Born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Winner of various musical scholarships which allowed him to study at the Regina Conservatory of Music and participate in local, regional and provincial competitions.
He joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in 1955 and, following recruitment training, was posted to St. Paul, Alberta, and then on to detachments at Yellowknife, Fort Providence and Fort Reliance in the Northwest Territories. He was one of the last members of the RCMP to use a dog team in police patrols to remote communities of the Arctic, and was introduced as such to Her Majesty the Queen in 2010 on her royal visit to Canada.
In 1961, he returned to Alberta for police duties in Vegreville. In all the communities in which he was stationed, there was an involvement with youth and seniors — organizing badminton, horseback riding, entertainment programs, Canada Day celebrations with native peoples, and bringing natives and whites together for fellowship and music. In 1964, he was transferred to Ottawa, as principal soloist with the internationally acclaimed RCMP Band where, over the next 25 years, he performed on TV and radio in support of police community-relations programs throughout Canada. This was later expanded to include international tours throughout the United States, Japan, Europe and latterly to Australia.In addition to his performances with the Concert Band, Dance orchestra and Cocktail group, he has been the creator and strong supporter of programs by the RCMP in seniors’ residences and hospitals across Canada.
Since 1964, Garth has been the national anthem vocalist for all Govenors General of Canada including: Georges Vanier, Roland Michener, Jules Leger, Edward Schreyer, Jeanne Sauve, Ray Hnatyshyn, Romeo LeBlanc, Adrienne Clarkson, Michaelle Jean, and David Johnston.
Because of an urgent need for funding for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa in 1983, Garth undertook an RCMP extravaganza incorporating the RCMP Band, the Musical Ride, Police Service dogs and a cast of 200 Ottawa area youngsters in a five- performance run called “Sounds and Saddles”. This was repeated in 1986, and realized many thousands of dollars for the hospital. As a result, Garth was made an honorary trustee of that institution.
In 1984, Garth organized the first-ever RCMP Charity Ball resulting in many thousands of dollars being raised for such charities as Operation Go Home, the Robin Easey Trust Fund, the Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Program. The latter Ball was attended by H.R.H. The Prince Edward and raised sufficient funds to cover costs of the Ontario Provincial Syllabus for the Awards program. Garth hosted a gala at the National Arts Centre in honour of their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of York in 1989, and throughout his thirty-four years with the RCMP, performed on numerous occasions for members of the Royal Family.
Garth’s farewell concert in the Fall of 1989 took the form of three programs at Nepean Centrepointe Theatre before sold-out audiences and succeeded in raising several thousand dollars for burn victim equipment at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO).
In addition to his activities with the RCMP, Garth helped form an English cabaret group “Plus Six in Song” which raised close to $200,000 in its thirteen years of operation. He has been baritone soloist at Christ Church Cathedral since 1964 and continues his annual visits to hospitals and seniors homes in Ottawa and the Valley, and assists in organizing fund raisers for youth, seniors and heritage programs.
Garth has been singing for the National Prayer Breakfast for all parliamentarians annually since 1965.
Garth has sung lead roles in the Savoy Society’s Gilbert and Sullivan annual productions, the Orpheus Society, and, of late, has performed operatic roles with Studio Opera Guild. He has also sung the national anthem on thousands of occasions — two Grey Cup Games, major league baseball, and NHL hockey games, and is presently performing the anthem for medal presentations at Rideau Hall.
Garth is the recipient of:
- Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers
- Governor General's Vice Regal Commendation for service to the crown
- Honourary Doctorate, Sacred Theological Laws, Thorneloe College, Laurentian University
- Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal
- Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal
- Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal
- RCMP Long Service Medal with silver bar
- Knight of the Order of St. Hubert (An Austrian order given for outstanding community service)
- Rotarian Paul Harris Fellowship Award
- Wolf Project Award from the Canadian Aboriginal Noongam Traditional Powwow (Fostering respect and unity between diverse cultural groups including First Nations)
- Charlotte Whitton Award - City of Ottawa (1996)
- City of Gloucester Award(1990) for music achievement
- City of Ottawa (1987) citation for contribution to the community
- 1989 Award for support and interest in the Province of Manitoba’s Crime Prevention and Police Community relations activities over the years
- In 1989, after numerous visits to perform in Vegreville, he was presented with a special award from the Wendy Brook Music Festival Association and the Vegreville and District Chamber of Commerce. It read, as follows: “Thanks for the Memories - you came in stormy weather and shared your joy of life ‘In Song’ with hundreds of us in this community, and brought honour to Vegreville. You were an excellent ambassador of The Force’ not only here, but all over the world.”
Garth is an honourary Board member at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), was involved in the Upper Canada Playhouse Board of Trustees and the Glebe Centre Auxiliary and is a past Board Member of the National Capital Crimestoppers Program. He was a former Warden at Christ Church Cathedral, and committee member in building the Christ Church Cathedral Columbarium.
In more recent years, Garth has been responsible for creating fundraisers to rebuild the arsoned igloo cathedral in Iqaluit, Nunavut.
He joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in 1955 and, following recruitment training, was posted to St. Paul, Alberta, and then on to detachments at Yellowknife, Fort Providence and Fort Reliance in the Northwest Territories. He was one of the last members of the RCMP to use a dog team in police patrols to remote communities of the Arctic, and was introduced as such to Her Majesty the Queen in 2010 on her royal visit to Canada.
In 1961, he returned to Alberta for police duties in Vegreville. In all the communities in which he was stationed, there was an involvement with youth and seniors — organizing badminton, horseback riding, entertainment programs, Canada Day celebrations with native peoples, and bringing natives and whites together for fellowship and music. In 1964, he was transferred to Ottawa, as principal soloist with the internationally acclaimed RCMP Band where, over the next 25 years, he performed on TV and radio in support of police community-relations programs throughout Canada. This was later expanded to include international tours throughout the United States, Japan, Europe and latterly to Australia.In addition to his performances with the Concert Band, Dance orchestra and Cocktail group, he has been the creator and strong supporter of programs by the RCMP in seniors’ residences and hospitals across Canada.
Since 1964, Garth has been the national anthem vocalist for all Govenors General of Canada including: Georges Vanier, Roland Michener, Jules Leger, Edward Schreyer, Jeanne Sauve, Ray Hnatyshyn, Romeo LeBlanc, Adrienne Clarkson, Michaelle Jean, and David Johnston.
Because of an urgent need for funding for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa in 1983, Garth undertook an RCMP extravaganza incorporating the RCMP Band, the Musical Ride, Police Service dogs and a cast of 200 Ottawa area youngsters in a five- performance run called “Sounds and Saddles”. This was repeated in 1986, and realized many thousands of dollars for the hospital. As a result, Garth was made an honorary trustee of that institution.
In 1984, Garth organized the first-ever RCMP Charity Ball resulting in many thousands of dollars being raised for such charities as Operation Go Home, the Robin Easey Trust Fund, the Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Program. The latter Ball was attended by H.R.H. The Prince Edward and raised sufficient funds to cover costs of the Ontario Provincial Syllabus for the Awards program. Garth hosted a gala at the National Arts Centre in honour of their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of York in 1989, and throughout his thirty-four years with the RCMP, performed on numerous occasions for members of the Royal Family.
Garth’s farewell concert in the Fall of 1989 took the form of three programs at Nepean Centrepointe Theatre before sold-out audiences and succeeded in raising several thousand dollars for burn victim equipment at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO).
In addition to his activities with the RCMP, Garth helped form an English cabaret group “Plus Six in Song” which raised close to $200,000 in its thirteen years of operation. He has been baritone soloist at Christ Church Cathedral since 1964 and continues his annual visits to hospitals and seniors homes in Ottawa and the Valley, and assists in organizing fund raisers for youth, seniors and heritage programs.
Garth has been singing for the National Prayer Breakfast for all parliamentarians annually since 1965.
Garth has sung lead roles in the Savoy Society’s Gilbert and Sullivan annual productions, the Orpheus Society, and, of late, has performed operatic roles with Studio Opera Guild. He has also sung the national anthem on thousands of occasions — two Grey Cup Games, major league baseball, and NHL hockey games, and is presently performing the anthem for medal presentations at Rideau Hall.
Garth is the recipient of:
- Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers
- Governor General's Vice Regal Commendation for service to the crown
- Honourary Doctorate, Sacred Theological Laws, Thorneloe College, Laurentian University
- Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal
- Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal
- Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal
- RCMP Long Service Medal with silver bar
- Knight of the Order of St. Hubert (An Austrian order given for outstanding community service)
- Rotarian Paul Harris Fellowship Award
- Wolf Project Award from the Canadian Aboriginal Noongam Traditional Powwow (Fostering respect and unity between diverse cultural groups including First Nations)
- Charlotte Whitton Award - City of Ottawa (1996)
- City of Gloucester Award(1990) for music achievement
- City of Ottawa (1987) citation for contribution to the community
- 1989 Award for support and interest in the Province of Manitoba’s Crime Prevention and Police Community relations activities over the years
- In 1989, after numerous visits to perform in Vegreville, he was presented with a special award from the Wendy Brook Music Festival Association and the Vegreville and District Chamber of Commerce. It read, as follows: “Thanks for the Memories - you came in stormy weather and shared your joy of life ‘In Song’ with hundreds of us in this community, and brought honour to Vegreville. You were an excellent ambassador of The Force’ not only here, but all over the world.”
Garth is an honourary Board member at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), was involved in the Upper Canada Playhouse Board of Trustees and the Glebe Centre Auxiliary and is a past Board Member of the National Capital Crimestoppers Program. He was a former Warden at Christ Church Cathedral, and committee member in building the Christ Church Cathedral Columbarium.
In more recent years, Garth has been responsible for creating fundraisers to rebuild the arsoned igloo cathedral in Iqaluit, Nunavut.
Garth and Eleanor (Stebner) Hampson have been married since 1961 and have a son Brad, and daughter, Diana. Both children are police officers in eastern Ontario. Garth and Eleanor are the proud grandparents of three girls and two boys.
