From Glengarryceltic
Lucien Ranger was born in Montreal on Jan. 8, 1908. When he was three years of age, his family moved to Lochiel Township in
Glengarry. His family was very musical, and his brother
Bob is also a well-known fiddler. Lucien began to play the fiddle at the age of 16. At first, the music he played was mostly of the Don Messer type, but eventually, he changed over almost entirely to the more Scottish Glengarry style. Some of the people who influenced this change were the “Hughie Allan” MacDonalds; Duncie and Johnny;
Fr. John MacPhail and the former Kathleen “Cassie” MacIntosh whom he married in 1945. Cassie, a pianist who read music was able to assist Lucien in learning new tunes as well as accompanying him.
He played frequently with a group of fiddlers led by
Fr. John McPhail and was a founding member of
The Glengarry Old Time Fiddlers Association and The
Glengarry Strathspey and Reel Society. He also appeared weekly at the “Cosy Inn” in Alexandria. One
Lucien Ranger, on the left.
of the performances of which he was most proud was appearing at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa in a concert featuring Glengarry talent.
Lucien was noted for his large repertoire of tunes and also for the fact that, unlike many fiddlers, he knew their names. Some of his favourite tunes were “The March of the 93'rd at Modder River” and “The Marchioness of Tullybardine.” His favourite fiddlers were Angus Chisholm and Winston “Scotty” Fitzgerald.
His tunes were named after his wife, Kathleen and his two daughters, Bernice and Lorrie. Lucien passed away on October 11, 1987.
