Fred Leroux

From Glengarryceltic

Frederick was born on the Leroux farm on Highway 43 a mile and a half east of Monkland on May 6th, 1937. He is the son of Wilfred Leroux and Angelina Quesnel. He became interested in music while listening to his mother tell him about how his grandfather Peter Quesnel played the violin and his uncle Alex played the steel guitar and sang. Tunes that they played were "Red Wing" and "The Wind That Shakes the Barley". Frederick also played and enjoyed the recordings of the day which were violin, guitar and singing selections.

In 1949, he bought his first guitar for $3.00 and a new guitar book and succeeded in learning the chords. Not long after, his parents bought him a new fiddle. John MacNaughton, his neighbour in great demand in the community for house parties and school concerts would pick up Fred and his guitar in his 1929 Model A Ford to accompany him. Fred learned the tunes and eventually played both the fiddle and the guitar. His first tunes were "Red Wing" and "Darling Nellie Grey".

Frederick had a country dance band for about twelve years and played at wedding receptions. Members of the band included his brothers Leo, Gerald and Marcel and Michael Delaney, Little Hughie MacDonald and Wayne Filion.

In 1958 Fred married Rose St. Louis. As their six children Daniel, Michael, Yvon, Jacqueline, Francine and Caroline grew up in a musical environment they became guitar players and singers as well. The family played for Wintario in Maxville at the time of the Apple Hill Centennial in 1982. Daniel still plays with a Celtic group - Antrim.

In 1966 the Old Time Fiddlers were formed. Fred has spent a lifetime playing with them, and became President in 2001. He recollects the many happy times when he and Rose would pick up their neighbour Cyril MacDonell, a Scottish violin player and go to the different events. At times they would be going to a dance or house gathering of musicians-like over to Cliff Britton's or Beverly MacQueen's farmhouse where there was always a good time and lunch was always waiting on the dining room table after playing.

In his years of retirement, Fred looks at the violin that he made in his younger years. Today he is a Luther and is repairing and restoring old violins. He also makes flat top Herringbone Guitars and he states that he is not sure where this will take him.