Wade Hemsworth

---

"I was born and raised in Brantford, Ontario, a small city nestled some forty miles north of Lake Erie in the western portion of what was once called Upper Canada. Sweet and simple old airs such as Go Tell Aunt Mary / Susie / Rhodie or Turkey in The Straw were a natural heritage. The only French song we knew was Alouette. It was not until the coming of World War II when I was shifted from home ground to war stations in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia that I first heard true, homegrown folksongs in modes and patterns which I had not known, and, of course, there was la chanson canadienne which I heard from my French speaking comrades. It was an enlightening time and I stress it here because, since then, traditional folk forms have been an ever-abiding source of interest and motive. But, of much more import, has been the ongoing interplay of musical lore and support that I have had with friends and co-musicians."

—Wade Hemsworth, from the CD jacket, The Songs of Wade Hemsworth

Wade Hemsworth passed away January 21st, 2002. The recent outpouring of affection for the man, and the celebration of his music, show what a remarkable contribution he has made to our cultural landscape.