Fred Eaglesmith
Fred Eaglesmith at the Roots of Heaven festival at Patronaat in Haarlem, the Netherlands (2006)
Fred Eaglesmith at the Roots of Heaven festival at Patronaat in Haarlem, the Netherlands (2006)
Background information
Birth nameFrederick John Elgersma
Born (1957-07-09) July 9, 1957 (age 67)
OriginCaistor Centre, Ontario, Canada
GenresAlternative country
Occupation(s)singer-songwriter
Years active1980–present
LabelsA Major Label, Lonesome Day
Websitewww.fredeaglesmith.com

Frederick John Elgersma (born July 9, 1957), known by the stage name Fred Eaglesmith, is a Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter.[1] He is known for writing songs about vehicles, rural life, down-and-out characters, lost love and quirky rural folk. His songwriting uses techniques of short story writing, including unreliable narrators, surprise endings, and plot twists. In 2016, Eaglesmith toured extensively with his band.[2]

Early life

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Eaglesmith, one of nine children, was raised by a farming family near Guelph in rural Southern Ontario.[3] He began playing the guitar at age 12.[4]

Career

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As a teenager Eaglesmith hopped a freight train to Western Canada and began writing songs and performing.

Eaglesmith founded a band known as the Smokin' Losers. He later formed a group called as both the Flying Squirrels[5] and the Flathead Noodlers, switching the name to represent different styles of music. The Flathead Noodlers play bluegrass, while the Flying Squirrels play more folk and rock. His first self-titled album was released in 1980.[6]

Eaglesmith appeared in a 2001 television movie, The Gift.

A typical Fred Eaglesmith show includes his music set between several lengthy between-song comic monologues by Eaglesmith. Topics in the past have included stories about crossing the U.S.–Canada border, Newfoundlanders, and some friends from an Indian reserve. His fans are known as "Fredheads", a nod to deadheads, who followed the Grateful Dead. He is known to tour extensively throughout Canada and the U.S.

When Eaglesmith appears in solo performances, he bills himself as Fred J. Eaglesmith. In addition to his own albums, he frequently collaborated with the late Willie P. Bennett, a former member of Eaglesmith's band, who stepped down after a heart attack in early 2007.[7] Eaglesmith publishes his own records.

In 2010, Eaglesmith was featured on the Late Show with David Letterman as the musical guest. He performed "Careless" from the album Cha Cha Cha.

Starting 2012, performances were billed as the Fred Eaglesmith Travelling Steam Show and include opening songs performed by Bill Poss, The Ginn Sisters, and Tif Ginn.[8]

Fred co-wrote Tif's self-titled 2012 album with her, and the pair married in 2014. The backing band was disbanded in 2016 and they have been touring together as a duo since.[9][10]

Eaglesmith's songs have been included in the musical play, Dear Johnny Deere.[11] The play was performed at the Charlottetown Festival in 2013.[12] Tif co-produced and mixed Fred's 2017 album, Standard.[13]

Band members

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Eaglesmith’s backing musicians often use band names which have included: The Flying Squirrels, The Smoking Losers (who also performed in a bluegrass formation known as The Flathead Noodlers), and The Fred Eaglesmith Travelling Steam Show. He retired the band in 2016 and toured as a duo with Tif Ginn until March 2020.[10][9] Since the pandemic the pair have performed select, curated concerts with their new rhythm section The Tribute Band. In 2023, Fred and Tif co-wrote and self-produced a holiday record entitled ‘A Christmas Card’ with Costa Chatzis on drums and percussion, Andy Dmytryshyn on electric bass and guitars, Tim Elgersma on keyboards, and more.

Current members

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Former members

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Discography

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Albums

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Singles

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Other appearances

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Filmography

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Music videos

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Year Video Director
1998 105[18] Steven Goldmann
1999 Rodeo Boy
2007 Thinkin' 'bout You[19] Michael Salomon
2010 I Would Roger Maunder
2013 Johnny Cash

References

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  1. ^ Here Publishing (March 29, 2005). "The Advocate". The Advocate the National Gay & Lesbian Newsmagazine. Here Publishing: 65–. ISSN 0001-8996.
  2. ^ " Fred Eaglesmith Explains His Creative Push Forward with 'Tambourine'". Exclaim!, By Kerry Doole, January 29, 2014
  3. ^ a b CMJ Network, Inc. (July 1999). CMJ New Music Monthly. CMJ Network, Inc. pp. 47–. ISSN 1074-6978.
  4. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. November 1, 1997. pp. 10–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  5. ^ No Depression. No Depression. 2001. p. 121.
  6. ^ "Fred Eaglesmith rocks the Empire". Dakota Student, October 4, 2016
  7. ^ Ray Robertson (March 21, 2016). Lives of the Poets (with Guitars): Thirteen Outsiders Who Changed Modern Music. Biblioasis. pp. 176–. ISBN 978-1-77196-073-1.
  8. ^ "Fred Eaglesmith performed in concert in Kamsack". Kamsack Times, October 31, 2016
  9. ^ a b "Fred Eaglesmith has found his musical love in Tif Ginn". Kawarthanow.com. March 30, 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Fred Eaglesmith is just kickin' life around - Chicago Tribune". Chicago Tribune. March 2, 2017.
  11. ^ "Fred in your head: Eaglesmith musical illuminates rural life". Cam Fuller, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, September 15, 2016
  12. ^ a b c d "New Fred Eaglesmith album worth the wait". The Guardian, January 11, 2014
  13. ^ "Fred Eaglesmith – Standard (2017, CD) - Discogs". Discogs.
  14. ^ a b "Fred Eaglesmith – 50-Odd Dollars". No Depression, June 30, 1999
  15. ^ Jason Schneider (December 15, 2010). Whispering Pines: The Northern Roots of American Music... from Hank Snow to the Band. ECW Press. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-1-55490-552-2.
  16. ^ Mois Benarroch (July 14, 2008). The Modern Troubadour – Music Reviews of Singer Songwriters. Lulu.com. pp. 44–. ISBN 978-1-4092-1059-7.
  17. ^ Steve Horowitz, "‘Alive’ Showcases the Two Sides of Fred Eaglesmith and Tif Ginn". PopMatters, November 12, 2020.
  18. ^ "CMT : Videos : Fred Eaglesmith : 105". Country Music Television. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
  19. ^ "CMT : Videos : Fred Eaglesmith : Thinkin' 'Bout You (from the CMT film Broken Bridges)". Country Music Television. Archived from the original on August 6, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
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