How it all began ...

On a typical -40° January day in Manitoba in 2001, keyboardist Dave McKay phoned veteran drummer Bill Stewart and, following a few minutes of complaining about the weather, pronounced “I’m on the hunt for a few players to get in on a musician’s dream of an act – a 2-hour show, no late nights in a bar room, no cigarette smoke, all played to crowds that’ll listen to every note.” “What’s the catch?” queried a sceptical Bill. “Well”, confessed Dave, “the lead singer’s a 30-year old mother of three who’s never performed on stage before.” “Not a chance!” an unyielding Bill replied. “Girls and bands are bad news. Too much baggage. Jealous boyfriends. Worried husbands. Babies of all ages! It’ll never work!" But Dave, with an ace up his sleeve, suggested that Bill sleep on it, and come by the next day to talk a little more. The next afternoon, Dave’s wife Marilyn along with the smell of cookies baking and coffee perking all greeted Bill as he entered the McKay kitchen. While munching on a cookie and slurping his coffee, Bill could hear David downstairs playing along to Patsy Cline’s recording of Crazy. “Grab your coffee and come on down,” yelled Dave from the basement. Well, as Bill’s foot hit the bottom of the stairs, his jaw just about joined it, for there on a wooden stool next to Dave’s piano sat Michelle Anseeuw, the 30 year-old mother of three, singing... “and I’m crazy for loving you...” with not a record player, CD player, or cassette player in sight! Bill turned to Dave and said, “I know a guitar player.”

Michelle

Bill

David

Robert

Billy

The Portley Brothers

Michelle

Thanks for stopping by our website. Hope to see you at one of our shows in the future! Here's a little bit to get to know me better... Willie’s my husband and we have three terrific boys – Jordan, Luke & Troy. I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember at family gatherings, weddings, and at community and charity functions. Through all those years and even today, my mom, Bernice, has been, and will always be, my inspiration. She always wore her heart on her sleeve, and luckily for me, I inherited that gift. I’ve always been drawn to Patsy Cline and have a deep passion for her music and her story. I feel very fortunate to be able to share that passion with all of you through InCLINEation’s stage show “Sweet Dreams of Patsy Cline”. Also, it’s incredible to be working with some of the finest musicians in Manitoba. Those good ol’ boys helped me become comfortable both as a performer and a musician. In the future, I plan to record my own CD with some awesome original material that I’ve been collecting over the years from some very talented Manitoban songwriters Here’s a few of the mottos that I live by: - Work hard, dream big but stay grounded, and always put family first! - If you can’t sing it with feeling, don’t sing it at all - Always look at the glass as half full Since our show began, I’ve been having the time of my life and I look forward to touching many more hearts, bringing back many more memories of the incomparable Patsy Cline. Sweet dreams to all! Back to top

Bill

In 1962, a local band in Brandon, MB needed a drummer for their radio and television shows. The lucky young kid from Carman was Bill Stewart and a long musical career began. Music has always been a part-time hobby but a full-time love affair for Bill and his family, taking them to many communities and rewarding them with many friendships. In 1977, Bill was asked to drum for the first of nearly forty recording sessions with many different artists from across Canada and the U.S.A. Bill’s favourite saying to his fellow musicians is ‘We’re paid to set-up and tear down; we play for the love of it!” Bill’s music career has come full circle from the early years of Classic Country and Rock and Roll in the 60s, to Country Rock in the 70s and 80s, combined with many years of working with some of the greatest old time fiddlers around, and once again back to the classic sounds of Patsy Cline. It’s evident that Bill has been around the musical block. Every time InCLINEation plays a gig in any town in Manitoba, Bill already knows half the audience, and then proceeds to get to know the other half! Back to top

David

Dave took piano lessons as a kid and probably wondered why he had to play all those scales and sappy songs. But once he heard the piano stylings of Floyd Cramer, Dave had found his mentor, and practising had a purpose. To this day, the influence of Floyd Cramer still lingers over Dave’s keyboard. Dave grew up on a farm near Sanford, MB in the late 50s and early 60s, so it was no surprise that his first band, formed in high school, played rock and roll. He also played in some polka bands in his early days—because they got paid! Dave took over the family farm and even though grain farming took up most of his time, when not on the combine, he still pursued his musical interests. He played with “Northern Lites” for 7 years and “Backroads” for a few more. Both of these bands were honoured as “Bud Country” winning artists. A highlight in Dave’s musical career was jamming at the “Rio Casino” in Las Vegas in 1995. In this case, what happened in Vegas certainly didn’t stay there! Along with Michelle Anseeuw and her husband Willie, Dave sowed the seeds for the start of InCLINEation – right around the same time that he retired from farming. So, most days after his school bus run, you’ll still hear him practising those scales! Back to top

Robert

Robert is formerly from Bruxelles but now lives in Holland, MB. He was fascinated by music as a child and eagerly performed in his church choir. His first instrument was the trumpet and he became a proud member, and later leader, of the Bruxelles Brass Band. A love of Bluegrass and Chet Atkins swayed his musical tastes, and he pined to play those musical styles. As a young teen, he vowed to his mother that he would never take up smoking if only she would buy him a guitar. Well, she did, and Bob never had time to smoke because that would have taken time away from his beloved 6-string! Bob can’t remember a day in the last 50 years when he didn’t pick up his guitar and play it. He acquired an ample guitar collection, and over the years, he also became proficient on the 5-string banjo, mandolin, bass, and even got to know his way around a drum kit. Over the years, Robert has played with hundreds of musicians, playing all styles of music including jazz, country, rock and roll, classical, flamenco, and bluegrass. Bob loves all musical styles and has developed his craft so that he can play with just about anybody or any band within driving distance! Robert has fond memories of playing with jazz great Brian Bunch and Gene Bretecher, one of the Canada’s greatest bluegrass musicians. Robert holds these musicians close to his heart because they made him a believer in his in his early years. Robert has participated in CBC recording sessions and recently wrote and played the musical soundtrack for a National Film Board animated short. Robert also played in the group Jasmin for eleven years with his wife, Jackie, Bill Howatt, Daniel Deurbrouck and Ken Campbell. All the members were Bob’s musical pupils at one time and he’s honoured that they became some of the finest musicians he’s worked with. When not playing with InCLINEation, Robert freelances with just about anybody who needs a guitar player and, to this day, is still involved with the church choir! Back to top

Billy

Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Billy now makes his home in Winnipeg. Like the rest of the guys in InClineation, he’s been playing in bands since he was a teenager. His musical tastes and influences include Classic Country, Bluegrass, Classic Rock, and Blues. After touring the bars and clubs of western Canada and the United States for 5 years as a full-time musician, he figured he had enough stories to last a life-time, so he now focuses on his career and playing with the down-to-earth members of InClineation. He first saw them perform at the Red River Barn Stage at the Red River Exhibition. He liked the group so much that in the middle of the set he caught the attention of the band’s lighting tech, and left his card – just in case the band ever needed a bass player! Well, it wasn’t too long after that Billy got that very call from InCLINEation and today he not only provides a solid foundation for the band with his bass, but adds a little fiddle, a little acoustic guitar, and some vocal talent, too. Back to top

The Portley Brothers

The musical careers of the The Portley Brothers began early when they were asked to sing for their supper, and from the looks of them, they’ve never stopped singing! Steven and James provide the sweet Jordanaire-style back-up vocals that were so prominent in Patsy Cline recordings. They share their brotherly love with the audiences at every show, and even manage to crack-up the band members from time to time with their kibitzing. “They should have been cheerleaders!” quipped one of the band members. The Portleys grew up poor, but Steven and James managed to develop their musical chops on a shared guitar bequeathed to them by a distant relative from Edmore, MB. To this day, they still share that guitar and are extremely proud of their Edmore roots. The Brothers Portley grew up on a steady musical and comedy diet of Chubby Checker, Fats Domino, Weird Al Yankovic, Hee Haw, BTO, Brian Wilson, Jackie Gleason, Abbott & Costello, and Laurel & Hardy. With their bald heads and bulging stomachs, they light up the stage while providing some comic relief for all the husbands who get dragged to the show. The Portley Brothers’ first joint musical venture lasted ten years with the classic rock band Road Apple in which they shared lead vocal duties. The Portleys also play a variety of instruments with InCLINEation, but as all can see, their favourite instruments continue to be the knife and fork. Back to top