View Full Version : Jerry Holland RIP
Dagger Gordon
Jul-17-2009, 11:09am
I'm sure many of you will be sorry to hear of the death of the great Cape Breton fiddler and composer Jerry Holland.
Many of his tunes like 'Brenda Stubbert's Reel' have become standards. I enjoyed his music very much, after a friend lent me his 'Master Cape Breton Fiddler' LP many years ago.
Bill Auld
Jul-17-2009, 11:15am
Very sad. A wonderful musician and true gentleman. May he RIP.
mjb128wv
Jul-17-2009, 12:07pm
A great, funny, sentimental guy. Took a fiddle class from him - he cried when he played the beautiful waltz that he wrote for his mother and cried again when the class learned it and played it for him. He'll be greatly missed.
mjb128wv
Jul-17-2009, 2:12pm
Here's the news story I saw.
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2009/07/17/ns-holland-fiddle.html
Bernie Daniel
Jul-17-2009, 2:22pm
That is heartbreaking to hear. So strange I had thought about logging on to his web site this very morning to see how he was doing........saw him last two years ago shortly after he had been diagnosed.
You only had to watch the other CB fiddlers when he was around to know how much he was respected and loved both for his playing as well as his original tunes -- as noted already many of them are standards in the Cape Breton fiddle tradition.
Mike Romkey
Jul-17-2009, 2:52pm
Sad to hear. He was a great fiddler and composer. There's nothing like Cape Breton fiddling.
I saw him last at the New World Festival in Randolph, Vermont last year over Labor Day weekend backed by John Doyle. The music was fantastic and the JOY contagious. I was elated to see he was scheduled to be back this year.
Very sad for both Lynne and me,
Ryk
Rob Gerety
Jul-17-2009, 5:53pm
I was at that same performance Ryk. Talked with Jerry for a bit after the performance. He was sick as hell at the time but played his heart out and you would never have known. Very sad. Wonderful guy that could light up a room. We played My Cape Breton Home last night at our jam.
Jonathan Reinhardt
Jul-17-2009, 9:45pm
Journey on, Jerry. You were an inspiration to so many. We will miss you very much. Thanks for all you gave us.
rhicksnm
Jul-17-2009, 9:50pm
A great guy who wrote a ton of great music. God bless you, Jerry.
Bernie Daniel
Jul-18-2009, 1:50pm
Another article about Jerry, his life (http://thechronicleherald.ca/ArtsLife/1132920.html)and a little bit about what he meant to others...
bones12
Jul-21-2009, 5:33pm
Indeed what sad news this is. His life was music and we are all the better for it. His visits to Vermont were always special; his personality always lit up any room. Listen to his music and feel the soul he always gave it. RIP. Doug in Vermont
Mike Bromley
Jul-21-2009, 6:10pm
A unique genre has lost one of its best. I suspect that Jerry is jamming somewhere with Gervais Benoit, another of the same feather, who passed away last year. Those two carried enough tunage for a hundred ordinary mortals.:mandosmiley: