Day 30 - Byron & Alfie Myhre - “Reel of the Blindman”/“April’s Reel”/“There’s No Place Like Home”

Canadian Fiddlers’ Advent Calendar 2018 Welcome to day 30! Originally this was supposed to be an Advent Calendar from Dec. 1 - 24, but due to the overwhelming response, it will cover the entire month of December. December 30 – Byron & Alfie Myhre – Sherwood Park, AB – “Reel of the Blindman”/“April’s Reel”/“There’s No Place Like Home” Oh man….so many good times have been spent with Byron and Alfie over the years! Byron and I used to compete against each other in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and it wasn’t until we were adults that we actually became friends! I was a painfully shy teen and would never talk to Byron. I always just thought he was the greatest fiddler and I was kind of in awe around him. His dad Alfie is a legend and Byron was pretty much the same in my eyes. I do remember Crystal Plohman and I following him around at the fiddle contests as little girls, and would giggle as we stood outside the men’s washroom while he practiced just in case there was a tie in the competition. When he came to the Miami Fun and Fiddle Festival sometime in the ‘90’s with Alfie, we actually sat together and spoke. In fact, I’d have to say this is where our friendship really began. I’ll never forget when he told me that he’d always thought I was stuck up because I never talked to him at the contests when we were kids. I think he was surprised when I confessed that it was simply my shyness holding me back, and from then on things were very different. Every time I’m in Edmonton I try to make a point of visiting Byron at Myhre’s Music, the business he took over from his dad several years ago. I’m proud to say that the fiddle I play AND the bow I use are both from Myhre’s. Alfie, after over 50 years working at his music store, is now officially retired He is now spending his time playing fiddle with the Canadian Country Music Legends and also appears with Calvin Vollrath in the band Country Swing. Byron, formerly of the bluegrass band Jerusalem Ridge, now runs the store and can be seen playing with the band Nomad Jones out of BC. Alfie and Byron are joined by Byron’s son Tanner on guitar.