CANADIAN FIDDLE HALL OF HONOUR – PARAGRAPH BIOS (1991-PRESENT)
Listings are from present to past - Begun at the request of past CGMFA President Graham Sheppard of Cornwall, Ontario, 2017

CANADIAN FIDDLE HALL OF HONOUR INDUCTEES SINCE 2022

2025 – B.C. INDUCTIONS

LEGENDS (Recognizing significant lifelong contributions to Canadian fiddling through performance, ambassadorship, and visibility nationally and internationally.)

• Robert Willoughby (Bob) Montgomery (Posthumously: May 1, 1920 - February 5, 2013)
  Born in Minnedosa, Manitoba, and residing in Oyama, B.C. until his passing, Bob Montgomery was a seven time B.C. Champion, two time Western Canadian champion, Canadian Grand Masters competitor (1991) and a national judge (1995), as well as a contest judge in the United States. He was a long-time fiddle teacher and composer, teaching at the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp and the Wells Fiddle Treat. Bob was a past Canadian Grand Masters Award of Merit recipient (2019) as part of the BCOTFA Provincial Executives and a charter member of the BCOTFA. He appeared as a featured fiddler on the following albums: Emma Lake Live (1990), Fiddlers of Emma Lake Live (1991) and had one solo album to his credit in the late 1990s: Oyama Special.

• Myllie Barron (Posthumously: June 22, 1910 - May 16, 2008)
  Emile "Myllie" Barron was born in Deep Dale, Manitoba. A two-time Senior Champion at the U.S. National Old Time Fiddle Contest at Weiser, Idaho, Myllie Barron was a longstanding Canadian representative at major fiddle events at home and abroad. He is known for his 1982 album release “Fiddler on the Loose” and having had a collection of original and traditional fiddle tunes that were enjoyed by many audiences. He passed away in Port Alberni, British Columbia two months short of his 98th birthday.

• Freddie Lang (Posthumously: October 2, 1926 – May 26, 2007)
  Born in Carman, Manitoba, and later residing in Ontario, and various locations in Alberta and B.C., Freddie Lang is a nationally recognized touring and recording fiddler, having worked with The Hillbilly Jewels, The Calgary Range Boys, Jack Kingston, Gordie Tapp and Wilf Carter. He is the composer of the famous novelty tune "Curly Hair” and was included in the Northern Alberta Fiddle Archive Project, having a strong Alberta/BC connection with Manitoba roots.

BUILDERS (Acknowledging major service and leadership roles in the promotion, organization, and education of Canadian fiddling.)

• Llewellyn McPherson (Max) Sexsmith (Posthumously: June 8, 1917 – January 1997)
  Born in Maymont, Saskatchewan to John James Llewellyn Sexsmith and Elizabeth Rose Elliott, Max Sexsmith came from a fiddling family where his father, uncle and all seven of his siblings played fiddle and guitar. He would later play for dances in Alberta’s Peace River region at age 14 before moving to Prince George, B.C. in 1947, where he resided until his passing. He was a founding member of the BCOTFA and a tireless contributor to B.C.’s fiddle culture. He is known for his fiddle composition from 1963-1964, “Cheslatta Lake Rag”.

• Leonard Thomas Sexsmith (Posthumously: 1926 – December 27, 1997)
  Born in Alberta to John James Llewellyn Sexsmith and Elizabeth Rose Elliott, Leonard (Len) Sexsmith, like his brother Max, came from a fiddling family where his father, uncle and all seven of his siblings played fiddle and guitar. He was a prolific composer of fiddle tunes, such as «Out the Buckhorn Way” and “Cariboo Shuffle”, serving as an early influence in BC fiddling with strong mentorship and community involvement. 

• Jean Gelinas
  Residing in Quensel, B.C., Jean Galinas has served as a community leader in Quesnel, camp organizer for the B.C. Fiddle Treat (fiddle camp),active volunteer for the BCOTFA Quensel Branch #3, piano and guitar accompanist, and mentor. She has also served on the BCOTFA Provincial Board and Executive and was a past Canadian Grand Masters Award of Merit recipient (2019) as part of the BCOTFA Provincial Executives. 

• Michael (Mike) St. Germain (Posthumously: February 6, 1922 – November 4, 2014)
  Born in Rivire Qui Barre, Alberta, Mike St. Germain was Founding Provincial President of the BCOTFA and an active core member in Prince George Branch #1, serving over various terms. A founding member of Prince George Branch #1, he volunteered by playing at seniors homes and dances to bring joy into the hearts of all who met him. Michael was an active member of the local community, receiving the City of Prince George Recreation Award of Merit in 1982 for his many contributions. He was also a past Canadian Grand Masters Award of Merit recipient (2019) as part of the BCOTFA Provincial Executives.

SPECIAL CITATION (Honouring diverse contributions that don't fit traditional performer/organizer roles, such as cultural preservation, mentorship, and behind-the-scenes impact.)

• Riel Aubichon
  Originally from Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, past resident of Port Alberni, B.C. and now residing in Alberta, Riel Aubichon is a celebrated Métis/Cree fiddler and composer, who made a meaningful recognition of cultural heritage and stylistic contribution to Canadian fiddling. He was a past B.C. representative at the first Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship in 1990 and has a number of album releases to his credit. In April 2025, he received the King Charles III Coronation Medal, with support from the Métis Nation of Alberta, for his cultural contributions to fiddling to and on behalf of the Métis community.

• Keith Hill
  Originally from MacDowell, Saskatchewan, Keith Hill resides in Cloverdale, B.C. and has been a multi-role contributor to Western Canadian fiddling. He has been a guitar accompanist for fiddlers such as Calvin Vollrath, Graham Townsend and others at shows, dances and contests, making him instrumental (literally) in shaping fiddle accompaniment in B.C. and beyond. He was the first guitar accompaniment teacher at the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp (first in 1989) and the Wells Fiddle Treat (first in 1994). Keith competed at fiddle contests throughout Western Canada and was a B.C. representative at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship in 1991. He has judged Western Canadian fiddle contests and judged the Canadian Grand Masters in 1995.

• Charlotte Jean Lapp (Posthumously: April 9, 1930 – November 20, 2012)
  Born into a fiddling family in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Charlotte Lapp (nee Wutzke) was a longtime piano accompanist and community builder at both the local and provincial level throughout B.C.. Before teaching at the Wells and B.C. Fiddle Treats at Gavin Lake from 1994-2012, she was a piano student at the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp sharing the knowledge she learned with her many piano students to accompany fiddle tunes. Being the mother of Daniel Lapp, she would accompany him and other fiddlers throughout various B.C. fiddle circles.

• Jimmie Dow and Ruth St. Germain
  Residing in Prince George, B.C., Jimmie Dow and Ruth St. Germain were a well-known bass/guitar accompaniment duo throughout Western Canada. They supported countless fiddle performances over the years, with Calvin Vollrath and Graham Townsend being two of the notable fiddle acts they accompanied. Their behind-the-scenes work and consistent presence are foundational to the BC fiddle sound.

• The B.C. Fiddle Orchestra
  Founded by Daniel Lapp as a high level performance fiddle group based in Victoria, the B.C. Fiddle Orchestra is an auditioned music group for fiddlers aged 18 and under. The group has numerous fiddle albums to their credit and provided many youth from Vancouver Island opportunities for public fiddle performances since their first performance at the Commonwealth Games in Victoria in 1994.

2024 – NORTHERN FIDDLERS INDUCTIONS AND THOSE WITH NORTHERN CANADIAN CONNECTIONS

Builders: All Northern Canadian Fiddle Teachers participating in the  2024 Pan Northern Fiddle Summit in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory:

Andrea Hansen (Doe Lake, Ontario: Strings Across the Sky, Northern Territories – Posthumously: 1938-2014)
Born into a musical family in Kenora, Ontario, Andrea Hansen (nee Jorgensen) was the talented and dedicated creator of the Strings Across the Sky (SATS) teaching program, which began in 1988. She was a member of the Montreal Symphony and Toronto Symphony Orchestras. Prior to her classical music career, Hansen enjoyed a long and memorable entertainment career, working with performers such as Glenn Gould, Arthur Godfrey, Guy Lombardo and George Burns.

Andrea Bettger (The Fiddle Cats, Yellowknife, N.W.T.) - Andrea Bettger, a performer, teacher and session musician, has been singing and playing violin for most of her life. She grew up in Ontario as part of a musical family, which includes her parents, Bill and Eva Bettger (singer and a choir conductor), siblings Pamela Bettger (Jules), Jon Bettger (Nikoline) and the late Peter John Bettger (1971), along with most of her extended family who both play and teach music. She serves as musical director of the Fiddle Cats, a youth fiddle group in Yellowknife, that was a chapter of the “Strings Across the Sky” program under the late Andrea Hansen. Andrea Bettger was also a 2022 N.W.T. contestant at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Competition in Winnipeg.

Darlene Nuqingaq, Naiome Eegeesiak, Aura and Connie Kwon, Jessica Barrett-Ives and Gina Burgess (Iqaluit Fiddle Club, Iqualit, Nunavut) – CGM Program: The Iqaluit Fiddle Club is celebrated its 30th anniversary at the first ever Pan Northern Youth Fiddle Summit in 2024. It was founded in 1994 by volunteer instructor, Darlene Nuqingaq, with seven students. The group now has five instructors, several junior instructors (including our three older youth fiddlers at the Summit), and over 50 students annually. Over the years, The Iqaluit Fiddle Club has met and been mentored by visiting professional fiddlers/violinists and has travelled across the country playing with string groups in Robert’s Creek, BC; Ottawa and Toronto, ON; Halifax and St. Ann’s Gaelic College, NS; Pangnirtung, NU; and Whitehorse, YK. Group Instructors have been Darlene Nuqinagaq and Gina Burgess.

Julie Lohnes-Cashin, Lower Sackville, N.S.: (Tusarnaarniq Sivumut Association, Nunavut) – Website: The vision for the music association evolved from the music club started by educator Julie Lohnes in 2004 in the remote northern community of Pond Inlet, Nunavut. Teaching in a high school without a music class, and listening to her students talk about music and learning to play guitar, Julie Lohnes decided to start the Nasivvik Music Club. The desire that youth have to learn to play instruments and the lack of structured after-school activities for youth were the driving forces behind starting the club, which continues today. The purpose of the music club was, and still is, to provide a safe environment in which students can learn to read and play both traditional Inuit and popular music, fostering their individuality and musical growth.

The program’s popularity increased, and in 2007, with extensive fundraising, the first-ever fiddle workshop was held in May of that year. In 2009, Tusarnaarniq Sivumut Association – Music for the Future was officially incorporated and created to provide opportunities for Inuit youth in Nunavut to learn music. Julie is also a recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal was high school teacher Julie E. Lohnes-Cashin, of Nova Scotia. (GG) Instructors at the time of induction in 2024 were Stacey Read (Sackville, N.B.) and Kaitlin Gangong (Hampton, N.B..

Cathy Lee (Panniqtung Agiagaqtiit Fiddle Club, Panniqtung, Nunavut) - Cathy Lee is a volunteer for this youth fiddle club in Panniatung, on Baffin Island. This youth fiddle club has received instructional support from the Fiddles North organization, including instructors Kim de Laforest of Saskatchewan and Greg Simm of Nova Scotia. avinga62@hotmail.com

Sherryl Sewepagaham, Vancouver, B.C. - The National Arts Centre’s Arts Alive Program (Ottawa, Ontario)

Sherryl Sewepagaham is Cree-Dene from the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta and lives in Vancouver, B.C. with her son at the time of induction. She holds a Bachelor of Education degree and has worked as a music teacher, teacher consultant, and children’s choir director. She is the coordinator for the Métis cultural section of the Arts Alive program that details the ancestry and cultural traditions of Métis people. Designed for Canadian educators, Sewepagaham discusses Métis symbols like the infinity flag and sash, and highlights pivotal figures, including Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont. Included in this resource are descriptions of the Métis' rich musical and dance heritage, featuring John Arcand's The Métis Waltz and eclectic sing-along songs. Lesson plans encourage interactive learning about Métis arts and cultural practices and the Michif language, providing a pathway for students (spanning grades 3-9) to appreciate the long-standing cultural heritage of Métis communities.

Linda Duford, Hay River, N.W.T. (Kole Crook Fiddle Association, N.W.T.) - Linda Duford is a long time resident of Hay River, N.W.T., having moved here with her family in 1980. Since 2000, she, along with her sister, Nanette, have been owners/operators of the “Back Eddy Resturant”. Prior to that, Linda had a long career in the banking industry. Linda is also a music teacher/volunteer who has been involved with the Kole Crook Fiddle Association, as well as her own music enterprise, the Hay River Music Club, for many years. Having recently sold the family restaurant, Linda now has the time to fulfill a long-time goal of giving back to the community by serving on Hay River Town Council.

Ingrid Johnston (Cariboo Chilcotin Youth Fiddle Society – Williams Lake, B.C.)
The Cariboo Chilcotin Youth Fiddle Society (CCYFS) is based out of Williams Lake, B.C. and in 2024, it had 27 students from ages 7-19. The society has created six large productions, including the Fiddle History of Canada, Gold and Fiddle Fever (local history), “Life of a Fiddle” (folk music around the globe), “Celtic Routes” (Scottish, Irish, and French tunes), Roaring Fiddles in the 20’s (music from the age of radio 1920-1950 such as country, bluegrass, jazz, blues, big band) and “Fiddle Ticket to Canada,” (a remake of Fiddle History of Canada with the addition of iconic music from Canadian songwriters). In addition to larger shows, the CCYFS regularly hosts barn dances in the historic Onward Ranch Barn. This has been a highlight not only for children in the program, but also for the community. Ingrid Johnston is the musical director for the group.

Peter Menzies, Amelia Rose Sloboegan, Kristen Poenn and Lolita Hughes 

(Dawson City Fiddle Club, Dawson City, YT)
The Dawson City Fiddle Club was founded by Peter Menzies in 2013, beginning with four young students and two volunteer tutors. Ten years later, the club grew to include over 30 fiddlers, three volunteer tutors and one official instructor, Amelia Rose Slobogean, who travels to Dawson City from Whitehorse approximately four times a year to teach.

Rosemary Buck, Michael Allaway and Catherine Allaway (Treble Makers, Haines Junction, YT)
The Treble Makers are a youth fiddle club from Haines Junction, Yukon. Parents and youth

instructors support regular classes throughout the year for students ranging from ages eight to fifteen. The club was founded in 2016 by a group of parent volunteers, with Keitha Clark of Whitehorse as lead instructor. There is an average of 15-20 students in the program

each year.

Leslie-Jean MacMillan (Valley Youth Fiddlers, Smithers, B.C.) - Leslie-Jean MacMillan has been Musical Director since the group’s inception over 25 years ago. In addition to providing musical direction during weekly practices, she coordinates the coaching and mentorship component of the program that lie at the heart of VYF principles and goals. In this leadership capacity, Leslie-Jean records practice tunes, transcribes arrangements, collaborates with visiting mentors, liaises with other fiddle groups and plans future outreach activities, performances, and tours and recruits volunteer coaches from the local music community. Leslie-Jean is the heart of VYF and has an active fiddle teaching roster.

Kim de Laforest, Saskatoon, Sask. (Fiddles North, Nunavut) – Born into a fiddle family in Regina, Saskatchewan, Kim de Laforest is a past Saskatchewan Provincial Women’s Fiddle Champion who holds a B.Mus. in classical violin performance from the University of Regina. She is a veteran symphony musician on violin and viola with the Regina and Saskatoon Symphony Orchestras, solo and band fiddler, folk singer, musical director for the Saskatoon Fiddle Orchestra, co-founder of Fiddles North with Nova Scotia musician Greg Simm, and private music teacher in both classical violin and old time fiddle, teaching in both Saskatoon and at various summer fiddle camps. Kim is the first Saskatchewan fiddler to be inducted as a builder and the second Saskatchewan fiddler ever inducted into the Canadian Fiddle Hall of Honour.

Greg Simm, N.S. (Fiddles North, Nunavut) – Greg has been a prominent figure on the East Coast music scene for over thirty-five years. Beginning with performing for country dances when he was fifteen, he has been in constant demand as an instrumentalist, arranger, teacher and producer ever since. Teaching and presenting music workshops has taken Greg across Canada many times from Coast to Coast to Coast. Most notable is his relationships with the Tusarnaarniq Sivumut (An Inuktitut word meaning “Music For The Future”) Association that he co-founded with Lunenburg County educator Julie Lohnes, and the Fiddle North organization in team with Kim de Laforest. Both organizations are dedicated to provide ongoing musical education for Inuit Youth in some of the most remote communities in Canada. Since 2007, he has presented workshops around Baffin Island and has been a board member for both organizations. Greg has been recognized four times as a finalist for Music Nova Scotia’s “Educator Of The Year” for his work across Canada and as a private instructor in Nova Scotia.

Keitha Clark (Fiddleheads Yukon, Whitehorse, YT) – Raised in Shell Lake, Saskatchewan, Keitha Clark began music studies as a private student in piano under Trent Bruner and fiddle under Dean Bernier. She holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax and a Master of Education from Athabasca University in Alberta, majoring in long distance education. In addition to being a music teacher throughout the Yukon Territory with various fiddle groups and having some album releases to her credit, Keitha was co-chair of the Yukon 2024 team that organized the first ever Pan Northern Fiddle Summit and the 2024 Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Competition for the first time ever in the Canadian North.

Legend: Colin Adjun (Nunavut – Posthumously: January 1944 - December 3, 2021)
Born in the Read Island area, northeast of Kugluktuk, Nunavut, (formerly known as Coppermine, N.W.T.), Colin Adjun, affectionately known as "The Fiddler of the Arctic,” was a respected northern fiddler and creator of the first all original fiddle album in the N.W.T.. Mr. Adjun was a 1991 contestant for the Northwest Territories at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Competition, and the first inductee in the history of the Canadian Fiddle Hall of Honour to receive the distinct honour of competing for his former Canadian territorial jurisdiction while being inducted as a legend into the Canadian Fiddle Hall of Honour for another Canadian territorial jurisdiction, all without having left his home community, even though this honour was awarded posthumously to him and accepted by his family during the 2024 Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Competition in Whitehorse.

Legend: Angus Beaulieu (N.W.T. – Posthumously: August 9, 1934 – February 10, 2024)
Born on August 9, 1934, near Fort Resolution, Angus Beaulieu spent his life on the land and in connection with his Métis roots. Known for his warmth, hospitality and knowledge of local fiddling and culture, this Deninu Métis fiddler was a mentor to generations of northern musicians and played his fiddle on northern and national stages for almost 70 years. He was an oral historian as well as a fiddler both in bands and as a soloist. He was known for his performances with “The Native Cousins” and had solo album releases to his credit.

Legend: Joe Loutchan (Yukon – Posthumously: August 16, 1938 – February 10, 2021)
Born into a fiddling family after the Great Depression on August 16, 1938, in the Pembina Valley near Morden, Manitoba, Joe Loutchan would move to the Yukon Territory in 1962 to become a Yukon musical institution and one of the most influential fiddlers of his era in the North. He encouraged the development of local fiddle talent, regularly appeared on radio and television for CBC North as a featured fiddler and was best known for his musical residency at “The ’98 Hotel” in Whitehorse for many decades.

Special Citation: Gerald Edzerza (YT –Legacy, posthumously: January 12, 1930 - July 27, 2022)
Gerald Gordon Edzerza was born, in Telegraph Creek, Yukon Territory as the oldest of 20 children born to George (Agouta) Edzerza and Grace Creyke Edzerza of Telegraph Creek and served as the Patriarch of the Edzerza Family after his father passed. Gerald was a member of the Wolf Clan, aka Nosjak of the Etzenlee Family, and the Tahltan First Nation. Yukon observers stated that Gerald showed everyone that by creating connections, working together and with a little humour, everyone could build the road forward for fiddling and beyond. He always made time to share his knowledge and tunes with the next generation of fiddlers, performing across the Yukon until close to his passing at age 92.

Special Citation: The Community of Old Crow, YT (Legacy)
Fiddling has played an important role in northern Canadian cultural life since the mid 1800s. First brought to the region by the Hudson’s Bay fur traders, it was quickly adapted by First Nations communities with new and unique fiddle styles emerging as a result. The fiddle was introduced to the Vuntut Gwitch’in people more than 100 years ago. At that point in time, the Vuntut Gwitch’in people gathered at Rampart House, at the Canada/Alaska border. The local store owner, Dan Cadzow, brought in the first fiddle to the community and Archie Linkater

started to teach his sons and Paul Ben Kassi how to play. In 2024, the Vuntut Gwitch’in live in the fly-in community of Old Crow (pop. 250). Because of its rich fiddle culture and remoteness, Old Crow has one of the strongest and most distinct fiddle traditions in the Yukon. This award honours the legacy of all Vuntut Gwitch’in fiddlers who have passed down the music to each new generation: Paul Ben Kassi, Charlie Peter Charlie (Chief from 1954 to 1964), Peter Benjamin, Peter Tiyza, Douglas Charlie, Allan Benjamin, Harold Frost, and Ben (Chuck) Charlie.

2023 INDUCTEES – NOVA SCOTIA SELECTIONS

LLOYD BOGLE - STEWIACKE, NOVA SCOTIA: SPECIAL CITATION
An avid fiddle supporter, organizer and sponsor of fiddle events, Lloyd Bogle has been acknowledged in Nova Scotia for making more contributions to the fiddle scene than most fiddlers. According to Nova Scotia fiddle followers, he has attended every dance, concert, contest and house party throughout the province. He has promoted concerts, contests, and attended the 1995 Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Competition in Ottawa to help bring Quebec fiddler Yvon Cuillerier to perform in Nova Scotia. He has also donated money to fiddle events he has not attended in person to promote, develop and preserve old time fiddling in Nova Scotia. His love for fiddle music has been passed on to his granddaughter, Kerri Bogle, who has been a Nova Scotia representative at the Canadian Grand Masters in 2006 and 2007.

BILL GUEST - HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA: BUILDER
Bill Guest is a renowned fiddler and pianist who began playing the fiddle at the age of 11. Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Mr. Guest plays numerous instruments, although he is best known for his fiddle and piano stylings. Educator, composer, organizer, and inductee into the North American Fiddlers Hall of Fame, he has released a number of albums, music books, competed and judged at various fiddle contests and has been active as a piano accompanist.

THE MARITIME FIDDLE FESTIVAL - HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA: BUILDER
Since 1950, the Maritime Fiddle Festival has operated as highlight event in the Atlantic Canadian fiddle contest calendar. It was organized through the efforts of what became the St. Thomas More Catholic Church congregation in Dartmouth, and has been a mainstay event in the Canadian fiddle scene. It now operates as its own independent organization.

BUDDY MACMASTER - JUDIQUE, CAPE BRETON, NOVA SCOTIA: LEGEND
Hugh Allan "Buddy" MacMaster was born October 18, 1924 in Timmins, Ontario, to John Duncan MacMaster and Sarah Agnes (MacDonald). There, in a Gaelic speaking home, he was introduced to the sounds of the old music through the lilting (mouth music) of his mother. Although Buddy's father played the fiddle, it is his mother whom Buddy credits with awakening his interest in music and passing it on to him. He is the uncle to Natalie MacMaster, and was active nationally and internationally as a teacher, performer and recording artist. He passed away on August 20, 2014.

NATALIE MACMASTER - TROY, CAPE BRETON ISLAND, NOVA SCOTIA: PERFORMER
Born on June 13, 1972 as the daughter of Alex and Minnie (née Beaton) MacMaster and the sister of Kevin and David MacMaster, Natalie Ann MacMaster is a world renowned fiddler in the Cape Breton tradition from Troy, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. She is the niece of the late renowned Cape Breton fiddler Buddy MacMaster and the cousin of two other fiddlers, Ashley MacIsaac and Andrea Beaton. Married to Donnell Leahy of the Leahy Family, they have seven children and actively perform throughout Canada. She has released 11 albums to date and is a member of both the Order of Nova Scotia and the Order of Canada.

2023 INDUCTEES – NATIONAL LEGENDS

FRANKIE ROGERS - MISSION, BRITISH COLUMBIA (1936-2009): LEGEND
Frankie Rodgers, born in Egremont, Alberta, originally wanted to play the guitar and wasn’t happy when his father gave him a fiddle instead. But at age 12, he saw the late Roy Warhurst (when he was a child) play with a band and changed his mind. He became a highly sought after country backup fiddler, recording artist and fiddle performer, remembering his Ukrainian family roots. He later moved to British Columbia where he performed until his passing in 2009.

KING GANAM - SWIFT CURRENT, SASK./EDMONTON, ALBERTA (1914-1994): LEGEND
King Ganam was a fiddler and composer, born in Swift Current, Sask., of Syrian-English parents, on August 9, 1914, At first, he was taught by old time fiddlers in his hometown, later playing for dances at age nine and on CHWC Radio Regina at age 13. After additional music lessons, he then moved to Edmonton and later to Toronto for various concerts, dances and appearances on local and radio and television. He received the Legend and Legacy Award from the Saskatchewan Country Music Association in 1990.

ANDY DEJARLIS - WINNIPEG, MANITOBA (1914-1975): LEGEND
Andy DeJarlis, one of Manitoba’s best known fiddlers, composers and band leaders, was born September 29, 1914 at Woodridge, Manitoba and named Joseph Patrice Ephreme Desjarlais, the son of Henriette St. Germain and Pierre Desjarlais, both of Metis ancestory. He released 38 albums of music and three music books to national acclaim, won many fiddle contests, received numerous national music awards, appeared on radio and television on both English and French language networks, and performed for shows and dances. He passed away September 18, 1975.

MARCEL MEILLEUR - WINNIPEG, MANITOBA (1930-2007): LEGEND
Best known as musical partner with Andy DeJarlis, Marcel Meilleur was a fiddler and composer. He appeared on radio and television, as well as in concert and live dance, both with DeJarlis and as a soloist. He was an active competitor and judge in fiddle contests throughout Western Canada. He has five solo albums to his credit as well as one music book titled “Red River Echoes.”

WARD ALLEN - KIRKTON, ONTARIO (1922-1965): LEGEND
Best known for his original fiddle tune “Maple Sugar”, Ward Allen was born in Kirkton, near London, Ontario, on May 11, 1924, and passed away in Hull, Quebec on August 3, 1965 at age 43. He began fiddling at age 12, often performing with his brother Lorne, from whom he learned much of his repertoire. After working as a harvester in Manitoba and as a logger in British Columbia, he returned in the late 1940s to Ontario, recording and appearing on radio and television, as well as in concert and dance.

JOSEPH ALLARD – LERY, QUEBEC (1873-1947): LEGEND
Joseph Allard was a Canadian fiddler and composer who released a number of fiddle albums. He occasionally recorded under the pseudonym Maxime Toupin. He was well known and respected as a fiddler throughout Quebec and the New England states. He is also acknowledged as the teacher of future Canadian fiddle legend, Jean Carignan.

DON MESSER – TWEEDSMUIR, NEW BRUNSWICK (1910-1973): LEGEND
A Canadian musical icon, Don Messer and his Islanders were an old-time music group that were the most popular in Canada during the mid-20th century, largely on the basis of its CBC radio and TV series. It was formed in 1939 for CFCY Radio in Charlottetown by fiddler Don (Donald Charles Frederick) Messer (born in Tweedside, near Fredericton, New Brunswick on May 9, 1909, passed away in Halifax, Nova Scotia on March 26, 1973).

CEC MCEACHERN – CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. (1926-2014): LEGEND
Fiddler, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and composer, Cec McEachern is best known for his musical partnership with Don Messer on Canadian radio and television. He also judged the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Competition in 1992.

WINSTON “SCOTTY” FITZGERALD – WHITE POINT, VICTORIA CO., N.S. (1914-1987): LEGEND
Winston "Scotty" Fitzgerald was a Cape Breton fiddler. He was a pioneer in recorded performances of the music, and has heavily influenced the style and repertoire of later generations of fiddlers. He appeared on radio and television throughout Nova Scotia and Canada and released a number of albums.

RUFUS GUINCHARD – DANIEL’S HARBOUR, NEWFOUNDLAND (1899-1990): LEGEND
Fiddler, accordionist and composer, Simon Rufus Guinchard was born in Daniel's Harbour, Nfld. on September 6, 1899, and passed away at Corner Brook, Nfld., 7 Sep 1990. He began playing violin at age 11, holding the bow in the middle, and laying the instrument across his chest and against his right shoulder. He has three albums to his credit and became internationally known as a fiddler after retiring as a fisherman, logger, trapper, seaman, labourer, warden and carpenter.

2022 INDUCTEES

MEL BEDARD – SELKIRK, MANITOBA (1929-2014): LEGEND

Melvin Joseph Clifford (Mel) Bedard was born one of six children in Selkirk, Manitoba in 1929. Mel and his family lived in Selkirk for about five years and moved around before returning there around 1941. His father’s health was not good, so when Mel had to quit school at age 15 in order to work to help support his family.

Mel Bedard started playing guitar at age 14 and started playing fiddle before age 21, when his father acquired an old fiddle. He was active in the Manitoba fiddle contest scene at the same time as Reg Bouvette, Marcel Meilleur, and Alex Carriere. They were known as the four “big guns”. He is known as the first fiddler to record an album with the word “Métis” in the title. Mel Bedard – Métis Fiddler was released on the Sunshine Records label in 1984. The fiddle world lost Mel Bedard on May 19, 2014 at age 85.

ANNE LEDERMAN – TORONTO, ONTARIO: PERFORMER
Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, internationally acclaimed fiddler, singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Anne Lederman, is rooted in several musical traditions, including Métis, French-Canadian, Scottish, Irish, Old Time, Klezmer, Balkan and African.

Anne has worked with such bands as Muddy York, Siyakha, LOKA The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band, and artists such as Harry Hibbs, Don Freed, Holly Cole, Theresa Tova and Garnet Rogers, among others. She has her own band, “Fiddlesong,” and also performs with Njacko Backo and HAWP. She has recorded four CDs of traditional and original material. Anne also composes and writes for theatre. Her original play, “Spirit of the Narrows,” which is about the Metis fiddle tradition, was featured at the Blyth Theatre Festival in 2004 and 2005.

Her Master’s Thesis, “Old Native and Metis Fiddling in Western Manitoba” was originally a double album set of field recordings plus a 20-page book containing notes, interviews, photographs, historical and analytical information. This historic set of recordings has since been re-issued on the Archive Series of the Canadian Museum of Civilization. The recordings date from 1965-1985 and were made in two communities in western Manitoba: Ebb and Flow/Bacon Ridge/Kinosota, and Camperville/Pine Creek. When not touring or performing, she teaches fiddle at the World Music Centre of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.

GARRY LEPINE – PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, MANITOBA: LEGEND
Born in Birtle, Manitoba in 1950 and residing in Portage la Prairie, Garry Lepine was born into a fiddling family. His father, Phillipe Lepine, gave him the family fiddle and encouraged his playing before he turned ten years old. One of Garry’s greatest influences was Manitoba fiddler Reg Bouvette, who was also a close friend. Garry has attended fiddle contests across Western Canada and was a past Manitoba representative at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Competition (1992). He composes his own fiddle tunes, such as “Morrow’s First Change”, and records them to preserve the Metis fiddle style and song tradition. He has passed on this rich musical tradition to his son, Jason, who is an active fiddler and also a past Manitoba representative at the Canadian Grand Masters (1994, 2000, 2001). He can be heard as a featured fiddler on the 2001 CD and music book release, Drops of Brandy and Other Traditional Metis Fiddle Tunes.

LARRY MARTINEAU – WINNIPEG, MANITOBA: BUILDER
Larry Martineau, of Winnipeg, was born on March 10, 1950 and raised in Transcona. His father was a Metis fiddler, as were his grandfathers and great grandfathers on both sides of his family. At age 14, he bought a guitar, became a proficient player and started teaching music. He played guitar in rock bands in high school and realized the “power of music,” one of his favorite teaching tools. 

At age 20, he borrowed a fiddle from his father, travelled in Europe and Africa, and attended university. After university was finished, he sold guitars, repaired fiddles, and later worked as an insurance adjuster before deciding to rely on the fiddle for his livelihood at age 47, opening “Martineau Strings” on St. Anne’s Road in Winnipeg where he taught fiddle, repaired violins, and operated a restaurant with an open stage where people could come to play music or listen. In 1999, Larry became deeply involved in starting the Manitoba Fiddle Association and became its founding president. In 2004, he started a fiddle music program in St. Malo, teaching Grades 5-8. At present, he plays fiddle in rock bands around Winnipeg. His daughter, Jennilee Martineau, carries on the tradition of playing and teaching fiddle. He and Jennilee have competed in fiddle contests throughout Manitoba and Saskatchewan and have attended various fiddle camps as well. Larry’s granddaughter, Cassidy, at age 6, is also playing the fiddle.

In 2019, Mr. Martineau was honoured for these efforts by the Manitoba Fiddling Association with his induction as a member of the Manitoba Fiddling Wall of Fame in Carman, Manitoba.

FRONTIER SCHOOL DIVISION, FEATURING CAMERON BAGGINS & BLAINE KLIPPENSTEIN – SPECIAL CITATION
The Frontier Fiddlers Fiddling Program began in 1994 with a group of students from Cold Lake School, a two-room school in Sherridon, Manitoba. Under the leadership of teacher Blaine Klippenstein, they began performing at various events in their area. Since the time when Cameron Baggins began as an itinerant fiddle teacher for the school division, the program has expanded to all 39 schools within the division, attempting to provide increased musical instruction to the student population, build school and community pride and reintroduce a disappearing musical form. At the time, Superintendent Cam Giavedoni saw and understood the connection of music and culture and found every possible way to support this program to fulfill this educational goal and assist in restoring community cultural traditions.

Today, ten instructors travel throughout the division, travelling more than 175,000 km per year. This fiddle organization enjoys the benefits of partnerships with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, whose members travel to the local communities to perform for, play with and mentor students. The Frontier Fiddlers have performed at the Manitoba Legislature, Government House, West End Cultural Centre and local schools throughout Manitoba.

PATTI KUSTUROK, WINNIPEG, MANITOBA – PERFORMER, TWO TIME RECIPIENT OF THE CANADIAN GRAND MASTERS AWARD OF MERIT (BUILDER) IN 2018 AND 2019
Born in 1970 as the only child of John and Eva Kusturok (nee Baxter), Patti Kusturok is a fiddler, performer, teacher and composer residing in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She performs frequently in addition to teaching at workshops and music camps each summer throughout Canada and the United States, as well as having performed in France and Norway.

Kusturok began lessons at age four with the Suzuki Violin Method. Her parents were older than the other kids’ parents, and therefore the music that surrounded Patti growing up was either fiddling or country music, while the other kids got to listen to Abba and other popular chart-topping singers.  On road trips, it was Don Messer 8-tracks in the car stereo, and at home it was Graham Townsend, Ned Landry, Andy DeJarlis, Al Cherny and Reg Bouvette LPs on the record player. Her fiddling style is described as part Métis and part Quèbecois. After she mastered the fiddle, she started teaching at age sixteen. She has competed at fiddle contests throughout Canada and the United States, becoming the first Western Canadian fiddler and the first woman to win the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Competition in 1994, 1995 and 1996. She has released eighteen albums of her fiddle music since 1981, along with one music book.

In 2015 and 2019, she published 365 videos of herself on YouTube playing a new fiddle tune every day in an event called "Patti Kusturok's 365 Days of Fiddle Tunes.” She posted a new short set of videos in this YouTube series in 2023, completing this set in 2024.

SPECIAL CITATION, 1999 – John Leonard “Len” Grace (1930-2013), Ottawa, Ontario
Founding President of the CGMFA - 1989-1998 - Président fondateur de l’ACGMV

Len Grace, a polio victim from his early childhood, was a dedicated fiddle fan and one who did play fiddle on occasion. He served as the CGMFA’s founding president from 1989-1998. He also served as a fiddle camp coordinator in its first years at both Carleton University and the RCMP Summer Camp near the Long Island Locks at Manotick, Ontario. He was also an organizer of an earlier fiddle contest associated with the Ottawa Winter Fair. One of his favourite fiddlers was the late Ward Allen, and an often requested favourite tune was the C.N.E. Breakdown.

Len Grace, atteint de poliomyélite depuis sa petite enfance, était un amoureux fou du violon et celui qui jouait du violon occasionnellement. Il a servi comme président fondateur de l’ACGMV de 1989-1998. Il a aussi servi comme coordinateur du camp de violon dans ses premières années tant à l'Université Carleton qu'à la Colonie de vacances de la GRC près des écluses de Long Island à Manotick, Ontario. Il était aussi l’organisateur de l’ancien concours de violon associé à la Foire d'Hiver d'Ottawa. Un de ses joueurs de violon favoris était le défunt Ward Allen et une de ses pièces favorite souvent demandée était le C.N.E. Breakdown.

CANADIAN GRAND MASTERS AWARD OF MERIT RECIPIENTS IN REVERSE ORDER

2019 – Provincial Executive Members of the BC Old Time Fiddlers Association (1979-2019)
This team award honoured the first provincial board members of the B.C. Old Time Fiddlers Association (BCOTFA). These individuals served in various board and executive positions over the following periods:

Mike St. Germain – 1979-82, 1983-90
(President, Vice-President)

Bob Montgomery -1979-81 (Vice-President)

Dave Bowman - 1979-83 (Secretary-treasurer)

Bob Gubbe - 1979-81 (Director)

Roy Norman - 1979-83 (Director)

Norm Guenther - 1979-80 (Director)

Bernice Chanasyk - 1979-80 (Director)

Slim Hauser - 1979-81, 1982-89 (Director, President)

Gordon Cratty - 1979-82 (Director)

Frank Hennessey - 1980-87 (Director, Vice-President)

Bill Lemky 1980-86 (Director)

Ed Monk - 1981-83 (Director)

Ed Cox - 1981-82 (Director)

Curly Radcliffe - 1982-83 (Vice-President)

Ada Brown - 1982-2008

(Director, Secretary/Treasurer, Vice-President)

Cecil Sveinson - 1982-84, 1991-93 (Director)

Marvin Haller - 1983-1985 (Director)

Leo Ready - 1983-1984, 1985-1987, 1993-2003, 2007-2011
(Director, Vice-President, President)

John Veer - 1984-86 (Director)

Marj Blair - 1984-88 (Director)

Art Waite - 1985-88 (Director, Vice-President)

Vern Barge - 1985-87 (Director)

Herb Johnson - 1986-89, 1990-93
(Director, Vice-President)

Cy Lovell- 1987-89, 1992-94 (Director)

Marvin Haller -1988-90 (Director)

Phil DeLennheer -1988-92 (Director)

Phyllis Hollingshead - 1988-94 (Director)

Don Ferguson - 1989-91, 1993-97 (Director, Vice-President)

Doris Sexsmith - 1989-93, 1994-96 (Director)

Alma Townsend - 1990-91 (Director)

Ken Boon - 1991-93, 1999-2001, 2003-05, 2007-09
(Director, Vice-President, President)

Gordon Berner - 1992-94 (Vice-President, President)

Ellen Kerr - 1992-93 (Director)
Les Brooking - 1993-99 (Director)
Jean Gelinas - 1994-2002, 2017-19
(Director, Secretary/Treasurer, Vice-President)

Cary Grigg - 1994-96, 2002-06 (Director)

Stan Ryder - 1994-96 (Director)

Keith Wilson - 1995-2004 (Director)

Anita Mamela - 1995-99 (Director)

Bill Marks - 1996-98 (Director)

Sandra Flavel 1996-98 (Director)

Joy Kryklywyj - 1997-99 (Director)

Don Olds - 1998-2000, 2003-08
(Director, Vice-President)

Phil Brown - 1998-2000 (Director)

Carl Anderson - 1999-2003 (Director)

Sarah Beck -1999-2003 (Director)

John Tribe - 2000-04, 2006-16, 2018-19
(Vice-President, President)

Conny Stamhuis - 2000-05
(Director, Secretary/Treasurer)

Shamma Sabir - 2001-03 (Youth Director)

Donna Randall - 2003-08, 2009-10 (Director)

Jenny Bakken - 2004-07 (Director)

Leslie Wilson - 2004-09 (Director)

Craig Freeman - 2005-07, 2009-19
(Director, Vice-President, President)

Florence Tellier - 2008-11, 2015-19 (Secretary/Treasurer)

Patti Kusturok - 2009-10 (Director)

Dawn Fauteaux - 2009-11 (Director)

Vic Ukrainetz - 2009-15 (Director)

John Broderick - 2010-11 (Director)

Cindy Budd -2010-12 (Director)

Philippa Parker - 2011-14 (Secretary/Treasurer)

Vivienne Chin - 2011-14 (Director, Vice-President)

Mark Sullivan - 2011-17 (Director)

Mike Sanyshyn - 2011-12 (Director)

Dale McGregor - 2012-15 (Director)

Hal Giles - 2012-16 (Director)

Jackie Davis - 2012-present (per 2019)
(Secretary/Treasurer, President)

Barry Nakahara - 2014-present (Vice-President)

Doug Borden - 2014-16 (Director)

Ken Emory - 2015-17 (Director)

Daniel Lapp - 2016-18 (Director)

Pauline Curtis - 2016-18 (Director)

Clark Hiles - 2017-19 (Director)

Irene McAvena - 2017-19 (Director)

Karin Omit - 2018-19 (Director)

2018 – The Ottawa Valley Builders

This team award honoured the founding board members of the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Association who resided in the Ottawa Valley region who began the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship and related fiddle programs in Nepean/Ottawa, Ontario from 1990-2018. These individuals from the Ottawa Valley have served in various positions with the CGMFA Board of Directors since the beginnings of the CGMFC:

Len Grace, Founding President (1989-98)

Don Fraser, V.P. & City of Nepean Employee
Ben Franklin, Mayor of The City of Nepean, ON

Bob Sally - Founding Vice-President

Lorraine Cole - Founding Secretary

Ed Rowan - Founding Treasurer

Ron Golden

Denis Poirier

Fern Langchamps

Paul Doxtaler

Charlotte Doxtaler

Paul Warman

Irv Williams

Bruce Murray

Bruce Cummings, 2nd Pres. of the CGM (1999-2004)
George “Bud” Cummings
Donna Cummings
Roma MacMillan
John George "Gerry" Pizzariello
George Tessier
Mel McDougall
Dennis Harrington
Ervin White
Loretta Fitzpatrick
Marg Cote
Louis Schryer
Alton Craig
Bruce Armitage
Bruce Wilson
Patti Kusturok
Brian Hebert
Todd Thompson
Al Mazur - 3rd Pres. of the CGM (2004-2008)
Peer Norgaard - 4th Pres. of the CGM (2008-2010)

Joel Lamoureux

Greg Dahms

Grace Kelly

Ian Hamilton

Judy Kavanaugh

Stan Kereliuk

Ian Hamilton

Jason Deschamps

Reg MacIntyre

Bill Kereluk

Rick Wedge

Bonita Leblanc - 5th Pres. of the CGM (2010-2012)

Lois Siegel

Ron Bourque - 6th Pres. of the CGM (2012-2015)

Randy Foster

Mary Lynn Wood

John Miller

Jim Hunter

Geoff Horrocks

Bob Daly

Graham Sheppard - 7th Pres. of the CGM (2015-2018)

Denise MacCaull

Helena Guzman

Kristin Gregzorek

Graham Crate

Sandy Scheieman

Vic Garbutt

Aylene Gracie

The following Ottawa and area old time music clubs also supported the beginning and the continuation of the Canadian Grand Masters and are thereby included as recipients:

Nepean & District Old Tyme Music Association

Rideau & District Old Tyme Music Association

North Gower Old Tyme Music Association
Ottawa Traditional Folk Art Society

Osgoode Fiddle Club

Renfrew County Fiddlers

Ottawa Fiddle Ensemble

Barrhaven Fiddleheads

Les violons du fete (Gatineau, Quebec)

CANADIAN GRAND MASTERS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS IN REVERSE ORDER

2019 – Daniel Lapp – Daniel Lapp is a past B.C. fiddle champion, an active composer of fiddle tunes, a talented trumpet player and responsible for the B.C. fiddle music archive. He is also an active fiddle teacher in the Victoria area and works for the Victoria Conservatory of Music. He is the first B.C. fiddler to receive this award and also received the CGM Award of Merit as a member of the Provincial Executives of the BCOTFA from 1979-2019.

2018 – Scott Woods – Two time CGM champion, past champion fiddler at Shelburne and an active touring musician with The Scott Woods Show and Memories of a Don Messer Jubliee. Scott also operates his own recording studio and released many albums.

2017 – Yvon Cuillerier – A veteran Quebec fiddler who placed in many contest finals, judged the CGM, appeared in many Quebec TV productions, composed many fiddle tunes and has released many albums and music books.

2016 - Roy Warhurst – A country music fiddler who appeared with Sons of the Pioneers and was a musical director for many country bands in Alberta. He also composed fiddle tunes of his own.

2015 - Winnie Chafe - A well known fiddle educator and Cape Breton fiddler from Nova Scotia. She holds achievements of distinction in the fiddle community going back to the 1960s and is the first Cape Breton fiddler to receive induction.

2014 - Denis Lanctot - An Ontario master of the French Canadian fiddle style, especially from the repertoire of Jean Carignan, an Ottawa area fiddle and piano accompaniment teacher, and a highly respected piano accompanist for fiddlers. Louis Schryer presented him for this award.

2013 - Alfie Myhre - A top Alberta fiddle contest player, respected judge and music store owner. One of the first judges of the Canadian Grand Masters in 1990. Calvin Vollrath presented him for this award in Saskatoon.

2012 - Louis Schryer - A well known fiddler, fiddle contest judge originally from Ontario, part of the famous Schryer Triplets (Louis, Pierre and Dan) and the first four time winner of the CGM.

2010 Peter Dawson - A well known fiddler, composer and former music store owner in the Ottawa area. Also performed as a staff fiddler for a radio station in West Virginia doing backup fiddle for various bluegrass and country singers.

2009 - Gordon Stobbe - A well known fiddler, composer and promoter of old time fiddle music in Nova Scotia. He was also the host of the Atlantic Television TV show "Up Home Tonight." He is the first Nova Scotia fiddler to receive this award.

2007 - Ivan Hicks - A well known fiddler, composer, organizer and promoter of old time fiddle music in New Brunswick and the Maritime provinces. He was on the original judging panel in 1990 when the CGM started.

2006 - Brian Hebert - A well known fiddler, composer, fiddle judge andeducator from Pembroke, Ontario. He has judged the CGM in the past.

2005 - Calvin Vollrath - Internationally known fiddler, contest judge, composer, teacher, recording engineer, rhythm guitarist and producer. Has toured over Canada, the U.S. and Europe as a solo artist and as a backup fiddler for various country music acts such as Hank Smith and George Fox. (Patti Kusturok presented him for this award on stage.) He is the first Alberta fiddler to receive this award.

2004 - Webb Acheson - Well known Ontario fiddler, composer of many fiddle tunes and active as a teacher and judge.

2003 - John Arcand - Canada's most decorated fiddler and a promoter of Metis fiddle music from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Active as a fiddlemaker, composer, performer and fiddle teacher. The first Métis, Saskatchewan and Western Canadian fiddler to ever receive this award.

2002 - Conrad Pelletier - One of the first contest judges in the CGM in 1990 and active with L'AQLF, Quebec's traditional fiddle and folk music organization. The first Quebec fiddler to receive this award.

2001 - Bruce Wilson - A fiddler from the Ottawa area who has taught, composed and competed in Ontario contests through the years. Also a past CGM board member.

1998 - Graham Townsend - Former Shelburne winner, composer, touring fiddler and recording artist who was featured on occasion by Don Messer on radio and television.

1996 - Ned Landry - Former Shelburne winner, composer, country vocalist and recording artist. The first New Brunswick fiddler to receive this award.

1993 - Bob Ranger - Legendary Ontario fiddler and known as a step dance fiddler for many Ontario contests.

1991 - Roma McMillan - One of the founding board members of the CGM from Ottawa, Ontario. The first Ontario fiddler and the first ever recipient of this national award.