GRAHAM TOWNSEND Famous Canadian Fiddler

Friday, November 25, 2011


With this post, I have finally wound my way back to Townsend's first LP on the Banff label, RBS 1083 from 1960, "Famous Canadian Fiddlers Volume 1". Nine of the album's ten tunes are Graham's compositions, the tenth composed by fellow Shelburne champion Victor Pasowisty. Like RBS 1116, accompaniment is provided by Waldo Munro, Duke Neilsen, and Warren MacRae, all members of Don Messer's Islanders. Incidentally, the only other "Famous Canadian Fiddlers" album issued was Volume 2 by Joe Murphy and His Band, RBS 1084 (a reissue of Rodeo RLP 14).

Includes jacket/label scans.

A two part video of Graham and his wife Eleanor's set at the 1994 Cobden fair in Cobden, Ontario is here and here.

Tracks:

1. George Taylor's Breakdown
2. East Coast Jig
3. The Frank McKnight Waltz
4. Mike MacNeil's Hornpipe
5. Don Tremaine's Reel
6. Sawdust Breakdown
7. The Roman Teller Waltz
8. The Rae Simmons Polka
9. Pat The Budgie Breakdown
10. The Don Valley Hornpipe

*download here*

GRAHAM TOWNSEND Fiddling Favorites


Graham Townsend's second LP on the Banff label, RBS 1116, contains ten tunes on which he is backed by Islanders Waldo Munro on piano, Duke Neilsen on upright bass, and Warren MacRae on drums.
This is the only one of Graham's Banff LPs that does not have composer credits on the labels. The following is each tune's origins to the best of my knowledge:
Honey Harbour Two Step - this is definitely a Townsend original.
Saint Mary's Polka - This is a different tune than the common Irish polka of the same name. I am unsure of this tune's origin.
Saint Francis Reel - A traditional tune found in old Messer collections. It was also recorded by Earl Mitton in the 60's.
Mel's Jig - Johnny Mooring composed a tune with this title, but never recorded it. However, as Graham and Johnny were reportedly not the best of friends, I suspect, like the following tune, this jig may have been composed by Mel Lavigne.
Rocket Richard Reel - This tune was composed by Mel Lavigne in honour of hockey great Maurice "The Rocket" Richard. For more info on Mel Lavigne, click here.
The Butler's Waltz - I suspect this is a Townsend original.
The Olympic Two Step - One of Graham's original compositions.
The Walker Street Reel - A traditional reel popular in many different traditions.
Iris Girl Jig - I believe "Iris" is a typo of "Irish". This tune is more commonly known as "Shandon Bells".
The Mouth of the Tobique Breakdown - A traditional tune named for the Tobique River in northwest New Brunswick. Popularized by Don Messer.

Includes jacket/label scans.

To see Graham participating in a fiddle workshop at the 1991 Shetland Folk Festival, click here.

Tracks:

1. Honey Harbour Two Step
2. Saint Mary's Polka
3. Saint Francis Reel
4. Mel's Jig
5. Rocket Richard Reel
6. The Butler's Waltz
7. The Olympic Two Step
8. The Walker Street Reel
9. Iris Girl Jig
10. The Mouth Of The Tobique Breakdown

*download here*

GRAHAM TOWNSEND International Champion

Tuesday, November 22, 2011


"International Fiddling Champion 1963", Banff RBS 1163 is presented in this post, but the album's name and issue number are somewhat misleading. Titled for Graham's 1963 Shelburne win, this is actually a reissue of his first LP, originally released as "Fiddling To Fortune" on Rodeo RLP 44 in 1958. Although I was not able to come up with an image of the original Rodeo jacket, to the best of my memory it was identical to the Banff issue except for the title at the top, and used a burgundy/red/pink colour scheme as opposed to blue.
Townsend made this record in Halifax when he was just sixteen years old. His son once told me that Graham was expecting Don Messer's Islanders to be at the session as his accompaniment, but arrived to be informed they were unavailable. The young fiddler was dissatisfied with the group provided, and apparently was never very fond of this album. The accompaniment is steady if not stellar, but Graham's playing already shows a maturity and confidence well beyond his years on the eight originals and four traditional tunes heard here.

Includes jacket/label scans.

A very nice 1983 interview of Townsend by Winston Simpson in Miami, Manitoba is here. In it, Graham talks about his early career.

Tracks:

1. Graham's Hornpipe
2. Sunset Jig
3. The Royal Princess Two Step
4. Halifax Polka
5. Midnight Waltz
6. Gay Fiddler's Hornpipe
7. Month Of May Reel
8. Dusty Miller's Reel
9. East York Jig
10. Buckingham Reel
11. Port Severn Breakdown
12. Reefer's Hornpipe

*download here*

The Inimitable GRAHAM TOWNSEND


Winding our way back through Graham's Banff releases, here's SBS 5239 from 1966. This album is particularly nostalgic for me, as in my youth I had a cassette copy which I nearly wore out in my walkman! It contains ten original Townsend tunes, many of which are his best known, such as "Ice On The Road", "Waltzing Through The Leaves", etc.

Includes jacket/label scans.

A great video clip of Graham and Peerie Willie Johnson playing jazz at the 1991 Shetland Folk Festival is here.

Tracks:

1. Ice On The Road
2. Waltzing Through The Leaves
3. Little Robbie's Jig
4. Alex & Maureen's Two Step
5. President Kennedy's Waltz
6. Harvey's Tune
7. Blue Bells On The Hills
8. Pinetree Jig
9. Pretty Little Cindy
10. The Rainbow Waltz

*download here*

ROMANIUK FAMILY Point Recordings


The contents of two 1960s albums on the Point label comprise today's post. Ed Romaniuk and his sisters Elsie and Anne grew up in Edson, Alberta as devotees of the original Carter Family, whose music came into their home via radio and records. As the Romaniuk children grew up, they played this music themselves, entertaining on local radio, festivals, concerts, etc. They eventually were able to meet their idols, A.P. Carter himself granting their efforts his approval. An account by Ed of he and Elsie accompanying Sara Carter to Memorial Celebrations in Bristol, Virginia in 1971 is included in the notes to a Carter Family LP I previously featured, click here.
On each of the two albums, half the songs are traditional Carter repertoire, the other half being Romaniuk originals. The download includes scans of the covers and labels, which include composer credits. I feel I should make mention to followers of the Attic that albums posted here without a scan of the back of the jacket, usually indicate that a generic back slick (often advertising other LPs on the label) was used. Unfortunately, many Canadian LPs were released this way, thus depriving us of any biographical information about the artist.

I would like to thank Andyrama for providing access to his copy of "Songs We Love To Sing."

Tracks:

1. In The Sweet Bye & Bye
2. Jimmy Brown The Newsboy
3. Anchored In Love
4. The Homestead On The Farm
5. Wildwood Flower
6. My Alberta Rose
7. My Dear Old Foothills
8. The Lover's Plea
9. What A Lovely World To Live In
10. 'Neath The Pine Tree On The Hill
11. Church In The Wildwood
12. When The Springtime Comes Again
13. The Wreck On The C & O
14. Beautiful Home
15. My Little Home In Tennessee
16. My Rocky Mountain Home
17. Pray Unto The Lord
18. I'm Losing My Friend
19. Do You Sometimes Think Of Me
20. Soldier Boy's Mother
21. I'll Never Take You Back Again

*download here*

GRAHAM TOWNSEND Salute's Canada's Centennial

Monday, November 21, 2011




Keeping on with the posts of Graham Townsend's Banff albums, here's RBS 1258 from 1967. Twelve tunes are featured in honour of the Centennial, each one commemorating a Canadian locale. Three are Townsend originals, the balance either traditional or tunes composed by legendary fiddlers Ned Landry, Earl Mitton, Ward Allen, and Cecil McEachern.
I would like to thank Andyrama for access to this LP to transfer, and Su for sending me the jacket and label scans.

A 1988 live video of Graham playing "Bully of the Town" and the "Clarinet Polka" is here.

Tracks:

1. Montreal '67
2. Banks Of Newfoundland
3. Nova Scotia Hop
4. Spud Island Breakdown
5. New Brunswick Breakdown
6. Quebec Reel
7. Ontario Swing
8. Alberta Polka
9. Saskatchewan Jig
10. Manitoba Waltz
11. B.C. Centennial
12. Canadian Centennial Breakdown

*download here*

KING GANAM and his Sons of the West 78s

Tuesday, November 15, 2011


Back in September of last year I posted all the available LP tracks by the late fiddler, King Ganam (click here). While all his albums are comprised of instrumental fiddle tunes, he apparently released some singles featuring vocals as well. I have been able to track a couple of these rare 78s down, which I am presenting in this post.
The first, on RCA Victor's Canadian Bluebird series, contains the song "Forever In My My Heart" which credits Ganam as composer. The vocal is by Pete Vitelli, about whom I can find absolutely no information. The flip side is "The Island Breakdown", a tune which never made it to any of his LPs. I don't have an exact date for this record, but it would be around the mid fifties.
The next 78, on RCA Victor's Canadian 56-3200 black label series (usually reserved for pop material) features two vocal performances by a young Tommy Hunter. Hunter's CBC-TV show ran from 1965 to 1992, and was beyond popular. The Canadian Encyclopedia states that he made his first recordings with Ganam in 1958, so it's a pretty safe bet that these tracks were among them. Tommy sings the pop-like ballad "Teenage Love Is A Losing Game" which again is credited to Ganam. It's hard to say if King wrote these songs, or was simply savvy enough to copyright them in his own name. On the flip Hunter performs the Hank Williams composition "I Don't Care (If Tomorrow Never Comes)", originally recorded by Molly O'Day (it can be found here).
I would like to thank the Attic's good friends Andyrama and Stephen of Cedar Island for providing access to these records which have allowed me to share some rare vintage Canadian country.

Tracks:

1. Forever In My Heart
2. The Island Breakdown
3. Teenage Love Is A Losing Game
4. I Don't Care (If Tomorrow Never Comes)

*download here*

GRAHAM TOWNSEND Salutes Canada's P.M.s

Monday, November 14, 2011


In 1967 Canada celebrated it's Centennial and Graham chose to mark the occasion by composing fourteen tunes, each named in honour of one of the country's (then) fourteen Prime Ministers. It is a testament to Townsend's influence that some of these tunes wound their way into Canadian fiddle culture and are still played today. By the end of the year following the release of this LP, "Trudeaumania" had set in and John Durocher would compose "Prime Minister Trudeau's Reel" for Don Messer. I am not aware of any subsequent memorializing of Prime Ministers via fiddle tunes...

Includes jacket/label scans.

To see a video of Graham playing for legendary Ottawa Valley stepdancer Donnie Gilchrist at the 1983 Pembroke, Ontario fiddle contest, click here.

Tracks:

1. Sir John A. MacDonald Waltz
2. Alexander MacKenzie March
3. Sir John Abbott Waltz
4. Sir John S.D. Thompson Jig
5. Sir MacKenzie Bowell Jig
6. Sir Charles Tupper Waltz
7. Sir Wilfred Laurier Reel
8. Sir Robert Borden Waltz
9. Arthur Meighen Two Step
10. W.L. Mackenzie King Strathspey
11. R.B. Bennett Hornpipe
12. Louis St. Laurent Reel
13. John Diefenbaker Polka
14. Lester Pearson Clog

*download here*

GRAHAM TOWNSEND and His Fiddle


Another classic in this post, SBS 5284, which is touted as "Introducing Rodeo's Golden Stereo Series." One of three albums Graham released on Banff during the centennial year, it contains many of his signature compositions and one by Ned Landry. It also has a few traditional tunes of which I think Townsend's version of the "Les Guenilles" ("The Rags"), a fine French Canadian tune, is a standout. Also, you're not dreaming, that really is a chorus of backup singers adding "oooh-wahs" to "Sidewalk Waltz", a tune popularised by Nashville fiddler Chubby Wise. They really were all listening to one another back then...

Includes jacket/label scans.

A great video of Graham playing a medley of reels at an outdoor festival is here.

Tracks:

1. Sidewalk Waltz
2. The Lighthouse Keeper
3. Prince County Jig
4. Les Guenilles
5. Waverley Two Step
6. Ottawa Valley Reel
7. Fred Wilson's Clog
8. Spirit Of Springhill
9. Evelyn's Waltz
10. Point Prim Hornpipe

*download here*

GRAHAM TOWNSEND and his Country Fiddle

Sunday, November 13, 2011


Here is the next of Graham's Banff LPs, SBS 5296, "Graham Townsend and his Country Fiddle" from 1968. The ten track album is comprised of three of his original compositions, two traditional tunes, as well as tunes by Graham's fiddling contemporaries June Eikhard, Al Cherny, Ward Allen, and Andy DeJarlis.

Includes jacket/label scans.

Incidentally, a wonderful video of Graham playing and discussing fiddle styles is here.

Tracks:

1. Journeyman's Jig
2. Fisher's Hornpipe
3. Jemeny Cricket Polka
4. Minstrel's Fancy
5. Donnie Gilchrist's Breakdown
6. Frenchie's Reel
7. Fairy Toddler
8. Carousel Waltz
9. Gilles Roy
10. St. Patrick's Day In Quebec

*download here*

GRAHAM TOWNSEND plays Don Messer


A little over a year ago I presented "World Champion Folk Fiddler", Banff SBS 5406 (click here), Graham Townsend's last album on Rodeo's Banff line of LPs (he recorded 10 for the label). With this post I begin to wind my way back through Graham's Banff output by featuring his 1969 collection, "I Like Don Messer", SBS 5306. On it Townsend plays twelve of Don Messer's signature tunes as only he could. I feel these LPs, especially 5239 onward, are really his seminal recordings. He never made a bad LP, but to me the 1960's Banff LPs really defined his style.
Graham is accompanied here by fellow fiddle great Paul Menard on guitar, singer/producer Dougal (Dougie) Trineer on bass and tenor banjo, and the great Carol Kennedy (now Carol Dawson, wife of fiddler Peter Dawson) on piano.

Includes jacket/label scans.

Tracks:

1. Big John McNeil
2. Rippling Water Jig
3. Don Messer's Breakdown
4. Country Waltz
5. Lightning Hornpipe
6. Vail's Breakdown
7. Uncle Henry's Reel
8. Little Burnt Potato
9. Norweigan Waltz
10. Rambler's Hornpipe
11. Grandfather's Reel
12. Blue Mountain Hornpipe

*download here*

BOB KING Original RCA Recordings

Wednesday, November 9, 2011


Featured today is a great RCA Camden collection comprised of 10 original 1950's recordings by the legendary Bob King. King (1934-1989) was a successful regional country singer in the Ottawa Valley in the fifties, during which time he was signed to RCA Victor's Montreal division. These fantastic recordings have been out of circulation for years, this LP being the only edition of these tracks other than the original single issues.
Some standout tunes are "Josephine", a King original which contains the magnificent line "I'm a singin' hillbilly from Montreal" and "Crazy Me", also an original which was covered by Smilin' Jack Silvers on his Acadia album previously featured here. Perhaps his best work of this era is his original 1954 single of "Laurel Lee" which is reputed to have sold 40,000 copies regionally.
Bob's Montreal producer tried to interest the company's Nashville division in his work but to no avail and by the end of the fifties he was recording for George Taylor's Rodeo label, where he made some remakes of his old hits, as well as keeping new singles on the market. In the sixties he was a member of CFRA Ottawa's "Happy Wanderers", a regional supergroup that broadcast daily and played dates all over eastern Ontario. He continued to record and perform with his wife, French language country singer Marie, until his death.

I would like to thank Two Dollar Bill for the use of this rare LP.

I have also transferred some of Bob King's post RCA albums for Uncle Gil's Rockin' Archives, click here.

A brief biography of Bob King is here.

Tracks:

1. Josephine
2. Crazy Me
3. Hey Mam
4. I Don't Believe In Settlin' Down
5. Let's Make A Fair Trade
6. Anxious
7. Laurel Lee
8. Did You Do It
9. Always Lend A Helping Hand
10. Pretty Little Girl In Blue

*download here*