Maurice Bolyer (December 1, 1920 – August 18, 1978), born Maurice Beaulieu, was a composer and musician known as "Canada's King of the Banjo"."Funeral Services for King of Banjo"
''Lethbridge Herald'', August 22, 1978 page 36 Although proficient in a variety of string instruments and piano, he is best known for his work on the banjo.

Early life

Bolyer was born in

Edmundston Edmundston is a city in Madawaska County, New Brunswick, Canada. On 1 January 2023, Edmundston will expanded, annexing the village of Rivière-Verte and parts of the local service districts of the parish of Saint-Jacques and the parish of Sa ...

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen Provinces and territories of Canada, provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic Canad ...

, Canada, into a French-speaking family."Banjo Player Maurice Bolyer Regular with Tommy Hunter"
''Lethbridge Herald'', November 24, 1972 page 30 He learned to play the piano as a young boy; after learning to play fiddle, guitar and mandolin, he began playing banjo in his late teens.

Career

Beginning in the 1940s, Bolyer appeared regularly on Canadian radio stations CKCW (Moncton, New Brunswick) and CKNX (Wingham, Ontario). Boyler joined the

CBC Radio CBC Radio is the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which (regardless of language) are outlined below ...

program ''

The Tommy Hunter Show Thomas James Hunter, CM, O.Ont (born March 20, 1937) is a Canadian country music performer, known as "Canada's Country Gentleman". Career In 1956, he began performing as a rhythm guitarist on the CBC Television show, '' Country Hoedown''. ''Th ...

'' in 1963, continuing with the show when it moved to television in 1965. Bolyer also appeared as a guest on the

Lawrence Welk Lawrence Welk (March 11, 1903 – May 17, 1992) was an American accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted the '' The Lawrence Welk Show'' from 1951 to 1982. His style came to be known as "champagne music" to his radio, te ...

and

Arthur Godfrey Arthur Morton Godfrey (August 31, 1903 – March 16, 1983) was an American radio and television broadcaster and entertainer who was sometimes introduced by his nickname The Old Redhead. At the peak of his success, in the early-to-mid 1950s, Godf ...

shows in the United States. In 1975 Bolyer signed with RCA Canada. Bolyer was inducted posthumously into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1989.Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame

Notes

1920 births 1978 deaths Canadian banjoists Canadian country musicians Musicians from Edmundston Acadian people 20th-century Canadian male musicians {{Canada-musician-stub

Early life

Career

See also

Notes