Johnny Gold heads for the Nova Scotia Country Music Hall of Fame

By Brent Fox

The Hants Journal/NovaNewsNow.com

He had no idea he was even qualified for the award.

Former Hants County resident Johnny Gold will be inducted into the Nova Scotia Country Music Hall of Fame this weekend.

Well-known fiddler and 2007 Hall of Fame inductee Keith Ross will present an Evening of Country Music at the Hants County Exhibition, Friday, Sept. 12, as a pre-induction show for Gold.

The event begins at 8 p.m., with regular gate admission of $6, good all day at the Ex. There is no extra charge for the concert.

Gold lived in Bramber, Hants County, and attended Hants West High School. He performed at many jamborees, dances, and shows in the region. In the mid-60s, he was a frequent vocalist with “the Acadians’ country band, which included Ross, who also went on to become a well-known entertainer.

Gold moved to the Halifax area during the 1960s, working as an electrician for a time before joining country radio station CHFX as an on-air announcer. He eventually moved on to being program director. During that time, he also had his own country band, playing the clubs. He has quipped that he had two full-time jobs – all day and all night.

Gold said recently he is honored to become a member of the Nova Scotia Country Music Hall of Fame, and is pleased to be playing in the pre-induction show in Windsor.

He told The Hants Journal Friday, Sept. 5 that “I’m pretty thrilled. It came a quite a surprise. I had no idea I was even qualified.”

His connections with Hants County remained after he moved to Halifax, he noted. “I kept big ties” with the Hants communities. “They have been really good to me.”

The concert at the Exhibition will feature well-known Hants County entertainers Tina Mumfrod-Kehoe, Frank Foley, Kim Bishop, and special guest Gold, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame Sept 13.

Ross on fiddle and guitar, Bishop on keyboard, Al Fitch on drums, and Blain McColl on bass guitar will provide backup for the other entertainers.