A self taught fiddler, Cliff Manley began playing at age 9 and performed at his first dance at age 14 in Noel, Nova Scotia, where he was born in 1947.Along with his wife Maxine who sings, plays bass and keyboard, Cliff played with several bands including:
Hayloft Ramblers, Bluegrass North, Mountain Country, Mahogany Ridge, Scotia Sunshine, The Fugitives (a New Brunswick group) and The Boys From the Rock (a Newfoundland group).
Cliff has competed in fiddle contests for over 50 years. A highlight of his career is that he won the Canadian open old time fiddlers contest in Shelburne, Ontario three years in a row in 2002, 2003 and 2004, and again in 2006 in the fiddle class 45 - 65.
He has several recordings including: an 8-tract with Cye Steele in the early 70's; "Welcome to Mountain Country" cassette done in 1985; "Fiddlin' around - Cliff Manley with C & M Country" in 2011.
Cliff's composition, "Florence Killen's Waltz" has been recorded by many fiddlers including Mark Sullivan, Scott Woods and NSCMHF inductee - Ivan Hicks. This composition has been published in three music books - "The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island", "New Tradition Presents Canadian Old-time Fiddle Hits" and Chord Charts for 200 Fiddle Tunes". He has several other compositions - "Judy's Jig", Truro Centennial Waltz", "White Trillium Waltz", "Mountain Country Jig" Betty-Ann and Wayne's Two Step" and "Maxine's Reel". His fiddle tunes have been heard on CKCL, CIFA and 106.9 fm Sackville, Nova Scotia.
Cliff is sought after regularly as a well-loved fiddler to perform at fund-raisers to help fire departments, churches, legions, lighthouses, drama clubs, and in-memorial shows.
Cliff and his wife Maxine reside in Maitland, Nova Scotia. He loves to take his fiddle out to perform his special music and continues to entertain for appreciative audiences.
