Marg Osburne

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Marg Osburne (December 29, 1927 – July 16, 1977) was a Canadian country, folk and gospel singer. Recipient (posthumously) of the ECMA Stompin' Tom Connors award.

History

She was born in Moncton, New Brunswick and received her vocal training as a member of a community choir. When she was 17 her cousin made her a bet that she did not have the nerve to answer a newspaper advertisement for a female vocalist for CKCW in Moncton. Osburne answered the ad and got the job. Osburne explained in a later interview that she took the job because she "needed money to go to the Movies"

Don Messer was travelling through Moncton in 1947 and heard Osburne singing on CKCW, billed as “The Girl From the Singing Hills”. He hired her immediately to fill in for Charlie Chamberlain who was recovering from an automobile accident.

Don Messer and His Islanders were then broadcasting on CFCY out of Charlottetown, PEI thrice-weekly beginning in 1939 and the show was broadcast nationwide by the CBC.