Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers
| Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers | |
|---|---|
From left to right, Wayne Chaulk, Kevin Blackmore, and Ray Johnson, performing in typically offbeat garb.
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Newfoundland, Canada |
| Genres | Newfoundland, folk, comedy |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Website | www |
| Members | Ray Johnson |
Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers is a musical and comedy trio from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, which is composed of Kevin Blackmore ("Buddy Wasisname"), Wayne Chaulk, and Ray Johnson ("The Other Fellers"). The group specializes in Newfoundland and folk music, as well as performing comedic skits and standup routines.
All three musicians sing and write songs which reflect theirNewfoundland heritage; Johnson also arranges traditional accordion numbers for the band to perform. Their recordings range from serious reflections on Newfoundland culture (such as "Sarah" and "Saltwater Joys" to light-hearted tales that can border on the ridiculous (such as "Is You 'Appy?" and "Chainsaw Earle".
Chaulk performs on bass or guitar, Ray Johnson on accordion or fiddle, and Kevin Blackmore on mandolin, fiddle, guitar, and improvised percussion instruments including Tupperware lids and garbage bags.
The group's name, and the names of many of their albums and songs, contain phonetic spellings of colloquial contractions and phrases native to Newfoundland, which would normally only be spoken aloud and in an informal setting. This reflects the group's focus on Newfoundland culture; most Newfoundlanders immediately recognize the intended meanings despite the atypical spelling. The band name plays on Newfoundlanders' habit of rapidly slurring words together in day to day speech; "wasisname" is a contraction of "what's his name?"; however, in Newfoundland "Buddy Wasisname" is simply a version of "I can't remember his name". "Fellers" is simply a dialectal form of "fellas" or "fellows".
Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers were formed in Newfoundland, Canada in 1983. Two of the three group members (Johnson and Chaulk) were school teachers prior to forming their group. Their first album, Makin' For the Harbour was self-released in 1986. The album relied heavily on Newfoundland standards and Blackmore's comedy numbers; Chaulk made one significant contribution with "Yesterday's Fishermen". "Gotta Get Me Moose B'y" would become their early career signature tune, and remains one of their more popular songs today. Next was the album Nods'N'Winks, mostly notable for Blackmore's "My Old Wooden Shack", which features Johnson on accordion and vocals. At this point in the group's history that they began to be known outside their local area.
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