2018

 

THÉRÈSE ALBERT - Thérèse was born in 1926 and lives in Bertrand, NB. From her earliest years, she had a special taste for music and very soon developed a passion for fiddle. At an early age, she was playing secretly because at the time her father, a fiddler, forbade her to touch his fiddle since it represented a means of making a living for the family. Later when she played in front of her father, he was amazed. She grew up with a family of musicians and she learned to share her passion for the music.  She played mandolin and guitar with her father, brothers and sister. But it was thirty years later that she became known, after years spent taking care of her children.

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She represents one of the first women fiddlers which was by far the prerogative of men.  In 1978, a family friend persuaded her to enter a fiddle contest; she was the only woman to take part in that event. To her great surprise she won first place. She continued to participate in different NB contests in Campbellton, Miramichi, Chatham, Bathurst, Lameque, St. Isidore, Beresford and Caraquet.

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During the years since, she has performed for many shows and events like: The Festival de la tradition in Bertrand, for the movie Les Héritiers du club with ONF, at the festival La Virée in Carleton, in Rustico for the Country Festival, she participated for many years at the Acadian Village, for Radio-Canada C’est ça la vie and many more.

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She symbolizes the musicians of an era when the fiddle had a place of honour, for her own music, her musical qualities and that passion she has always had during those years. This 92 year old has a skin-deep sensibility that shows through her fiddle playing and she always adds personal notes which reflect a very developed musical ear.

 

Issue d'une famille de musiciens, la famille Landry, Thérèse a su transmettre sa passion pour la musique.

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Au cours des années, elle a joué pour la Bastringue (Village Historique acadien), au festival de la Tradition(Bertrand), la Virée (Carleton), Maison de la culture chrétienne (Caraquet), pour la société du Parkinson (Rimouski), lors du congrès mondial 2009, pour des soupers spectacles chez Ti-Toine ( Village Historique  Acadien) et bien d'autres.

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Elle passera aux émissions et film:  Les Héritiers du club > filmé à Ste-Anne-du-Bocage et passé à Radio-Canada; C'est ça la vie> avec Anne Godin, de Radio-Canada; Les petites vues de chez-nous> de Rogers; Antique Hunter show Toronto; Concours de violoneux; Village Historique acadien; Par chez-nous> de Rogers.

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Conclusion: C'est la seule dame de la région de Caraquet et des régions avoisinantes, dans les <années 74>, qui a participé à des concours de violoneux à travers la Province du Nouveau-Brunswick. Elle remporta d'ailleurs à maintes reprises la première position.

Avec ses 2 CD qu'elle a produit, elle vous communique ce qui l'anime: la passion de la musique tant du passé que du présent.

YouTube: Thérèse Albert au violon

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SAM AUCOIN  - Sam was born in Stephenville, Newfoundland in 1961 and lives in Saint John.  He started to play the steel guitar in 1980.  In 1993 he was the opening act at the Convention Center, Saint John for Waylon Jennings and Jessie Colter.  He has backed up Dick Curless with a band consisting of Marc Durelle and Randy Russell – Hall of Fame Members-- and Charley Kingsley.  He has also opened for inducted NBCM Hall of Fame Member, Joan Kennedy and as well Chris Cummings.  Sam did a showcase at the East Coast Music Awards in PEI with J. R. Vautour. 

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Sam has 15 CD’s of his own steel music as well as 60 CD’s with various artists and is presently working with Reg Gallant and Yesterday’s Wine.  He credits Hall Member, Fran Rooney, with teaching him everything he knows, along with many other artists too numerous to mention.  In 2010, 2014 and 2015, Sam won Instrumentalist of the Year at the Saint John Music Awards.  He also played, mostly country music and some rock and roll, with Jed Pye and sidekick for fourteen years.

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He also credits, Hall Member, Gary Morris, for being a great help to him throughout his career in music. Hall Member, Reg Gallant says, “you would be hard pressed to find a musician who doesn’t know who Sam Aucoin is in this province and who hasn’t worked with him at some time. There is a hardly a week when Sam isn’t appearing in a concert on stage somewhere in New Brunswick.

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A natural talent, Sam plays as much by ear and instinct as he does by instruction and by a teacher’s direct comment. He is a working musician who has dedicated his life to the playing, studying and practice of music and has made music his life’s work not just a hope.

 

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DONALD BERTIN -  Donald was born in Beresford, NB on March 22, 1947 and died at 69 years of age in 2016.  He was gifted musically, talented and self-taught.  He quickly came to the realization at a very young age that if he really listened to a tune once, file it away in his mind he could then play it from memory on almost any instrument. An amazing feat.  Because of this gift, guitar quickly became his passion and he came to know many famous people during a long career as a much-in demand instrumentalist. Donald also had the pleasure of meeting Chet Atkins and Leona Boyd.

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That included a tight circle of musical friends.  Distinguished New Brunswick Country Music Hall of Fame Member, Derek Knowles, knew Donald most of his life, encouraged him in his playing and played in a band with him for 15 years. There were many others connected to him by this same tie.  Because of his superb abilities, he soon could play mandolin, banjo and fiddle as well. Over the years, being completely bilingual, he played much of the time in Quebec as well as in NB.

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Not only did he take part in many charitable events and fundraisers for his community, he was a long-time member of the band, Country Roads which won the New Brunswick Country Music Fest, 1979 in St. Antoine, NB.  Donald also released a highly praised instrumental album—Memorial/ Memories 01 by which he will be long remembered among instrumentalists and lovers of fine country music.

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Donald has been greatly missed in the two years since his death by his family, but his wide circle of friends and fans thank him for his contribution to the music of his preference in this province and in Quebec.

 

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JEANNIE CLARK - Jeannie born in 1947 in Chipman, New Brunswick.  She showed signs of becoming an exciting vocalist in choirs while still a very young age, while living in that township. She is both a country vocalist and a stand-up comedian with great talent, who has lived in Sussex since 1970. Jeannie first performed with the Country Traveller Band, then went on to perform with many other groups such as Whiskey River, recorded a long play record, “People’s Roses”, when with Morning Light, a group which she helped form, then joined the Country Blues Band.

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During her time performing with groups she recorded two solo 45 rpm single records which received significant airplay in Southern New Brunswick.  The song “Long Enough” was released and received airplay that was reserved for major artists on major labels!,  In 1988, she was invited  by Gary Morris to join the Valley Jamboree as back-up singer and became a regular on the show where she introduced her other side...comedy...with a skit “Airline Fiasco” which developed as Eunice P. Doolittle that endeared her to all audiences.

 

During those Jamboree years she had a continuous comedy routine happening almost monthly with another member of the cast, a 1993 NBCMHF inductee, Pat Patterson that kept the audience in stitches.  Jeannie and her alter-egos are still very much a part of the Valley Jamborees, and the audiences always look forward to her routine with much laughter.  She has been on two more CD’s, The Valley Jamboree and Sussex Community Christmas and is still a star on the Valley Jamboree.

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Jeannie is also a sought-after performer for any of the shows that are in need and is always the first to offer assistance.  She has spent her entire adult life giving back to her community through music and is a worthy ambassador for country music.  She and her late husband have been very much a part of the residential neighbourhood in which they lived.

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ALYSA COLLINS - Alysa is from Stonehaven, part of a small fishing and farming community known as “Downshore” bordering the Bay of Chaleur.  She grew up listening to the country cassette collection of her parents.  She enjoyed piano lessons and was part of various choirs as a young girl, it became apparent she was passionate about music, and had a special love for singing.

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During her childhood and teenage years, Alysa entertained at various school, charitable, church, and community events in the Bathurst area as a soloist performing genres: like rock, gospel, jazz and country. As a young adult, she dabbled in guitar between studying for classes at UNB Fredericton, while continuing to sing during the school year in Fredericton and during the summers in Bathurst where she was crowned Bathurst Hospitality Idol in 2004.

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She returned home after graduation to pursue a career as a teacher becoming involved in Bathurst High School music department as a choir, drama and musical theater director. Her passion for music did not waiver despite responsibilities of a career and growing family.  Alysa was invited to join a popular ladies’ ensemble, began singing as a featured vocalist with community jazz band and continued to sing anytime the opportunity arose.  Momentum increased for Alysa when, by chance, she paired with Hall of Fame inductee, Derek Knowles.  With his support and mentorship, she began to be featured as a vocalist for a group of talented classic country musicians known as the The Down East Boys.  She has appeared with members of that band at many concerts and on past and current local Rogers television shows like the Miramichi Opry, Musifusion and Derek’s Country Classics.

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Alysa wants to “pay it forward” by performing, but also supporting and mentoring others as a way to honor the many family members, friends, mentors, musicians, and colleagues who have supported her.