Len Nevin

Len Nevin was a Northern Ontario Country Music Hall of Fame inductee who made music for more than 40 years.

Nevin died January 6, 2012 at Sault Area Hospital after a brief illness. Nevin was 74. With his wife, Yuanita, he toured Ontario and Michigan with his Country Ramblers band. That group disbanded in 1991, but the Plummer Hospital tradesman kept performing. Nevin played bass with Happy Days Band, featured Wednesday afternoons at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25. Two other groups, Yesterday's Wine and Friends, entertained seniors in nursing and retirement homes.

"It's such a thrill for me to see that my God, we're getting through to a few of these people," he told The Sault Star in 2007. "I've seen it happen. It's fantastic." Not only was he "a good musician," he made sure to arrive early before the rest of the Happy Days Band to set up before a show at the Legion Hall, said bandmate Bob Jenkins. "He moved so much equipment without ever complaining," he said. "He was very generous with his time. He was a really kind guy."

His efforts on the technical side paid off. The band's sound "wasn't great" at first, but picked up after Nevin joined the group. "He'd really look after the details," said Jenkins. When Nevin was inducted to the Northern Ontario Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004, it was Jenkins who did his portrait. "He couldn't do enough for people," he said. "He was most generous with his time, for everybody."

Nevin coined the band name for Yesterday's Wine, basing it on a Willie Nelson song, and album, from 1971. The moniker was a perfect fit considering the senior demographic for whom the band played the music of Patsy Cline, Anne Murray, Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley. Yesterday's Wine also performed at Sault Ste. Marie Museum's annual Evening of Music and Remembrance concerts to mark Nov. 11. "We would have lots of laughs," said group member Mary Madonna. "You could always depend on him. He'd be there to help you all the time."

Yesterday's Wine performed at Collegiate Heights Retirement Residence, Great Northern Retirement Home and Ontario Finnish Resthome Association in November. Canadian country singer Orval Prophet recorded two of Nevin's songs, Algoma Country and Agawa Canyon. The 1976 album the tracks appeared on, My Kind of Woman, was produced by Sault native Gary Buck. Another local talent, Keith MacKay, played guitar.

"You write a song and every one you figure, 'Oh, geez. Somebody's going to take this. It's a great tune and somebody's going to pick this one up. I've been thinking about this for five years and I finally got two out," Nevin said. "I was hoping to be better known as a writer than a singer. I didn't get anywhere with it, but, hell, I tried it. I've got maybe 30 or 40 songs that never went anywhere, but they're mine."

Nevin was predeceased by his wife, Yuanita. She died in 2000. He's survived by his seven children and stepchildren and 18 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.