Eric Nagler
Encyclopedia
Eric Nagler is an American-born musician and television personality known primarily for his work on Canadian children's television series such as The Elephant Show
.
they moved to Toronto
in 1968, Nagler as a conscientious objector
to the war. In 1972, Nagler returned to the United States to stand trial for draft evasion; he was acquitted. Around 1971, Eric and Martha owned a guitar/folk-music store on Avenue Road in Toronto called the Toronto Folklore Centre. The couple divorced in 1977. Nagler was remarried to Shelley McCarthy in 1985 and according to his personal website currently resides near Shelburne
, an hour north of Toronto, Ontario, and home of the Annual Canadian Championship Fiddling Contest.
In 1991–1996, he had a children's TV show called Eric's World
, which aired on the Canadian provincial networks (TVOntario
, Knowledge Network, SCN
, and Access
) and Family Channel.
style. In addition to common traditional instruments such as the banjo
and fiddle
, and singing, he uses simple instruments such as washboard
, spoon
s, jaw harp, and slide whistle
(and provides instructions on making them on his record Fiddle Up a Tune), together with more exotic instruments, such as the psaltery
. Most unusual is his "Sewerphone", made of 10 feet of ABS
plastic and the agitator
from a clothes washer, and functions similarly to a tuba
, as described in his "My Lovely Sewerphone" (Come On In! 1985).
The Elephant Show
The Elephant Show is a Canadian children's television show from 1984 until 1988.-Summary and Highlights:...
.
Biography
Initially, Nagler was a folk musician in the United States, and in 1966 he marched through Mississippi with Martin Luther King Jr., encouraging people to register to vote. He married fellow musician Martha Beers in 1966 and due to their opposition to the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
they moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1968, Nagler as a conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
to the war. In 1972, Nagler returned to the United States to stand trial for draft evasion; he was acquitted. Around 1971, Eric and Martha owned a guitar/folk-music store on Avenue Road in Toronto called the Toronto Folklore Centre. The couple divorced in 1977. Nagler was remarried to Shelley McCarthy in 1985 and according to his personal website currently resides near Shelburne
Shelburne, Ontario
Shelburne, Ontario is a town in Dufferin County, Ontario, Canada, located at the intersection of Highway 10 and Highway 89...
, an hour north of Toronto, Ontario, and home of the Annual Canadian Championship Fiddling Contest.
In 1991–1996, he had a children's TV show called Eric's World
Eric's World
Eric's World was a children's sitcom, which aired on a number of Canadian networks in 1991–1996, and was produced by Cambium Productions, running for five seasons....
, which aired on the Canadian provincial networks (TVOntario
TVOntario
TVOntario, often referred to only as TVO , is a publicly funded, educational English-language television station and media organization in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority, a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Ontario...
, Knowledge Network, SCN
Saskatchewan Communications Network
SCN is a Canadian English language cable television entertainment, information, and educational channel in the province of Saskatchewan...
, and Access
Access (TV channel)
CTV Two Alberta is a Canadian English language entertainment, information, and educational television channel in the province of Alberta...
) and Family Channel.
Instruments
Nagler plays a variety of instruments, often homemade or improvised, in the skiffleSkiffle
Skiffle is a type of popular music with jazz, blues, folk, roots and country influences, usually using homemade or improvised instruments. Originating as a term in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century, it became popular again in the UK in the 1950s, where it was mainly...
style. In addition to common traditional instruments such as the banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
and fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, and singing, he uses simple instruments such as washboard
Washboard
A washboard is a tool designed for hand washing clothing. With mechanized cleaning of clothing becoming more common by the end of the 20th century, the washboard has become better known for its originally subsidiary use as a musical instrument....
, spoon
Spoon
A spoon is a utensil consisting of a small shallow bowl, oval or round, at the end of a handle. A type of cutlery , especially as part of a place setting, it is used primarily for serving. Spoons are also used in food preparation to measure, mix, stir and toss ingredients...
s, jaw harp, and slide whistle
Slide whistle
A slide whistle is a wind instrument consisting of a fipple like a recorder's and a tube with a piston in it. Thus it has an air reed like some woodwinds, but varies the pitch with a slide. The construction is rather like a bicycle pump...
(and provides instructions on making them on his record Fiddle Up a Tune), together with more exotic instruments, such as the psaltery
Psaltery
A psaltery is a stringed musical instrument of the harp or the zither family. The psaltery of Ancient Greece dates from at least 2800 BC, when it was a harp-like instrument...
. Most unusual is his "Sewerphone", made of 10 feet of ABS
ABS
- Anatomy :* Abdominal muscles , which is the rectus abdominis or the stomach muscles-Music and media:Music ensembles* A.B.'s, a Japanese 80's instrumental band* Abingdon Boys School, a Japanese rock band...
plastic and the agitator
Agitator
An agitator is a person who actively supports some ideology or movement with speeches and especially actions. The Agitators were a political movement as well as elected representatives of soldiers, including the New Model Army of Oliver Cromwell, during the English Civil War. They were also known...
from a clothes washer, and functions similarly to a tuba
Tuba
The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
, as described in his "My Lovely Sewerphone" (Come On In! 1985).
Awards and recognition
- 1982: Award for Excellence, American Library AssociationAmerican Library AssociationThe American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
for the album Fiddle Up a Tune - 1986: nomination, Juno AwardJuno Awards of 1986The Juno Awards of 1986, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 10 November 1986 in Toronto at a ceremony hosted by Howie Mandel at the Harbour Castle Hilton Hotel. CBC Television broadcast the ceremonies nationally.Labour problems at the Canadian...
for Best Children's Album, Come On In - 1990: nomination, Juno AwardJuno Awards of 1990The Juno Awards of 1990, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 18 March 1990 in Toronto at a ceremony in the O'Keefe Centre...
for Best Children's Album, Improvise with Eric Nagler - 1994: nomination, Juno AwardJuno Awards of 1994The Juno Awards of 1994, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 20 March 1994 in Toronto at a ceremony in the O'Keefe Centre. Roch Voisine was the host for the ceremonies, which were taped that afternoon for broadcast that evening on CBC...
for Best Children's Album, Can't Sit Down - 1995: nomination, Juno AwardJuno Awards of 1995The Juno Awards of 1995, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 26 March 1995 in Hamilton, Ontario at a ceremony in the Copps Coliseum...
for Best Children's Album, Eric's World Record
Discography
This is a partial listing- 1971: contributed to High Winds, White SkyHigh Winds, White Sky (album)High Winds, White Sky is the second studio album from Bruce Cockburn, remastered in 2003 by Rounder Records with two bonus tracks recorded live in 1970.-Track listing:Tracks 1-10: Original Album in Stereo...
by Bruce CockburnBruce CockburnBruce Douglas Cockburn OC is a Canadian folk/rock guitarist and singer-songwriter. His most recent album was released in March 2011. He has written songs in styles ranging from folk to jazz-influenced rock to rock and roll.-Biography:... - 1973: The Gentleness in Living (Swallowtail)
- 1977: A Right and Proper Dwelling (Philo)
- 1982: Fiddle Up a Tune (Elephant) (producer Paul Mills)
- 1985: Come On In (Elephant) (producer Paul Mills) – nominated for Juno Award for Children's Album of the YearJuno Award for Children's Album of the YearThe Juno Award for "Children's Album of the Year" has been awarded since 1979, as recognition each year for the best children's album in Canada.-Best Children's Album :*1979 - Anne Murray, There's a Hippo in My Tub...
in 1986Juno Awards of 1986The Juno Awards of 1986, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 10 November 1986 in Toronto at a ceremony hosted by Howie Mandel at the Harbour Castle Hilton Hotel. CBC Television broadcast the ceremonies nationally.Labour problems at the Canadian... - 1989: Improvise with Eric Nagler (Oak Street/RounderRounder RecordsRounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students...
) – nominated for Juno Award of 1990Juno Awards of 1990The Juno Awards of 1990, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 18 March 1990 in Toronto at a ceremony in the O'Keefe Centre... - 1992: Can't Sit Down – nominated for Juno Award of 1994Juno Awards of 1994The Juno Awards of 1994, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 20 March 1994 in Toronto at a ceremony in the O'Keefe Centre. Roch Voisine was the host for the ceremonies, which were taped that afternoon for broadcast that evening on CBC...
- 1994: Eric's World Record – nominated for Juno Award of 1995Juno Awards of 1995The Juno Awards of 1995, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 26 March 1995 in Hamilton, Ontario at a ceremony in the Copps Coliseum...
External links
- Eric Nagler official website
- Come On In!, review of disc