Merlin (Joe) Anthony Waye

Inducted in 2005

Merlin (Joe) Waye has been playing the guitar for over sixty years. He was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia on September 5, 1933 and picked up his first guitar at age 9. Self taught, he was quickly hooked on the guitar and was playing on CJCB Radio by age 14. Since that time he has played all over Nova Scotia, as well as other parts of Canada, pleasing crowds wherever he performed. Having a wife and six children, Joe was a welder/construction worker by day and a musician by night. Joe was a member of the TR Ranch Boys who had a weekly radio show in 1956 and 1957. The TR Ranch Boys went on to a weekly television show starting in 1958. This show ran until 1963 and earned the band a Stompin' Tom Connors Award. Through the years Joe has played with countless artists including Hall of Fame performers Alonzo Marsh, Angus Chisholm, Ken Davidson and Vic Mullen to name a few, as well as Winnie Chafe, Matt Minglewood and Scotty Fitzgerald. He has performed as the opening act for Tommy Hunter and as backup band member for Johnny Carver, Katherine MacKinnon, Gordie Tapp and Tommy Commons. Joe recorded an album, "Joe Waye - Guitar Great" in 1968 and in 2004 released a CD, "Still Pickin' and Grinnin' with Papa Joe Waye." He has written the instrumental, "Sweetgrass", "Donovan Waltz" and co-wrote "Steel Town." He also wrote and recorded "Mr. Hank", an instrumental honoring the late great Hank Snow. Today at age 71, Joe is still performing and entertaining audiences around Cape Breton.