My musical memories definitely begin at family parties with Uncle Freddy singing “Jamaica Farewell”; with Tijuana Brass on the turntable; and watching The Beatles on “The Ed Sullivan Show”. At the age of nine, I received my first guitar and started writing songs and learning tunes, such as: “Farewell to Nova Scotia” and “The City of New Orleans”. My teen years turned into: Jethro Tull, Cat Stevens and Neil Diamond on the 8 track and breaking curfew to jam with the older boys in the hood of Chester. By 17, it was time for me to shape up or ship out, according to my father. So I shipped out….
I arrived in Victoria, B.C. for a 2½ year stint in the Navy. I spent my time tending bar, being seasick, and jamming with shipmates from Puerto Vallarta to Anchorage Alaska. In 1981, it was again time to shape up or ship out, my choice this time. So…, I shipped out.
This next chapter had me arriving in Vancouver, and staying put for the next twenty years. Here, I co-founded the bands: Bob’s Your Uncle and The Wingnuts. We spent the next two decades recording and touring. I also had the good fortune to play with all kinds of incredible musicians/bands, including: Trooper, J.J. Cale, Hole, Los Lobos, Billy Bragg, The Tragically Hip and The Bare Naked Ladies.
In 1998, it was time to start the journey back to the East Coast. Back in Nova Scotia, I got married and we started to create our own home. I began teaching music, while continuing to write, record and play the occasional local gig.
In 2006, my wife and I traveled to China to adopt our daughter, Sadie, who magically completed our ‘home’. Fatherhood has brought so many amazing unexpected surprises and inspirations to my life and music. Fast-forward to 2010, when Sadie, now age 5, and I started to write songs together. It was in November 2011, when we pulled our children’s album “Fishin’ for Pickles”, out of the brine. I have been ‘pickled tink’ ever since. |
| Bob's Your Uncle
Who Was Bob's Your Uncle…?
James Junger – guitar, vocals, bass
Sook-Yin Lee – lead vocals, guitar, toys
Bernie Radelfinger – bass, vocals, guitar
John Rule – drums, percussion
Peter Lizotte – harmonicas
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