Fred Eaglesmith

Frederick John Elgersma (born July 9, 1957), known by the stage name Fred Eaglesmith, is a Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter. 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.

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

Career

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 both the Flying Squirrels 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.

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. 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.

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.

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

Band members

Initially a solo performer, Eaglesmith started performing as a trio with bass player Ralph Schipper and mandolin & harmonica player Willie P. Bennett around the time of his 1987 album Indiana Road. This group grew to a quartet with the addition of Washboard Hank on percussion and dobro. The group continued to evolve and change, using different names, including The Flying Squirrels, The Smoking Losers, 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. Ralph Schipper – bass, vocals Justine Fischer – bass Darcy Yates – bass, vocals Luke Stackhouse – bass, vocals Skip Wamsteeker – drums Jude Waldman – drums Kevin Komatsu – drums Kori Heppner – drums John P. Allen – fiddle Craig Bignell – banjo, vocals, percussion Roger Marin, Jr. – pedal steel, guitar, vocals Dan Walsh – dobro, guitar, vocals Matty Simpson – guitar, banjo, vocals Mike Zinger – mandolin, banjo Brit Ginn – vocals, flute Tim Elgersma - keyboards Chris Altmann - pedal steel, banjo Liam Brown - electric bass Andy Dmytryshyn - electric bass, guitars, vocals

Discography

Albums Fred J. Eaglesmith (1980) as Fred J. Eaglesmith The Boy That Just Went Wrong (1983) as Fred J. Eaglesmith Indiana Road (1987) as Fred J. Eaglesmith There Ain't No Easy Road (1992) as Fred J. Eaglesmith & The Flying Squirrels Things Is Changin (1993) as Fred J. Eaglesmith & The Flying Squirrels From The Paradise Motel (1994) as Fred J. Eaglesmith & The Flying Squirrels Drive-In Movie (1996) Lipstick, Lies and Gasoline (1997) 50 Odd Dollars (1999) as Fred Eaglesmith & The Flying Squirrels Falling Stars and Broken Hearts (2002) The Official Bootleg Series Volume 1: Live Solo 2002 (2002) as Fred J. Eaglesmith Balin (2003) as Fred Eaglesmith & The Flathead Noodlers The Official Bootleg Series Volume 2: The Fred Eaglesmith Texas Weekend 2004 (2004) as Fred J. Eaglesmith Dusty (2004) Milly's Cafe (2006) Tinderbox (2008) Cha Cha Cha (2010) A Christmas Card (2023)

Singles Take It All Away / Caroline (1987) as Fred J. Eaglesmith; from Indiana Road Wooden Wheels in Hagersville (1990) as Fred J. Eaglesmith & The Flying Squirrels; single-only release Watertown (2017) from Standard

Other appearances Lucille (live), Live at the Iron Horse Vol. 1 (1997) White Trash (live in studio), WNCW 88.7 – Crowd Around The Mic Volume 2 (1998) Seven Shells (live in studio), Gzowski in Compilation (1999) Little Buffalo (live in studio), KNON 89.3 FM: Texas Renegade Radio Vol.2 – Live In The Studio (2000) Hallelujah, Go Tell It On The Mountain, CMT Christmas (2001) Freight Train (live), Fish Out Of Water 3: Out Of The Fire - Into The Air (2003) I Like Trains (live), Dawson City Music Festival 50.30 – A CBC Compilation (2008) Arthur Dale's Statement, Miners' Angel - A Tribute To Mother Jones (2015)

Filmography There Ain't No Easy Road (2005) Documentary DVD Pickin' In The Pines: Live At The 2005 Great Northern Picnic (2006) Concert DVD, as Fred Eaglesmith And The Flying Squirrels Live Below Sea Level (2007) Concert DVD recorded live with band in 2006 The Small Beers Tour (2009) Concert DVD recorded live solo in 2005 The Fred Eaglesmith Traveling Steam Show (2015) DVD including both concert and documentary footage

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