Washboard Hank Explained

Birth Name:Hank Fisher
Birth Place:Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Genre:Folk, Country
Instrument:Washboard, Guitar, Vocals

Hank Fisher, (born 1954) more commonly known as Washboard Hank is a Canadian musician,[1] songwriter[2] [3] [4] and stage performer. He was born in Peterborough, Ontario in 1954. He plays a number of instruments, including banjo,[5] guitar[6] and percussion. He is known for his unusual performances with self-created instruments.[7] In 2016 he performed with his band, the Wringers.

Fisher is a regular performer at children's events, including the Peterborough Folk Festival. He creates and plays improvised instruments,[8] [9] including his "signature" washboard. and kitchen sink tuba. He sings humorous traditional tunes such as "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More"[10] as well as his own compositions.

Career

In the 1980s, Fisher performed with Reverend Ken (Ramsden) and the Lost Followers; after Ramsden left, the group became Washboard Hank and the Honkers. In 1989 Fisher began co-hosting a show, "The Country Cousins" on Peterborough's Trent Radio. The show was aired for more than 20 years.[11]

In the 1990s, he performed for four years as a percussionist with Fred Eaglesmith and the Flying Squirrels,[12] [13] recording on his album 50-Odd Dollars.[14]

In 2001, Fisher provided the music for an agitprop play, Where's the Care?, created by the group Ground Zero to protest cutbacks in healthcare services in Ontario.[15] He also performed a lead role in the independent short film, Rigoletto... in Bluegrass in 2006.

He has toured with the Country Squires,[16] and he also fronted his own band, the Gravestone Lickers.

Fisher performed on an Adventure Canada cruise ship to Greenland.[17] He also played locally with Catfish Willie and the Buckle Busters.[18]

In 2012, Fisher performed at the Alianait Arts Festival in Iqualuit, Nunavut.[19]

Discography

Notes and References

  1. Book: Myrna Margulies Breitbart. Creative Economies in Post-Industrial Cities: Manufacturing a (Different) Scene. 13 May 2016. Routledge. 978-1-317-15832-5. 114–.
  2. Book: Bulletin de Musique Folklorique Canadienne. 1999. Canadian Folk Music Society = Société canadienne de musique folklorique. 21.
  3. http://www.insidebelleville.com/news-story/4940428-washboard-hank-gets-warm-welcome/ "Washboard Hank gets warm welcome"
  4. http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/2013/12/07/local-musicians-in-hnic-song-quest-top-100 "Local musicians in HNIC Song Quest top 100"
  5. http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/2016/01/01/familys-new-years-day-levee-tradition-kept-alive "Family's New Year's Day Levee tradition kept alive"
  6. http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/2015/09/24/tunes-from-the-porch-as-artsweek-continues-with-porchapalooza "Tunes from the porch as Artsweek continues with Porchapalooza"
  7. http://www.austinchronicle.com/music/1999-10-22/74341/ "Fred Eaglesmith Continental Club, October 9"
  8. http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674washboard_hank_good_messages_inside_goofy_songs/ "Washboard Hank: good messages inside goofy songs"
  9. http://www.mykawartha.com/whatson-story/3700896-washboard-hank-visits-local-school/ " Washboard Hank visits local school"
  10. http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/scene/music/2013/05/10/keri-latimers-song-picks-offer-fun-for-the-whole-family-on-mothers-day/ "Playlist: Keri Latimer's Mother's Day song picks offer a soundtrack for family fun"
  11. http://trentarthur.ca/trent-radio-historian-knows-more-than-just-history/ "Trent Radio Historian Knows More Than Just History"
  12. Book: No Depression. 2001. No Depression. 121.
  13. https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/sheldon-jaaskelainen-gives-worst-performance-of-his-life-124603 "Sheldon Jaaskelainen gives worst performance of his life"
  14. Book: CMJ Network, Inc.. CMJ New Music Monthly. July 1999. CMJ Network, Inc.. 47–. 1074-6978.
  15. Book: Susan C. Haedicke. Tobin Nellhaus. Performing Democracy: International Perspectives on Urban Community-based Performance. 2001. University of Michigan Press. 0-472-06760-5. 98–.
  16. https://www.sudbury.com/lifestyle/washboard-hank-cleans-up-at-towne-house-241407 "Washboard Hank cleans up at Towne House"
  17. http://www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/13146970.Travel__Greenland_cruise_like_no_other/ "Travel: Greenland cruise like no other"
  18. http://www.lakefieldherald.com/2010/02_19_2010/catfish.html "Catfish Willie entertained at Legion Valentine party"
  19. http://www.nantonnews.com/2012/07/18/canada-day-hits-a-high-note-for-area-musicians "Canada Day hits a high note for area musicians"
  20. http://nodepression.com/album-review/fred-eaglesmith-50-odd-dollars "Fred Eaglesmith - 50-Odd Dollars"
  21. http://www.earshot-online.com/charts/2003/April/Charts_HTML/Top200.html "!earshot charts -top 200"
  22. http://m.guelphmercury.com/whatson-story/5182199-latest-batch-of-rob-s-root-albums-review-for-nightlife "Latest batch of Rob’s root albums review for Nightlife"
  23. http://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/129/28381.html "Canadian Spaces"

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