Musicians of the Midnight Sun

April and Stan Mercredi

April Mercredi performed throughout Alberta with “Eve Ray and The Country Girls” and other bands through the late 1960s. On a northern tour in 1969, she met Stan Mercredi in Fort Providence. Later they moved to Yellowknife where April performed with local bands in the bars and at community events.

See photos of April and hear the full interview at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/artists/april-mercredi

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David Evalik

David Evalik grew up in Iqaluktuuttiaq/Cambridge Bay, NU. He picked up the guitar at the residential schools he attended in Inuvik and Yellowknife. David performed with the band “The Centennaires” for the Canadian Centennial celebrations in 1967. Today, David still plays with his band, “The Delta Good Time Band” in the Kitikmeot and Mackenzie Delta region.

See photos of David and hear the full interview at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/artists/david-evalik

Support the project at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/donate

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Ted and Leslie Wesley Part 2

Ted Wesley moved to Yellowknife in the early 1960s and married Leslie Harder. Later they formed “The Tundra Folk” trio with Andy Steen. In 1967 they performed on the Centennial barge and toured the high arctic in a Cessna 185. Ted recorded 3 albums between 1973 -77. His third, “North of Canada” sold more than 70,000 albums and earned a Juno nomination for Country Male Vocalist of the Year. Ted and Leslie Wesley were among the original founders of the “Folk on the Rocks” music festival in 1980. Have a great weekend and we'll see you on Monday.

 

See photos of Ted and Leslie and hear the full interview at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/artists/ted-wesley

Support the project at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/donate

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and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musiciansofthemidnightsun/

Ted and Leslie Wesley Part 1

Ted Wesley moved to Yellowknife in the early 1960s and married Leslie Harder. Later they formed “The Tundra Folk” trio with Andy Steen. In 1967 they performed on the Centennial barge and toured the high arctic in a Cessna 185. Ted recorded 3 albums between 1973 -77. His third, “North of Canada” sold more than 70,000 albums and earned a Juno nomination for Country Male Vocalist of the Year. Ted and Leslie Wesley were among the original founders of the “Folk on the Rocks” music festival in 1980. Have a great weekend and we'll see you on Monday.

 

See photos of Ted and Leslie and hear the full interview at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/artists/ted-wesley

Support the project at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/donate

Follow Musicians of the Midnight at https://www.facebook.com/Musicians-of-the-Midnight-Sun-2118206611779800

and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musiciansofthemidnightsun/

Elsie Justus

Metis-Cree musician Elsie Justus (Burger) is from High Prairie, AB. Her father played fiddle and when she was 12 years old, he taught her to play the guitar so she could accompany him. In the late 1950s, with young family and her ‘bull fiddle’ in tow, Elsie moved north, eventually settling in Pine Point, NT to work at the mine. There, she played with her band “The Pine Tones” at the Pine Point Hotel through the 1970s.

See photos of Elsie and hear the full interview at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/artists/elsie-justus-burger

Support the project at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/donate

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and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musiciansofthemidnightsun/

Wally Firth Part 2

Wally Firth is a Scottish/Gwich'in fiddler from Teetł'it Zheh / Fort McPherson, NT. Wally articulates a rich narrative of his own musical life as well as a roll call of the musicians who entertained throughout the Mackenzie Delta going all the way back to the 1930s. He has lived many lives in his own lifetime and through it all, the fiddle has been a close companion. I feel very fortunate to have had the chance to listen to and document his stories and even more thrilled to open Series 2 of the Musicians of the Midnight Sun podcast series featuring Wally Firth!

See photos of Wally and hear the full interview at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/artists/wally-firth

Support the project at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/donate

Follow Musicians of the Midnight at https://www.facebook.com/Musicians-of-the-Midnight-Sun-2118206611779800

and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musiciansofthemidnightsun/

Wally Firth Part 1

Wally Firth is a Scottish/Gwich'in fiddler from Teetł'it Zheh / Fort McPherson, NT. Wally articulates a rich narrative of his own musical life as well as a roll call of the musicians who entertained throughout the Mackenzie Delta going all the way back to the 1930s. He has lived many lives in his own lifetime and through it all, the fiddle has been a close companion. I feel very fortunate to have had the chance to listen to and document his stories and even more thrilled to open Series 2 of the Musicians of the Midnight Sun podcast series featuring Wally Firth!

See photos of Wally and hear the full interview at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/artists/wally-firth

Support the project at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/donate

Follow Musicians of the Midnight at https://www.facebook.com/Musicians-of-the-Midnight-Sun-2118206611779800

and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musiciansofthemidnightsun/

Wilf Schidlowsky

Wilf Schidlowsky started out playing guitar in various old time bands in Humboldt, SK in the mid 1940s and went on to become a schoolteacher. In 1964, he responded to a newspaper ad looking for people to “Teach in Canada’s Northland” and was hired over the phone a short time later. In Yellowknife, Wilf played with local bands, “The Alley Cats” and “Easy Street” in the bars and community halls until 1977. Wilf Schidlowsky passed away in 2016.

See photos of Wilf and hear the full interview at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/artists/wilf-schidlowsky

Support the project at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/donate

Follow Musicians of the Midnight at https://www.facebook.com/Musicians-of-the-Midnight-Sun-2118206611779800

and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musiciansofthemidnightsun/

George Mandeville

Metis guitar player George Mandeville is from Denı́nu Kų́ę́ / Fort Resolution, NT. He was just 10 years old when he picked up a guitar. George attended high school in Yellowknife, boarded at Akaitcho Hall and played with the band, “The Auroras”. After he graduated, he stayed on in Yellowknife, worked as a carpenter and raised a family. At 9 years old, George’s son, Lee picked up the fiddle. Since then the father-son duo has released 3 CDs of traditional Metis fiddle music and performed on national and international stages, sharing and celebrating their Metis traditions.

See photos of George and hear the full interview at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/artists/george-mandeville

Support the project at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/donate

Follow Musicians of the Midnight at https://www.facebook.com/Musicians-of-the-Midnight-Sun-2118206611779800

and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musiciansofthemidnightsun/

Archie Loutitt (Part 2)

Archie Loutitt was born, raised and lived his life in Sǫ̀mbak'è / Yellowknife, NT. His mother bought him a guitar for 5 dollars when he was 12 years old and Archie started to play at house parties in the early 1950s. He went on to play the old town speakeasies, the clubrooms, the rec halls and the dance halls in town. Archie founded one of Yellowknife’s acclaimed bands, “Northbound Freeway”. Archie Loutitt passed away in 2018.

See photos of Archie and hear the full interview at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/artists/archie-loutitt

Support the project at: https://www.musiciansofthemidnightsun.com/donate

Follow Musicians of the Midnight at https://www.facebook.com/Musicians-of-the-Midnight-Sun-2118206611779800

and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musiciansofthemidnightsun/