Biography:Willy Ringuette
Willy Ringuette
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| Given name: | Willy/Wellie |
| Middle name: | |
| Family name: | Ringuette |
| Place of birth: | Franklin, New Hampshire |
| Place of death: | Trois Rivières, Que. |
| Year of birth: | 1898 |
| Year of death: | 1969 |
| Profile: | Musician |
| Source of information: | https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/wellie-ringuette-emc |
Biographical notes
Willy (or Wellie) RInguette was considered by Montreal fiddler Jean Carignan to be, with Joseph Allard, one of the finest fiddlers of the first half of the 20th century. He was born in Franklin, New Hampshire, where he learned to play at age eight on a fiddle made by his father. At age fifteen the family moved to Trois-Rivières, where he lived for the rest of his life. Ringuette made his living as a lumberjack, but became in demand as a fiddler for local, and then province-wide dances and events. He was particularly known for his waltz playing. Commencing in 1927 he recorded for both Starr and Columbia labels (the latter in New York), although the total of his recorded output is uncertain--somewhere between twelve and one hundred recordings. He composed such classic Quebecois tunes as "Valse joyeuse/Joyous Waltz," "Pionniers (Les)," "Yvon Valse/Marche Lancier") and "Ronfleuse Gobeil."