is married and has three grown children and five grandchildren.

For more than 30 years Harley pursued and continues to pursue his dream of music while entertaining his audiences. Over the years, Harley has won many awards including first place finish in the Duet Class in July, 1995 with his oldest son Chris. In 1990 he was top male singer in the Ontario Open Country Singing Contest. He has appeared on numerous television shows locally and Sudbury and has always performed for and supported the telethons and charity events.

Harley released his very first album ‘Country Lovin’ a 10 song CD with seven Renaud originals in the fall of 1993. Harley's latest release, ‘Your True Heart’ (Nov/95) has been receiving rave reviews from Canada, U.K., Europe, New Zealand and Australia.

“My dream,” he says.
“Is to play to a concert for people and make them feel the songs and music that I play. Country Music is high on my priority list.”

Harley was inducted into the Great Northern Opry, Sault Ste. Marie on December 3, 2005 and the Northern Opry Hall of Fame in Sault Ste. Marie in November 2008.

Harley has been President of the Nipissing Country Music Association for 10 years now and has been running the Ontario Open Country Singing Contest held here in North Bay at Lee Park for a decade as well.

Karl Smith , who was born in Englehart and spent his early years in Larder Lake, always had an interest in music. Smith has won singing contests in Ontario, Quebec and New York State. He has also played at the annual Old Time Country Music Picnic which is hosted by the Old Time Country Music Association of Canada in either Ontario or Quebec.

Karl had his own band called the ‘Mavericks’ and played at local venues including the Blue Spruce Hotel, Continental, Fraser Tavern, Empire Hotel and others. Karl is a founding member of the Nipissing Country Music Association and has been Vice President since its inception in 1991. He is also involved in the Northern Ontario Open Country Singing Contest. In 2006 Smith was inducted into the Great Northern Opry in Sault Ste. Marie.

Smith is also an avid athlete and has managed, coached and still plays fast ball. He also personally sponsors a number of young hockey players. He is married with four grown children. Although Karl does not play or sing as much as he once did, he still continues to write music, and you can find him bending the strings at home and once in awhile at a fundraiser.

To quote Karl, “It wasn't about the money ... It was always about the music.”

The party wrapped up with a representative from the pipeline presenting Harley with a cheque for $2,500 to use for the 2009 Northern Ontario Open Country Singing Contest.