ClaytonMagee was born on his grandfather’s (Henry Magee) farm at Butternut Ridge near Havelock on May 16, 1937 and is married to Joyce (MacLeod). They have two daughters, Chonya and Tracy, and a son, Nevin.
Music has played an important part in Clayton’s life. As a youngster, he learned to play his mom’s guitar and the harmonica. He later graduated to the accordion which he played at parties and dances. When Clayton was fifteen years old, his grandfather bought him a fiddle for helping him on the farm. He worked his heart out trying to learn to play like Don Messer. This was the beginning of a lifetime of fun and enjoyment. Soon after, he began playing the fiddle for parties and square dances, including the Ranch in Petitcodiac.
Over the years, he has played in and won his share of contests around the province. He placed first in the first fiddle contest he entered in 1956 at Springfield. In the early 60’s he won several contests in Fredericton where, as winner, he appeared on the Capital Co-op Radio Jamboree. He has also judged contests. He has appeared on George’s Jamboree on cable TV out of Moncton and Cable TV in Amherst, NS, Christmas Daddies TV - Moncton, Strawberry Festival – Woodstock, Super Fiddle Show – Riverview and Valley Jamboree – Sussex.
Clayton was the fiddler for the Mountain Meadow bluegrass band that played out of the Moncton area in the 1970’s and 80’s. After this group disbanded, he became a member of the Downeast Partners, a band that played festivals and concerts and recorded an album, “Bluegrass Country”. For the past 15 years, he has teamed with Vesta Goddard as his piano accompaniment. They can be heard at various parties, dances, festivals and concerts in the Maritimes. Presently, he is the backup fiddler for C Company band from Petitcodiac.
He has recorded two albums at Prime Time Studios in Sussex. The first in 1987 “Clayton Magee and His Old-Time Fiddle”, and the second in 1991, “Fiddling for You.” Clayton owns a handcrafted MacCleave fiddle. The tone of that fiddle inspired him to learn to make fiddles, using his fiddle as a pattern. He has now finished his 13th fiddle and has orders for more.
Clayton believes that “music is one of the best hobbies anyone could have”, and he has played on the knowledge of fiddling to many others.
Patrick White Bio to come.
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