Farmer, musician.
Born on a farm near Arrow River on 23 December 1918, son of Albert Edward Gurr (1888-1969) and Bertha Maud Richardson (1890-1983), he began singing and playing guitar at an early age, won his first singing competition at age 17, and began performing professionally on the newly opened CKX Television in Brandon in 1955.
He signed a promotional contract with Federal Grain in 1967 and, over the next half dozen years, he and the band Western Union performed at rodeos, fairs, and events across the prairies, including for Queen Elizabeth II as part of Manitoba’s centennial celebrations in July 1970. In the mid-1970s, he did promotional work for the chemical firm Eli Lilly, makers of the pesticide Treflan. Known for his powerful voice and yodeling, he released three albums: Federal Grain Train (1970), On Tour With Russ Gurr (1973), and Hogs are Beautiful (1976). He had a half-hour program on CKY Television entitled “Two For The Country”.
On 5 January 1939, he married Phyllis Patricia Hunter (1917-2000) of Lenore and they had two sons and two daughters. They farmed at Lenore (1939-1946), Hamiota (1946-1949), and Brandon (1949-2011). From 1952 to 1958, he was the Progressive Conservative organizer for rural Manitoba.
He died at Brandon on 8 November 2011 and was buried in the Brandon Cemetery. He is commemorated by the video “Please Bring Your Guitar” (2017) written, produced, and directed by his granddaughter Julie Watt.
Birth registration [Russell Clarence Gurr], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Marriage registration [Russell Clarence Gurr, Phyllis Patricia Hunter], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Lorna Smith,” Brandon Sun, 24 November 1971, page 25.
“Russ Gurr,” Brandon Sun, 19 April 1975, page 9.
Obituary [Phyllis Patricia Gurr], Brandon Sun, 12 August 2000, page 17.
Obituary, Brandon Sun, 19 November 2011, page 34.
Russ Gurr Discography, Discogs.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 15 March 2025
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