Fred Eaglesmith

----Infobox musical artist |
Name = Fred Eaglesmith

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Img_capt = Fred Eaglesmith at the Roots of Heaven festival at Patronaat in Haarlem, Netherlands (2006)
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Frederick John Elgersma
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1957|07|09
Died =
Origin = flagicon|Canada Caistor Centre, Ontario
Instruments =
Genre = Alternative country
Occupation = singer/songwriter
Years_active = 1980 – Present
Label = A Major Label
Associated_acts = Willie P. Bennett
URL = [http://www.fredeaglesmith.com/ www.fredeaglesmith.com]
Current_members = Fred J. Eaglesmith
Matt Simpson
Kori Heppner
Luke Stackhouse
Past_members = Willie P. Bennett
David Essig
Kevin Komatsu
Roger Marin Jr.
Ralph Schipper
Jude Waldman
Dan Walsh
Skip Wamsteeker
Washboard Hank
Darcy Yates

Fred Eaglesmith is a Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter. Some of his albums have been credited to Fred J. Eaglesmith.

Eaglesmith was one of nine children raised by a farming family in rural Southern Ontario. As a teenager, he hopped a freight train out to Western Canada, and began writing songs and performing.

Eaglesmith is a prolific and talented songwriter, and is known for writing songs about machines or vehicles, including songs about trains, tractors, trucks, cars, and engines. Rural life, dogs, guns, drinking and farming/ranching are other common themes. Many of his songs are about failing farms and small businesses.

Eaglesmith's songs are populated with down and out characters dealing with loss of love or livelihood, and quirky rural folk. His songwriting uses many of the techniques of short-story writing, including unreliable narrators, surprise endings, and plot twists. In addition to his own albums, he frequently collaborated with the late Willie P. Bennett. Willie P. Bennett was a past member of Eaglesmith's band but had to step down after a heart attack in spring 2007.

His fans are known as Fredheads because of the similarities to deadheads.

He has appeared in several movies, including "The Gift" and "50 Odd Dollars."

Fred's band is known as The Flying Squirrels or The Flathead Noodlers. Both bands have the same lineup, but play different styles. The Flathead Noodlers play bluegrass, while the Flying Squirrels play more folk and rock. An early incarnation of the band was known as The Smokin' Losers. When Fred does solo appearances he bills himself as Fred J. Eaglesmith.

In addition to the songs, a typical Fred Eaglesmith show includes several lengthy between-song comic monologues by Fred. Topics in the past have included stories about crossing the U.S./Canada border, Newfoundlanders, and some friends from an Indian reserve.

Eaglesmith is the owner and president of A Major Label, which publishes his records.

Current members

*Fred J. Eaglesmith - Guitars, Vocals
*Matt Simpson - Acoustic guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
*Kori Heppner - Drums
*Luke Stackhouse - Bass, Vocals

Former Members

*Willie P. Bennett - Mandolin, Harmonica, Vocals
*David Essig - Mandolin, Guitar
*Kevin Komatsu - Drums
*Roger Marin Jr. - Pedal Steel, Guitar, Vocals
*Ralph Schipper - Bass
*Jude Waldman - Drums
*Dan Walsh - Dobro, Guitar, Vocals
*Skip Wamsteeker - Drums
*Washboard Hank - Washboard, Dobro
*Darcy Yates - Bass

Discography

* "Fred Eaglesmith" (1980)
* "The Boy That Just Went Wrong" (1983)
* "Indiana Road" (1987)
* "There Ain't No Easy Road" (1991)
* "Things Is Changin'" (1993)
* "Paradise Motel" (1994)
* "Drive-In Movie" (1995)
* "Lipstick, Lies and Gasoline" (1997)
* "50 Odd Dollars" (1999)
* "Live: Ralph's Last Show" (2001)
* "Falling Stars and Broken Hearts" (2002)
* "The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 1'" (2002)
* "Balin" (2003)
* "The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 2'" (2004)
* "Dusty" (2004)
* "Milly's Cafe" (2006)
* "Tinderbox" (2008)

External links

* [http://www.fredeaglesmith.com/ Fred Eaglesmith]
* [http://www.projectopus.com/fred-j-eaglesmith/ Fred Eaglesmith's Entire Discography] at Project Opus
* [http://www.49tons.nl/ Fred Eaglesmith in the Netherlands]
* [http://www.fredjeaglesmith.com Fred Eaglesmith Official Online Store]
* [http://www.exclaim.ca/musicreviews/generalreview.aspx?csid1=124&csid2=852&fid1=32715 Fred Eaglesmith at exclaim!]