Bowing Down Home Oral History Transcripts

File: webstercarlandjackie06-oh-jackwebster_M.mp3

Speakers

JW – Jackie Webster

CW – Carl Webster

MQ – Merlin Quinn

KP – Curator Ken Perlman

KP: One of you mentioned that that Jack Webster only played with three fingers.

JW: He got this finger

webstercarlandjackie-oh-jackwebster_M.mp3

Speakers:

CW – Carl Webster

JW – Jackie Webster

KP – Curator Ken Perlman

CW: When people would come to the house. When people'd come in. Dad would always play the fiddle for them, day and night. If someone come along in the

File: cranerobert06-oh-fiddlerspay_M.mp3

Speakers:

RC – Robert Crane

RC: I played with my Dad for a lot of weddings. Oh, the old fashioned weddings was great. One weddin' him and I played when I was only young. And he was rakin' hay with the old horse and rake, and I was kylin' hay in

File: johnstoneroy06-oh-futureofmusic_M.mp3

Speakers:

RJ – Roy Johnstone

RJ: In terms of where the music's going, I think there's gonna be a strong continuation of playing the tunes that are part of the repertoire here. And the players are gonna get better and better

File: macdonaldfaber-oh-fiddlecontests_M.mp3

Speakers:

FM – Rev. Faber MacDonald

FM You could get the sense that there were some very, very deep feelings about what had happened among fiddlers over the years as a result of them being engaged in competitions. I picked up

File: huestislowell06-oh-huestisorchestra.mp3

Speakers:

LH – Lowell Huestis

KP – Curator Ken Perlman

LH - We had the band and when we went to play they would want old time music, see, so we had to get the fiddler to come along with us.

KP – Oh

File: macdonaldpaul-oh-irishrolls_M.mp3

Speakers:

PM – Paul MacDonald

KP – Curator Ken Perlman

KP: What are some of the others?

PM: One that's slowly moving its way into Scottish fiddle music which has been prevalent in Irish music is the roll. And that's

File: arsenaultpeter06-oh-gettingstarted_M.mp3

Speakers-

PA: Peter Arsenault

KP: Curator Ken Perlman

KP: Tell me how you came to take up the instrument.

PA: One night we were on a thing called Sea Sail, we were in in New York City. Well Dad [Eddy

File: johnstoneroy06-oh-hisinfluence_M.mp3

Speakers:

RJ – Roy Johnstone

KP – Curator Ken Perlman

KP: What affect do you think [your approach] has had on the younger players?

RJ: I wouldn't really think personally I've had a big influence. It's

File: bergeronhelene06-oh-barachoisfounding_M.mp3

HB: Albert, my brother and myself had decided one year that we wanted to write a dinner theater, which is a local comedy musical production given every summer, mostly for tourists. We auditioned some local people for it. We knew we wanted Louise who is a local

File: arsenaultrobert-oh-familyencouragement_M.mp3

Speakers:

RA – Robert Arsenault

KP – Curator Ken Perlman

RA: The type of encouragement there is now from parents -- to give their kids everything and to become super-achievers is a nonexistent thing in Acadian

File: gotellhugh-oh-gettingstarted_quitting_M.mp3

Speaker:

HG – Hugh Gotell

KP: Curator Ken Perlman

HG: Well my dad played, the violin. He played at, we used to have concerts, once a year there, St. Patrick's concerts: 17th of March. And they had a little

File: chappellella06-oh-womensinsitute_M.mp3

Speakers:

EC – Ella Thomson Chappell

KP – Curator Ken Perlman

EC: There was the Women's Institute. Well you see, the men had to take them in the winter time.

KP: Tell me a little bit about the women's Institute

File: cheverieomar06-oh-gettingstarted_M.mp3

Speakers:

OC – Omar Cheverie

KP: At what age did you take up the fiddle?

OC: About 11. I tried the fiddle before that but my arm was a little too short to reach the neck. They wouldn't let me play it, you better wait

File: mellishreg06-oh-dancenotallowed_gettingstarted_M.mp3

Speakers:

RM – Reg Mellish

KP – Curator Ken Perlman

KP: Was there music in your house?

RM: No.

KP: Was there music in your community?

RM: Not much, not at that