Fred Eaglesmith takes the old songwriter's adage "write what you know" to heart. He was born on a farm in rural Ontario, Canada and set out to make a life for himself in 1972 at the age of 15, hopping trains and hitchhiking his way across Canada writing and performing songs. Eaglesmith's songs are more like short stories than the traditional "verse and chorus" songs; those narratives often evoke rural life in times of hardship. Whether he's playing shows solo or with his dual-named band (the Flathead Noodlers for bluegrass and the Flying Squirrels for rock and folk), he renders his life and the lives of his friends in a memorable way. Although he is sometimes billed as an alternative country act, Eaglesmith shares more in common musically with folk singers like Robert Earl Keen and Bob Dylan than bands like the Old 97's. Fred Eaglesmith is currently on tour supporting Cha Cha Cha, his latest album.
All photos by Sara Finke.
