Remembering the music at the National Hotel

He was encouraged to come to the establishment by his cousin, who he called Aunty, and brought nothing but himself and a fiddle.

“I go down, put my name up and next thing you know, they call me. And I got up and played three fiddle tunes, left and sat around and listened to the band for a little bit.”

Four days later, Grant Carson called him and asked if he ever considered a future in the music business. At that time, Parenteau was preparing to join the Air Force and was only two weeks away from his physical inaptitude test.

He told Carson he wanted to join the Air Force to see the world, something Carson said he could do as a musician.

“That left me with a decision, to go this way or that way, that’s the crossroads in my life that happened. That’s where it all began because of the National Hotel.”

Over the years, he would meet and perform with other musicians like Brian Sklar, Freddie Pelletier, Joyce Smith and Neil McCoy.

That was the catalyst for Parenteau in, what has been, a long musical journey for him. Regardless of the awards and the countless stages and cities he’s performed in, Parenteau never forgets where it began.

“Does the Corral mean a lot to me? You’re damn right it does because that’s where it all started.”

One of the musicians that Parenteau performed with was Freddie Pelletier, who spoke to paNOW about his thoughts on the Corall inside the National Hotel.

Aside from all the performances and the great times with friends, Pelletier said it was the couple who owned the establishment back then that made a difference.

“Russ (Williams) and his wife were great owners and managers, and they were really nice to us, never had a problem there,” he said. “I enjoyed playing there, and a lot of good bands put together there. We had lots of memories.”

Paul Lomheim also had some great memories of his time inside the Corall. He said the place was more than just a bar and a podium, but the hub of the entertainment district.

“It was one of the only bars that would have entertainment, six nights a week and an afternoon jam session,” he said. “There were some very good bands and players that played there.”

All three musicians said they were disappointed to hear that the establishment will soon be no more.

Last week, the iconic National Hotel sign was removed from the top of the building.

For Parenteau, it’s nothing short of disappointing to know that one day, the place that started his music career will not be there.

“There was a lot of people that played at the National Hotel,” he said. “The amount of music that has built in this city of Prince Albert and has left this city and has always been proud to be from Prince Albert way outweighs the hockey players.”

“There is a lot of musicians that have left Prince Albert that have done huge things with their careers and I guarantee you, all of them started playing at the Nash, at the Corral.”

Parenteau said some of the musicians that once graced the National Hotel stage were Dierks Bentley guitarist Rod Janzen and Randle Currie, the steel guitar player for Brad Paisley.

Lonheim added to that list names like Michelle Wright and George Moddy. He too is sad that the National and all its memories will soon be gone.

“We’ll probably regret it in the next 10 or 20 years, but I’m not exactly sure what you could do with it anyway,” he said. “It would be lovely if they could somehow restore it and do something with it, but it’s a mind teaser to me. I just don’t know what they could do to keep it there.”

He added there may not be another place like the National Hotel in Prince Albert’s future.

“The National supported live entertainment so good, and it’s just too bad that the world has changed so much, and life has changed so much that we just don’t have those things.”

An exact date for the demolition has not been set.

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @princealbertnow

by Derek Craddock

Remembering the music at the National Hotel

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