Soundtrack of a City: Oshawa’s Musical Legacy Continues

Oshawa, a city of almost 200,000, is located on a deep water port east of Toronto, Canada’s biggest

city. But Oshawa sits far from the shadows of those skyscrapers in T.O. Oshawa has its own rich

heritage and identity; one which grows from its creeks and shorelines, and its factories which drew

people from all over the world for well paid union jobs. Jobs which allowed people to build families

and businesses and futures and even once along those very same shores secure the future of the

entire world with the activities of the secret spy centre Camp X.

Camp X, where a young Ian Fleming stationed there drew inspiration for his series of books about a

spy called James Bond. Fleming had a house built in Jamaica which he called Goldeneye and where

he wrote his spy novels. Bob Marley lived at Goldeneye after Fleming and Chris Blackwell, founder of

Island Records, took it on after Marley. Blackwell’s Island Records had a relationship with Oshawa’s

own Stone Records, founded by Robert Stone. Stone issued records by many reggae artists as well

as albums by Spencer Davies Group. Rumours around Oshawa say Jimi Hendrix was interested in

signing. Maybe yes maybe no but it is true Oshawa has always attracted and given rise to music and

musicians. Those well paying union jobs covered family expenses and left enough over for

entertainment.

The Genosh Hotel where Ian Fleming stayed also housed a night club where Rush performed and the

Jubilee Pavillion at Lakeview Park was a regular stop for Ronnie Hawkins and other bands which

often stayed over in town afterwards partying for days with the musicians who lived in the city.

Two young want-to-be musicians living in town were the McCrohan brothers whose father booked the

Jubilee. They would change their names and go on to be members of Steppenwolf and one, a certain

Mars Bonfire would pen ‘Born To Be Wild’, a song which might only have come from someone who

grew up in a motorcity!

Another musician who sought out Oshawa was John Folkes, considered by some to be the godfather

of reggae. Folkes, along with his brothers Eric and Mico, were the originators of ‘Oh Carolina’,

subsequently covered by Shaggy.

With its venues, labels, pressing plants, jobs, Oshawa has been punching above its weight in many

musical genres for several decades and it continues to today with a downtown core which, in a

Stone’s throw from the Genosh, (now an indoor food court and condo complex called 70 King), there

the Atria, and the Biltmore Theatre. The Biltmore, which has its own heritage as an entertainment

centre for the citizenry of Oshawa, will host a celebration of the aforementioned Bob Marley when

Reggaddiction, an eleven-piece powerhouse live band, plays Saturday, January 17, 2026.

But it's not just popular genres like rock, metal and reggae Oshawa is home too; the city also hosts

Ontario Philharmonic which calls the Regent Theatre its home. Ontario Philharmonic’s presentation of

‘Sensational Sounds From Bohemia’ takes place Saturday January 24. OP will perform the music of Bedrich Smetana and Antonin Dvorak. Chinese conductor Renchang Fu will be the special guest and

will lead the orchestra including through ‘A Walk to Prague Railway Station’ by composer-in-

residence Samuel Bisson.

Even in 2026 Oshawa continues to attract world-class talent and provide opportunities for both

musicians and audiences alike.

And you can’t say that about too many cities now can you?

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