Graham Townsend - Bully of the Town & Clarinet Polka

[@Jm01394]

Graham sounds to be the best all time fiddler!!!

[@morrismarshall1575]

Graham Townsend is still my favorite fiddle player.. I learned a lot about fiddling from him.

[@sawmilljim01]

My Dad, he was called. the "Mandolin King" anf played such ol' favs such as the above by Graham Townsend and his wife Elaenor. and Don Messer. Grahanm Townsend will forever edge my memory. From my Dad to me, he was and still is one of my greatest, cherished and most priceless memories and will continue onward until my death.

[@rosshazlewood6981]

when I was young and foolish and running from bar to bar I remember graham playing at the country fair tavern in london ontario in the seventies he could sure make that violn talk

[@codnostaw]

A genius on this planet or any other !!!!!

[@sawmilljim01]

Clarinet Polka as I had remembered it from my Dad on his mandolin. This is played very well by one of the best fiddle players, equal to the New Brunswick Lumberjack Don Messer, Scotty Fitzgerald and so many others. Graham Townsend is one of my household names for most of my life. Love this tune.

[@Burfordfiddler1962]

Some people always find a way to use their narrow minded pointy noses to undermine those who are successful. There are alot of extremely talented individuels out on the streets right now who can't afford to put their talent out into the world. Graham was genuine to the bone and you have to give him credit for getting to where he was (still is) musically in the market as it was (still is) and being Canadian...He did pretty damn good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Burfordfiddler1962]

This is one of my faves!! Just love these videos, I go on a time travel each time back to those days..Thanks!

[@johntait491]

Absolutely stunning playing.

[@lizacreek]

Glad you liked the tunes James. He was my biggest influence as I was struggling with learning the fiddle. The memories of playing tunes with him I'll cherish forever also.

[@Burfordfiddler1962]

I dare anyone on here to despute the following: "He was a true showman and a master musician"

[@99sco]

For any generation.

[@sophiarozaia3419]

when u play for many many years as he would have, the songs come from the heart or memory and you hear them on different octaves allowing you to play them in any order ( string higher or lower) giving more variation to the song or more so making it ones own! the clarinet polka is a harder song plaeyed also by vivian williams which graham plays in his own variation

[@yamahale]

He was the only Canadian my father couldnt beat in Shelburne!

[@bobsink8186]

An excellent fiddle player .I sorta sounded that good untill i picked up the fiddle.

[@davemcknight6509]

I played bass for graham and started a biography, 3 interview tapes if anyone is interested

[@johntait491]

Superb musicianship..!! ;-) Seven (7) eedjits don't think so..!! ;-(

[@Garr1984]

@superioitywins I don't know if that is true, but I do know several of the recording companies he recorded for were known for ripping off the artists who recorded for them. Not paying royalties, manipulating the bookwork to make it look like the artists owed the record company money, and the like. So that could have been a source of financial woes, making all those records and never being paid a dime for it. I do know that when Graham Jr. was young, Graham had a day job @ a bottling plant.

[@nozecone]

As far as I can tell, ALL recording companies are "known for ripping off the artists who record[] for them" ... !

[@99sco]

what do you have against graham towndend prob one of the greatest fiddlers of all time.

[@bobcon95]

Anyone know where he was from....where he grew up?

[@carolcripps9056]

bobcon95 Don't know where he was really from, but he pronounced Toronto like a native.(Trawna)

[@etozorak58]

I understand he was born in Buckingham, Quebec which is near Ottawa. Did get to play on tour in Scotland with this Canadian giant.

[@nozecone]

Wiki gives the contradictory info. that he was born and lived in Toronto until age 14 - but: "he grew up in Buckingham, Quebec". Make of that what you will.