Don Messer's Violin

Frank Leahy: violin

Traditional/Mills Barn Dance Medley 2:32 / Traditional/Szczesniak French Reel Waltz 3:38 / Leahy/Szczesniak Messer's Licks 1:58 / Traditional/Szczesniak The Girl I Left Behind Me 3:24 / Traditional/Robertson Devil's Dream 3:34 / Traditional/Szczesniak Kerry Mill's Barn Dance 2:59 / Traditional/Robertson Hushabye Waltz 4:11 / Hachey Bros. & Mary Lou/Mills Rippling Water Jig 1:49 / Townsend/Francis Royal Princess Two-Step 4:05 / Messer/Cable White River Stomp 2:08 / /Mills Red Wing 2:43 / Leahy/Szczesniak My Lady Lisa 3:29 / Traditional/Mills Blue Mountain Rag 1:39 / Sweatman/Cable Down Home Rag 1:59 / Traditional/Szczesniak Road to the Isles 2:16 / Traditional/Szczesniak Smile A While 2:44 / Traditional/Mills Barn Dance Reprise 1:45

Don Messer was a man who lived and loved music and whose influence and memory live on as one of the most important musical icons in Canada.
This recording captures seventeen "tunes" made famous by Don Messer, some of which you will recognize immediately as down-home fiddle music made famous by the 1960's CBC Television hit show, Don Messer's Jubilee. Through some fabulous arrangements, however, the disc will also celebrate the many other influences in Don's music ranging from the traditional, to classical, to country, to swing and jazz. These arrangements call for ensembles familiar to traditional fiddle playing but expand to the inclusion of big band and a full string orchestra.
FRANK LEAHY is a Canadian fiddle champion in his own right, and even more unique is the fact that he inherited Don Messer's violin. Anyone who remembers Don Messer's playing will be astounded at the similarities of playing and musical style.