Biography
Louis Beaudoin spent the bulk of his years in Burlington, Vermont, even though he earned recognition among the foremost Quebec fiddlers. His performances seemed to radiate warmth and delight wherever he appeared, leaving behind a legacy that later musicians recalled with uncommon enthusiasm. During the late 1970s he joined the Irish ensemble the Boys of Lough for a session that created shared excitement between players and listeners at a moment when younger audiences were realizing folk traditions extended far beyond familiar ballads such as “Tom Dooley.” Several distinguished recordings appeared on the Philo label, among them the second release, Beaudoin Family, which featured piano contributions from his daughter Sylvia Beaudoin and guitar work from his brother Wilfred Beaudoin.
Born in Lowell, Massachusetts—the same city that gave rise to writer Jack Kerouac—Beaudoin grew up surrounded by his father’s fiddle playing at home, at community gatherings, and at weddings attended by the local French Canadian population that also included the Kerouac family. Those late-night returns from friends’ houses left lasting impressions, prompting the fifteen-year-old Beaudoin to take up the instrument himself. Instruction arrived entirely through oral means from both parents, accompanied by precise foot-tapping technique central to French Canadian fiddling, a style often performed seated so that intricate clogging patterns could unfold freely. He later described watching his grandmother raise the edge of her long skirts to accentuate rhythms struck by her high boots.
After the family relocated to Vermont in 1937, Beaudoin soon encountered the veteran Canadian fiddler Joe Danis, whose guidance reinforced an already deep connection to French Canadian repertoire. He integrated into everyday life in Burlington while serving during the Second World War with General Patton’s tank division across Africa and Europe. In the 1950s he joined the Burlington police force for eleven years, then established an automotive radiator business in 1964 that frequently drew gatherings of fellow fiddlers. Despite possessing the skills for a full-time performing career, Beaudoin preferred to transmit his musical heritage to others and participated actively in the state Council of Arts to support emerging players. He held the chairmanship of the Northeast Fiddlers’ Association board of trustees until his death in early 1980. One notable opportunity arose when he was invited to perform at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., for a square dance held just before President Jimmy Carter’s inauguration. The same dedication to musical transmission extended to his own household, where three daughters took up piano and clogging.
Born in Lowell, Massachusetts—the same city that gave rise to writer Jack Kerouac—Beaudoin grew up surrounded by his father’s fiddle playing at home, at community gatherings, and at weddings attended by the local French Canadian population that also included the Kerouac family. Those late-night returns from friends’ houses left lasting impressions, prompting the fifteen-year-old Beaudoin to take up the instrument himself. Instruction arrived entirely through oral means from both parents, accompanied by precise foot-tapping technique central to French Canadian fiddling, a style often performed seated so that intricate clogging patterns could unfold freely. He later described watching his grandmother raise the edge of her long skirts to accentuate rhythms struck by her high boots.
After the family relocated to Vermont in 1937, Beaudoin soon encountered the veteran Canadian fiddler Joe Danis, whose guidance reinforced an already deep connection to French Canadian repertoire. He integrated into everyday life in Burlington while serving during the Second World War with General Patton’s tank division across Africa and Europe. In the 1950s he joined the Burlington police force for eleven years, then established an automotive radiator business in 1964 that frequently drew gatherings of fellow fiddlers. Despite possessing the skills for a full-time performing career, Beaudoin preferred to transmit his musical heritage to others and participated actively in the state Council of Arts to support emerging players. He held the chairmanship of the Northeast Fiddlers’ Association board of trustees until his death in early 1980. One notable opportunity arose when he was invited to perform at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., for a square dance held just before President Jimmy Carter’s inauguration. The same dedication to musical transmission extended to his own household, where three daughters took up piano and clogging.
Albums