Minto Country Music Wall of Fame

There wasn’t a lot to do at the home of Alfred and Eloise Spencer when their daughter Gertie was growing up. There was no television in the modest home, so it was quite a treat when Gertie showed signs of singing talent and began entertaining the family. According to her mother, Gertie was singing before talking.

Her first professional appearance came at age five when her Aunt Edna and Uncle Ed dropped by and gave her a quarter to sing for them. She first sang in church at the age of seven. At nine, she performed for a talent show called the Fredericton Jamboree.

On her tenth birthday she received a guitar and in no time had taught herself to play. She later received an accordion that she also learned quickly. By the age of 13, Gertie was performing in a local band called the “Country Trounadours” which gained prominence regionally. Other members of the band included Henry Whalen, Gary Fairweather, Oscar Egers, Ida Dollard, Alton Bell and Tom McLaughlin. They played many venues including the Playhouse and Bud Brown’s Capital Co-Op Jamboree on CFNB radio in Fredericton. Gertie was also a member of the Johnny Arsenault Band that also included Johnny, Raymond Thebeau and Oscar Egers. She played many local events throughout her teenage years. She patterened her singing style after her childhood idol Loretta Lynn.

At age 17 she married Kenny Murray and her musical career slowed somewhat. She relied heavily on her music to help her through life’s trials and tribulations, which included the loss of a child in a car accident. She was a dedicated wife and mother to her two remaining children. Gertie sang outside the home as often as time would permit, never losing sight of her musical career and her hope of someday singing in Nashville.

In the summer of 1995, Gertie received word that a talent scout from Nashville would be auditioning singers in Fredericton for the opportunity to appear on Nashville Starseek, a televised talent show based in Nashville. She auditioned and was selected to appear on the show where she performed five songs. As a result of her performance, a representative of Capitol Management in Nashville was impressed with her vocal talent and offered her a recording deal.

In July 1996, she returned toNashville to begin her recording project. As a result of those recordings, Gertie was nominated by the Academy of Independent Recording Artists in Nashville for “Single of the Year”, “Album of the Year”, “Vocal Performance of the Year” and “New Female Vocalist of the Year”, in the Canadian Country Division. She was awarded “Single of the Year” by the Academy for her song “Shadows of My Mind”.

Gertie was named Parade Marshall for the 1996 Village of Chipman Christmas Parade. She was presented a Merit Award by the Province of New Brunswick in August 2002.

Gertie continues to entertain for many functions and is always willing and happy to do so. “If I can bring a smile to someone’s face or perhaps a tear to their eye, then I know I gave to them from my heart and they felt what I was trying to put across in the song….I know I’ve done my job.”