The Music of DALE ENNS = Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist of Saskatoon Canada
DALE HENRY ENNS February 15, 1959 – September 14, 2016 Dale Enns - musician and member of Canadian rock band The Secretions in the 1990s. Dale had a short but fulfilling life, and he lived the life he had to the fullest. He had an amazing sense of humour and a smile that would light up the whole room, a smile like no other. Dale had a true gift of music – any instrument he picked up turned to gold inside his magic hands, and there was no sound other than complete beauty to the living ear. Dale is remembered by his daughter and son-in-law, Meagan Enns and Clayton Honorski and his three beloved grandchildren, whom he called the apple of his eye, Allyiah, Kelcee and Munroe Enns; his mother, Margaret Enns; sister and brother-in-law, Sharon and Raymond Verbeke and their son Todd (Alicia) and family, and their daughter Tasha (Kenton) Hunter and family.
Dale Enns first started playing guitar in the early 1970's but took music more seriously around 1975 when Dale and Dan Hicks bought a house together and lived at 903 Ave H South. They were only 16 and 18 respectively. Ron Clemens used to come jam with them at this house. Dale also played guitar at this time with Rick Hamilton. Eventually Dale and Dan Hicks and their buddies lived at the corner of St George Avenue and Ruth Street. Dan Hicks got married in 1977 and then moved to California in 1978. When Dan came back in 1979 Dale had already bought "Larry" his Larivee guitar and was living in a bachelor suite.
Dale was playing drums in the Willow Blues Band in 1978 - a country music group who played gigs for a year. Terry Thornsteinson played bass. Terry's brother Don played in the group as lead singer along with Don's brother in law Del Orr. Dale Enns began songwriting and performing with his best friend Dan Hicks. Dan bought his first guitar in 1980. Dale and Dan played a live gig as a duo in the early 1980s in Clavet Ranch house. Dale, Dan Hicks and Curtis Cooper jammed and recorded throughout the 1980's which led to the creation of their own band The Secretions in the 1990's. They started playing gigs regularly around 1994 at SOMA events. Starting in 1994 the members of the Secretions included Terry Hoknes and Keith Read. In 1996 the band recorded an album and performed gigs with a new lineup including George Tennant, Brent Burlingham, and Ron Clemens.
This website is created to pay tribute to the musical creations of Dale Enns.
Commentaries and memories on these home recordings and demo's are from Dan Hicks.
EARLY 1980'S
This was a prolific period for Dale writing songs and being recorded for the first time. This contains some of Dale's best early songs - these are raw demo's meant for the ears only of Dale and Dan. Dan Hicks mixed these songs all down from the original cassette recordings in 2003.
DAYS GONE BY - Days Gone By.mp3
24 INCH BREAK SONG - 24 Inch Break Song.mp3
WHEN I HEARD YOUR LEAVING - When I Heard Youre Leaving.mp3
E BLUES - E Blues.mp3
A HARMONIC THING - A Harmonic Thing.mp3
TRY TO LOVE AGAIN - Try To Love Again.mp3
MAKIN UP YOUR MIND - Make Up Your MInd.mp3
JOHN CASEY - John Casey.mp3
FATIGUE - Fatigue.mp3
TENDER LOVE - Tender Love.mp3
MIX MATCHED INSTRUMENTAL - Mix Match Instrumental.mp3
PHYSIOTHERAPY - Physiotheraphy.mp3
SHES GOT WINGS - Shes Got Wings.mp3
SUBTOTAL OF LIFE - Subtotal of Life.mp3
TRY A LITTLE HARDER - Try A Little Harder.mp3
CLEVERLY MINE - Cleverly Mine.mp3
TOUCH OF FATE - Touch Of Fate.mp3
PRAIRIE ROSE - Prairie Rose.mp3
WHAT LIFE IS - What Life Is.mp3
GO FIND A BROTHER - Go Find A Brother.mp3
THE BALLAD OF JETHRO BRADFORD (1981) Written by Dan Hicks - Dale Enns on guitar. Earliest recording together. Dan Hicks remembers around 1981 while going to University that the guys did their first recording while Dan lived at a trailer park. The Ballad Of Jethro Bradford was written by Dan Hicks. They taped two microphones together into a little teeny cassette tape recorder. Dale and Dan loved the song written about their friend and neighbor Jeff Bradford who had died shortly after. The Ballad Of Jethro Bradford.mp3
IRISH BLOOD (1981) - Written by Dale about Jeff Bradford. Originally they recorded the song but the only mix now is just Dale's guitar and vocals. Dan bought the first multi-track tape recorder. It was a TEAC Tascam Model 144 Portastudio 4-Track Cassette Recorder approx 1982. Dale Enns bought the Tascam 488 cassette recorder around 1991. Terry Hoknes bought his Tascam 488 in 1993. Irish Blood.mp3
BITTER END (1978) - one of the earliest songs written by Dale in 1978 about Betty Franco. He wrote the song while he was in California. They recorded a version of the song years later. Bitter End.mp3
FIRESIDE (1982) - written by Dale in 1981. He wrote the song for a gal he was missing at the time. He brought it over to Dan and Carmel Hicks. Recording was done later around 1992 at Dale's house on Mackie Crescent. Curtis Cooper played harmonica. Dale on guitar and vocals with Dan Hicks on harmonies. Fireside.mp3
MISLEAD FOLKLORE Dale was dating a young native girl. Dale learned about the genocide of the native people. Dale had empathy for her culture and wrote this song. Mislead Fokelore.mp3
DAYS GONE BY (1982) - Recorded at Gordie Neault on Dan's Tascam which they would take with them to friends homes. Days Gone By.mp3
GOOD TIME TO MOVE (1982) - Recorded at Gordie Neault on Dan's Tascam which they would take with them to friends homes. Good Time To Move.mp3
BAD DREAMS - Dale was living on Avenue B when he wrote the song. Dale and Dan jammed the song. The song was later recorded with Doug Bodie on bass guitar around 1993. Dale played lead guitar and rhythm guitar with Curtis on harmonica and Dan on harmonies. Bad Dreams.mp3
PHYSIO THERAPY - Written by Dale about a friend named Kelly Murtland. Physio Therapy.mp3
1990's - THE SECRETIONS
SWEET LORRAINE (1991) - Recorded with Dale's young daughter Meagan talking on the recording at age 5. This was recorded on Dan's Tascam 144. They would hook up a digital delay for effect on the recording. Curtis played the harmonica on the recording. Sweet Lorraine.mp3
LUCKY ONE - Song that Dale performed a lot on his own. Lucky One.mp3
WINTER BLUES - Song that Dale performed often with the Secretions - Bass player Terry Hoknes enjoyed playing this one in 1995. Winter Blues.mp3
BEATEN BY THE SOCIAL GRACES (1994) Dale's tribute to John Lennon. The Secretions recorded this song and released it on the Made In Saskatchewan compilation CD in 1995. The band also performed it live on TV on Project Discovery in 1995. Beaten By The Social Graces.mp3
I DO (1995) Dale and The Secretions performed this song as all their live shows as well on TV in the show Project Discovery in 1995. I Do.mp3
BROADWAY WOMAN (1996) The Secretions recorded a full length CD in 1996 and featured many of Dale's original songs that he sang lead vocals on. Broadway Woman Secretions.mp3
FROZEN PRIDE (1996) The Secretions recorded a full length CD in 1996 and featured many of Dale's original songs that he sang lead vocals on. Frozen Pride Secretions.mp3
BELIEVE IN TWO (1996) The Secretions recorded a full length CD in 1996 and featured many of Dale's original songs that he sang lead vocals on. Believe In Two Secretions.mp3
MORNING LIGHT (1996) The Secretions recorded a full length CD in 1996 and featured many of Dale's original songs that he sang lead vocals on. Morning Light Secretions.mp3
UNDER THE SUN (2003) - Dale went to see Neil Meckelborg at Audio Art on 20th Street. Neil recorded 6 songs live off the floor for $100.00 so Dale could get good quality recordings of him and guitar. Under The Sun.mp3
LITTLE COUNTRY ROAD (2003) - Dale went to see Neil Meckelborg at Audio Art on 20th Street. Neil recorded 6 songs live off the floor for $100.00 so Dale could get good quality recordings of him and guitar. Little Country Road.mp3
I BELIEVE (2003) - Dale went to see Neil Meckelborg at Audio Art on 20th Street. Neil recorded 6 songs live off the floor for $100.00 so Dale could get good quality recordings of him and guitar. I Believe.mp3
MOTHER EARTH (2003) - Dale went to see Neil Meckelborg at Audio Art on 20th Street. Neil recorded 6 songs live off the floor for $100.00 so Dale could get good quality recordings of him and guitar. Mother Earth.mp3
CAUGHT UP IN THE CITY (2003) - Dale went to see Neil Meckelborg at Audio Art on 20th Street. Neil recorded 6 songs live off the floor for $100.00 so Dale could get good quality recordings of him and guitar. Caught Up In The City.mp3
DIGGING A LONELY HOLE (2009) Dale released a solo album called Living In The Congo. Dale wrote the song and put down his lead vocal and acoustic. Terry Hoknes added lead electric guitars, drums and keyboards to set the "rock mood" to the song. Diggin a Lonely Hole.mp3
