James Nixon

From Glengarryceltic

James Stewart Nixon was born on October 19, 1931 to Leslie and Margaret (Barton) Nixon. His ability to play music stems from both sides of the family. His grandfather (also James Nixon) would lilt mouth music for dances, his mother played the piano, his uncle Tommy Barton played the fiddle and his aunt Bertha Lafave (who often visited from the west) greatly influenced him to learn.

At the age of ten he started to play the piano by ear, then while attending high school he took some lessons at the nearby convent. He had such a gifted ear that he never did learn to read music very well. While attending high school he would play the piano in the assembly hall at noon. This gave him time to practice and the girls a chance to dance. Around the age of fifteen he took up the fiddle and started playing at local functions accompanied by his mother on the piano. He would also play hymns in church accompanied by Mrs. Lilias MacPhee.

In the early 1950s his parents became good friends with the parents of renowned fiddler Graham Townsend. Enid and Fred Townsend would spend several weekends a year at the Nixon farm. James would chord on the piano while Graham would play the fiddle. It was also at that time that James played with the MacCrimmon orchestra, at which time he learned to play the guitar.

Around 1965 he started playing solo piano at places like the Atlantic Hotel, the Sportsman's Inn, at various curling clubs and numerous house parties. Duncan McDonell, the owner of the Atlantic Hotel asked James if he could play honky tonk and ragtime music for the centennial year in 1967, so he learned the style and nailed the hammers on the piano to get that special effect.

In 1968 three-time North American Fiddle Champion, Johnny Mooring was in the area and approached James to accompany him. Jimmy, as James was affectionately known, accompanied Johnny locally and also for two competitions in Shelburne until his untimely death in 1974.

In keeping up with his music, James wanted to try something a little different, so later in 1974 he bought an electric organ. This brought a unique sound to traditional music and his superb dance-able music was requested for many years after.

In 1982 he met up with Don Pettigrew, who recognized James from playing with Johnny Mooring in Shelburne. The two became good friends and spent many hours playing music together. Don was a great composer of waltzes and one of his best-known compositions "Margaret Nixon Waltz" was written for James' mother and has been played by many fiddlers in the area. James has also played with renowned fiddler Sid Plamondon.

After all these years, James is still a sought after musician for his versatile style of traditional music which includes Scottish, Irish, Old Time, Ragtime, Honky Tonk and much more. He has entertained at places in Glengarry, Prescott and Western Quebec too numerous to mention. He was also a founding member of the Glengarry Old Time Fiddlers.

James now spends some time composing tunes and says he has been "fortunate to play with some of the best fiddlers". He resides on the family farm just south of Vankleek Hill on the Glengarry border to this day.