George Hector was born in Gagetown in 1911. He became interested in the banjo at the age of 15 and has stuck with it ever since. He made his first banjo himself and when his father, Lebaron Hector, saw how eager George was to learn, he made a trip to Fredericton and bought him a banjo.
George has played in many dance halls over the years – one of his first was the hall at Jones Creek, where he started in 1936.
George joined the Maritime Farmers in 1945 and played with them on radio, TV and in concerts over the next 15 years. With the Maritime Farmers he played all over New Brunswick and traveled to Nova Scotia and Maine.
In 1937 he married Etta Murphy of Jones Creek. Etta’s grandfather was a mason and he taught George the trade. For many years he worked as a mason and in the woods in the winter until he took a job with the CPR in 1947. He worked at the winter port until his retirement in 1976.
He has recorded an album, “George Hector, The Singing Banjoman”, a limited collector’s edition.
In 1982, George was invited to represent New Brunswick at the Mariposa Folk Festival. Although he was unable to go at that time, he continues to bring enjoyment to many, many, people with his banjo picking.
Duke Nielsen was born in Woodstock, NB. Duke’s father was a cornet virtuoso with the John Philip Sousa Band and his mother was a Salvation Army Bandswoman.
Duke can play 16 instruments and spent three years with a circus appearing as a musician, magician-escape artist, fire eater and bear wrestler.
He won the Benny Goodman Award for Canada in 1937, appeared on the Major Bowes Show, and his band was the first from Canada to be televised in the US, in Boston in 1940.
He is best known as the bass fiddle played with Don Messer and his Islanders. He was with Don Messer from the beginning when he began on radio in Saint John. He moved to Prince Edward Island with Don and stayed with him for his entire career, a total of forty-one years.
As well as playing the bass fiddle on their broadcasts and personal appearances, Duke also supplied comedy with his character, the banjo playing “Uncle Luke”.
Along with his other accomplishments. Duke is an expert piano and organ technician. He was four children, and his hobbies include hunting, fishing and cooking.
Duke now lives in Montague, Prince Edward Island.
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