Fred Eaglesmith

by Jason AnkenyCountry-folk singer/songwriter Fred J. Eaglesmith was one of nine children born to a farming family in rural southern Ontario. Often employing his difficult upbringing as raw material for his heartland narratives, he issued his self-titled debut LP in 1980. He recorded infrequently throughout the remainder of the decade, releasing only two more albums, The Boy That Just Went Wrong and Indiana Road. However, Eaglesmith gradually became an underground favorite in his native Canada, thanks largely to a relentless touring schedule in tandem with bassist Ralph Schipper and mandolinist Willie P. Bennett. In 1991, he released the double live collection There Aint No Easy Road, followed two years later by Things Is Changin. Another live set, Paradise Motel, appeared in 1994, and in 1995 Eaglesmith returned with Drive-In Movie. 1999 saw the release of 50-Odd Dollars. The double-disc Ralphs Last Show was issued in spring 2001, followed by Falling Stars and Broken Hearts in 2002, Dusty in 2004, and Millys Cafe in 2006.