'Three stunned arses,' Buddy Wasisname & the Other Fellers, receive honorary degrees from MUN

Don't call him Buddy it's Dr. Wasisname now.

"It's amazing to think that the three of us in Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers can now be addressed as doctors," said Ray Johnson.

"Of course, our upcoming tour in the fall will address that whole-heartedly."

At Memorial University's spring convocation in St. John's on Friday, Kevin Blackmore, Wayne Chaulk and Johnson were presented with honorary doctor of letters degrees.

MUN's honorary degrees are designed to "recognize extraordinary contribution to society or the university or exceptional intellectual or artistic achievement."

Annette Staveley, the university's deputy public orator, called the group of "this province's most valuable resource."

"[They] have written songs and music that combine the light and the dark of our soul in the authentic and ironic idiom for which this province's people are famous," she said.

Kevin Blackmore also known as Buddy said it was a "pleasure" to be recognized.

He said the groupplayed together on their own terms, capitalizing on each other's strengths and making up for each other's weaknesses.

"Ray was the rock on which we based our music, Wayne was the strength in our lyric poetry, the depth of our meaning," said Blackmore.

"And I presented a quirky, self-effacing way to disarm the lot, and the public loved it."

But after more than 30 years of performing in more than 360 towns across the country, he said a lot has changed.

"It is a beautiful thing to be standing here today recognized for those ambassadorial years when we brought our Newfoundland to our country," Blackmore said.

"I believe it helped earn respect from the people and places from which we came. Thanks for that recognition."

We sincerely thank Memorial University for choosing to bestow honorary doctorates on three stunned arses like us.- Wayne Chaulk

Chaulk, while equally as humble, expressed some self-deprecating surprise for the honour.

"We sincerely thank Memorial University for choosing to bestow honorary doctorates on three stunned arses like us," he said.

"We have truly been fortunate, lucky and very blessed to stumble on this great opportunity [to perform]. To be honoured this evening, in this manner, by Memorial University certainly puts this icing on the cake."

The trio ended the ceremony with a performance, kept short "because we're not getting paid for this," Chaulk joked.

Shirley Montague, Dr. Ian Simpson, Frank Fagan, Elaine Dobbin and Dr. Norman Campbell were also among those receiving an honorary degree at Memorial's spring convocation.

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