The music scene on the Sunshine Coast is brimming with talent, diversity, and heart. At its best, it is fuelled by community-mindedness and inclusivity. Lynne and Reg Dickson, lifelong performers, songwriters, and partners, have been making music with and for our community for over 50 years. They continue to show us all how it is done.
Generations of tots learned their first melodies and rhythms at Music Makers Studio in Davis Bay, opened by Lynne in 1994. The studio continues to operate with the preschoolers being taught by Sara Munson, Lynne and Reg’s daughter, and a beloved teacher, for the past 20 years. It has expanded to include choirs for adults and children, fiddle, ukulele, and other instruments. Lynne is passionate about community fund-raising, always looking for opportunities to connect and contribute. She is a member of Definitely Diva, a female vocal trio with a large following. The Divas celebrated 20 years of singing together in February, with a packed concert, a band that included sought-after pianist Miles Black, and two hours of wonderful music and reminiscence.
The very name “Reg Dickson” puts a smile on many faces. Reg started his musical career in 1973 after the owners of Lord Jim’s Lodge (now the Rockwater Resort), heard him sing at a family wedding. He became the house entertainer there for 13 years. For many years now, Reg has been performing with guitar, voice, and harmonica at our local care homes. He greets his audience members by name and spreads his joyful music and light, sensitive banter. His repertoire is extensive, and his ego is not. It’s always about the audience. Reg’s performances are about warmth and giving.
When Lynne decided to retire from directing the Music Makers choir, Ken Johnson took over. Also a lifelong musician and performer, Johnson says it is hard to overstate the value of community music, and Reg and Lynne’s contributions, especially these days:
“As well as being excellent, dedicated musicians, Reg and Lynne have a tremendous sense of community, contributing in so many ways over the years. Since the pandemic restrictions eased, we’ve seen increasing membership in our local choirs and a big surge in attendance at community festivals and events. It’s as if people now have a much stronger sense of the value of community life. This is something Reg and Lynne have always understood and promoted.”
Lynne and Reg have long been a popular performance duo on the coast. They have a lifetime of material, can add accordion (Lynne) and harmonica (Reg), and are still performing and learning new songs. The Dicksons are both accomplished songwriters and recording artists and have released two albums, Christmas with Harmony, and Walk in the Wind. They also have a popular single, “Light the Lights,” which is performed every year at Sechelt’s winter Festival of Lights.
The Dicksons are filled with gratitude:
“Living on the Sunshine Coast for the past 52 years has truly been a gift to us. We were able to raise our wonderfully large family in a loving and caring community and have been so grateful to be able to give back over the years.”
