Murray began his calling career at the early age of 15 when he was hired to call for the Edmonton Swinging Singles. Murray was a member of one of Edmonton’s teen square dance clubs and when the resident caller went off to Europe for a year, he was asked to step in and call for the Club. That was in 1966 and that was the year that Barb started dancing with the Club. She is the first to remind Murray when he asks “Who taught you how to dance?” that he was.
While Murray and his wife Barb make their home and calling base in Edmonton, they have travelled all over the Province of Alberta with calling dates into British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia as well as the Yukon and Northwest Territories, Washington State, Oregon, Idaho, Ohio, Kentucky and Arizona. They have met some wonderful people and have seen some country that they would not have had the opportunity for had it not been for square dance calling. In the middle of all these “normal” calling activities, both Murray and Barb were members of the Edmonton Klondike Square Dance Riders with Murray as the caller and Barb as one of the dancing riders. The group did an impromptu demonstration on the Sunday following the 10th Canadian National Square Dance Convention in Edmonton in 1996 as well as performing at the Calgary Stampede on several occasions. Their horses and related riding activities continue to be an important part of their lives.
Murray is a member of the Edmonton & District Callers & Instructor’s Association, as well as being a member of the Alberta Square & Round Dance Instructors’ Association and Callerlab. He has been on the staff of numerous caller’s clinics and continues to assist new and not so new callers whenever asked. Murray & Barb were the Chairman for the square dance program for the 1st Canadian National Square Dance Convention in 1978 as well as the 10th Canadian National Convention 1996; both held in Edmonton as well as being Square Dance Program chair for numerous Alberta Provincial Conventions.
While Murray and his wife Barb make their home and calling base in Edmonton, they have travelled all over the Province of Alberta with calling dates into British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia as well as the Yukon and Northwest Territories, Washington State, Oregon, Idaho, Ohio, Kentucky and Arizona. They have met some wonderful people and have seen some country that they would not have had the opportunity for had it not been for square dance calling. In the middle of all these “normal” calling activities, both Murray and Barb were members of the Edmonton Klondike Square Dance Riders with Murray as the caller and Barb as one of the dancing riders. The group did an impromptu demonstration on the Sunday following the 10th Canadian National Square Dance Convention in Edmonton in 1996 as well as performing at the Calgary Stampede on several occasions. Their horses and related riding activities continue to be an important part of their lives.
Murray is a member of the Edmonton & District Callers & Instructor’s Association, as well as being a member of the Alberta Square & Round Dance Instructors’ Association and Callerlab. He has been on the staff of numerous caller’s clinics and continues to assist new and not so new callers whenever asked. Murray & Barb were the Chairman for the square dance program for the 1st Canadian National Square Dance Convention in 1978 as well as the 10th Canadian National Convention 1996; both held in Edmonton as well as being Square Dance Program chair for numerous Alberta Provincial Conventions.
