Fred Eaglesmith

Eaglesmith, one of nine children, was raised by a farming family near Guelph in rural Southern Ontario. He began playing the guitar at age 12.

As a teenager Eaglesmith hopped a freight train to Western Canada and began writing songs and performing.

Eaglesmith founded a band known as the Smokin' Losers. He later formed a group called known as both the Flying Squirrels and the Flathead Noodlers, switching the name to represent different styles of music. The Flathead Noodlers play bluegrass, while the Flying Squirrels play more folk and rock. His first self-titled album was released in 1980.

Eaglesmith appeared in a 2001 television movie, The Gift.

A typical Fred Eaglesmith show includes his music set between several lengthy between-song comic monologues by Eaglesmith. Topics in the past have included stories about crossing the U.S.–Canada border, Newfoundlanders, and some friends from an Indian reserve. His fans are known as "Fredheads", a nod to deadheads, who followed the Grateful Dead. He is known to tour extensively throughout Canada and the U.S.

When Eaglesmith appears in solo performances, he bills himself as Fred J. Eaglesmith. In addition to his own albums, he frequently collaborated with the late Willie P. Bennett, a former member of Eaglesmith's band, who stepped down after a heart attack in early 2007. Eaglesmith publishes his own records.

In 2010, Eaglesmith was featured on the Late Show with David Letterman as the musical guest. He performed "Careless" from the album Cha Cha Cha.

Since 2012, performances have been billed as the Fred Eaglesmith Travelling Steam Show and include opening songs performed by Bill Poss, the Ginn Sisters, and his wife Tif Ginn.

Eaglesmith's songs have been included in the musical play, Dear Johnny Deere. The play was performed at the Charlottetown Festival in 2013.

Current members

• Fred J. Eaglesmith – guitars, vocals
• Tiffani Ginn – vocals, accordion, guitar, melodica, mandolin, ukelele, stand up bass, percussion

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
• Luke Stackhouse – bass, vocals
• Brit Ginn – vocals, flute
• Mike Zinger – mandolin
• Bruce Aitken- Drums

Albums

• Fred Eaglesmith (1980)
• The Boy That Just Went Wrong (1983)
• Indiana Road (1987)
• There Ain't No Easy Road (1992)
• 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)
• Cha Cha Cha (2010)
• 6 Volts (2011)
• Tambourine (2013)
• "Standard" (2017)

Music videos