Canadian musician Ned Landry, best known for playing the fiddle, died Saturday. He was 97.
Born Frederick Lawrence Landry in Saint John, NB, he started playing harmonica at the age of four and later taught himself to play the fiddle.
He showcased his talents on Don Messer’s radio show Backwoods Breakdown at an early age and started getting booked for live gigs.
Landry formed The New Brunswick Lumberjacks but took a break to join the army. He was signed to a record deal with RCA in 1955 and went on to record eight albums for the label over several decades.
Landry was honoured with the Order of Canada in 1992 and was inducted into the New Brunswick Country Music Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Nova Scotia Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000. He was recognized at the East Coast Music Awards in 2002 with a lifetime achievement award.
A funeral is scheduled for Aug. 29 at St. Pius X Church in Saint John, followed by burial at St. Joseph’s Cemetery.
Landry is survived by five children, 19 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren.