Buddy MacMaster
Hugh Alan "Buddy" MacMaster, CM, ONS, LL.D (born October 18, 1924) is one of the most renowned artists in the tradition of Cape Breton fiddle music. He was born into a Gaelic-speaking home in Timmins, Ontario to John Duncan MacMaster and Sarah Agnes MacDonald MacMaster. The family was originally from the island of Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, and in 1928 they returned to Cape Breton to settle in the town of Judique.
At an early age, Buddy began to play the fiddle. At age 12, he had his first public performance at an amateur hour in Port Hood, Nova Scotia, and at age 14 he played his first professional gig at a square dance in the nearby town of Troy. He began a career as a station agent and telegrapher for the Canadian National Railway in 1943, though he continued to play nights at square dances across Nova Scotia.
Buddy made his first radio broadcast from the town of Antigonish, Nova Scotia in 1948. In the 1970s he played regularly on Canadian television on CBC Television's Ceilidh show. After his retirement from the railroad in 1988, he continued to work as a professional musician, gaining an international reputation. He was one of the first Cape Breton fiddlers to be asked to teach in Scotland. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish in 1995, and in 2000 he was awarded the Order of Canada for his contributions to Canadian culture.
Buddy married Marie Beaton in 1968. He has two children, Mary Elizabeth MacMaster MacInnis (also a musician) and Allan Gerard MacMaster. Buddy's youngest sister, Betty Lou Beaton, is one of Cape Breton's finest pianists and is married to well-known fiddler and composer Kinnon Beaton. Buddy is also the uncle of Natalie MacMaster, another Cape Breton fiddler who has toured extensively and gained a worldwide following. In October of 2006, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Cape Breton University in a special ceremony held in Judique.
Recordings
- Judique on the Floor (1989)
- Glencoe Hall (1991)
- The Judique Flyer (2000)
- Cape Breton Tradition (2003)
- Traditional Music from Cape Breton Island (2005) with Natalie MacMaster
He has also released a video, Buddy MacMaster, Master of the Cape Breton Fiddle.
External links
- Biography at Canada's AtlanticArtists.com