Music in Gayndah
A History by those who were there
A conversation with Jean Schmierer held in Gayndah, 03/06/22
Geoff
This is a conversation with Jean Schmierer at her house in Gayndah on the 3rd of June 2022. So Jean could you let us know where you were born and what year you were born it.
Jean
I was born in Gayndah in 1950. You can work that one out.
Geoff
A real Gayndahite.
Jean
Absolutely My parents were born here too. Grand parents were pioneer of the place in the 1800. Farmers on the land.
Geoff
Where abouts did they farm?
Jean
Baroan Road. That was one of the places. Out past the aerodrome, there is a John Taylor Road. That was my grandfather. My grandmother won the first side saddle race in Queensland that was held on this track. Her prize for that was a side saddle and it resides in the museum today. I have ridden in it many times.
Geoff
Where did music feature in your growing up?
Jean
Oh just that older brothers and sisters always went to the dances. I had a brother eleven years older and a sister seven years older so they taught us to dance. They always went to the dances and I probably started going to dances when I was about fifteen. I left school early and got a job and went to the dances.
Geoff
You got a job in Gayndah
Jean
Yes. I worked for a local lady. Ann Cleary was my first job down a Byrnestown.
Geoff
Did you meet Vin at a dance?
Jean
I don’t know where I met him. I think it was just through the music. When I started singing with the band and we were going to practice together in the early days.
Geoff
How old were you when you started singing with the band?
Vin
Oh at a guess I would probably say seventeen
Geoff
What sort of things can you remember singing?
Jean
Songs like Ohio and Harper Valley PTA, Petula Clarks songs, those sort of things.
Geoff
Mostly old time dancing?
Jean
Yes. Absolutely loved it. The best days ever.
Geoff
You didn’t get into rock n roll?
Jean
No. They played rock n roll. Always had a bit of that but I loved the old time dancing. And it is sad because today people wouldn’t know what you are talking about. Such a shame.
Geoff
You have a photo here of you singing?
Jean
That was go-go dancing I think with those gentlemen who were doing the singing. That was at one of the concerts. They were JayCees concerts. Magnificent concerts they were. They were beautifully run and everyone was trained for them. They had one every year I think. The lady who trained all the singers and singing groups was the the wife of the manager of the National Bank, Mavis Jamison. She was a very good singer. She had us all going to practice.
Geoff
Sis she sing at these concerts?
Jean
Oh yes. She was very much the leader.
Geoff
And did the concerts run over more than one night?
Jean
No I think they only had them on the Saturday night. Yew one night but a lot of work went into them. There were many locals here that were oil them, Bevan. , John Mellor would have been another one. They were compered by a school teacher, Bill Mole. He we marvellous. Just a great compere. He kept them running very well.
Geoff
Filled the Town Hall?
Jean
Absolutely. They were very popular and well presented. They were great concerts. That would have been back on the sixties.
Geoff
When you rehearsed, did you rehearse the exact songs for that performance?
Jean.
Yea. Over and Over.
Geoff
Can you give us an idea of what songs were rehearsed?
Jean
I wouldn’t have a clue now. Like these fellows, the quartet fellows, they would be the old songs like Old Black Joe, Black and White Minstrels type of things.
Geoff
Did you sing solos at those concerts?
Jean
Only once I think. I used to do more dancing. I did sing with groups but not solo, I was a bit stage frightened. I suffered from that in those days. And even more so now.
Geoff
Anything else we should look at?
Jean
I don’t think so. I travelled with the band until we were married and then the babies came along so I couldn’t travel any more. But they were the best days and anyone that remembers back to the sixties and seventies, they would have to agree. I worry about the younger generation. What are they going to have to look back on. It won’t be the same. Sad really.
Geoff
What venues around Gayndah did you remember performing at?
Jean
I travelled everywhere with the band. We went to Quilpie. I used to sing solo with the band in those places. Cunnamulla and Eulo and played there for a night, Dalby, everywhere.
Geoff
You did the show balls and that kind of thing?
Jean
Yes show balls in the whole district. And some night they would be playing Friday and Saturday nights. It was quite busy in those days. And a lot of fun. Everybody would get dressed up. It was so nice.
Geoff
So you would get dressed up?
Jean
Yes absolutely.
Geoff
And that was special.
Jean
Well the long dresses and the gloves. Unheard of today, absolutely unheard of. And the men, when they had the deb balls or the Orange Festival Balls, the men would wear gloves. That was just the thing to do because they didn’t put their dirty work hands on the women dresses.
Geoff
Never thought of that
Jean
Yes that was just protocol. Yes how things have changed.
Geoff
Not too many men with dirty work hands
Jean
And not too many men who know how to dance. They were great days.