Angus Chisholm

Inducted in 1999

Angus Chisholm was born in Margaree Forks, Nova Scotia in 1908 and became one of the best known Cape Breton fiddlers of all time. He started playing fiddle by ear at age eight and began playing for dances while still a child. At age 14 he learned to read music. Angus taught school in Cape Breton for several years while continuing his music. During the 1930's Angus had a radio program on CJCB Sydney and in 1934 went to United States to record on Decca Records, being one of the early Nova Scotians on commercial records. The next year he recorded on Brunswick in Montreal. His later recordings were on the Celtic label in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Shanachie Records of Bronx, New York have re-issued all his recordings.Angus was extremely popular in upper Canada and the eastern United States. He had a radio program in Boston and eventually moved there as did several other Cape Breton fiddlers. However he returned to Canada many times to do concerts and television shows. Of his own compositions the only one he recorded commercially was "Tea Gardens". He wrote it while waiting for a bus in front of a Chinese restaurant by the same name in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Angus passed away in United States in 1979 but id buried in his native Margaree, Cape Breton.