Hector, George

Websites:  No
Origin: Gagetown, New Brunswick, 🇨🇦
Biography:

George Hector was born in Gagetown in 1911. He became interested in the banjo at the age of 15 and has stuck with it ever since. He made his first banjo himself and when his father, Lebaron Hector, saw how eager George was to learn, he made a trip to Fredericton and bought him a banjo.

George has played in many dance halls over the years – one of his first was the hall at Jones Creek, where he started in 1936.

George joined the Maritime Farmers in 1945 and played with them on radio, TV and in concerts over the next 15 years. With the Maritime Farmers he played all over New Brunswick and traveled to Nova Scotia and Maine.

In 1937 he married Etta Murphy of Jones Creek. Etta’s grandfather was a mason and he taught George the trade. For many years he worked as a mason and in the woods in the winter until he took a job with the CPR in 1947. He worked at the winter port until his retirement in 1976.

He has recorded an album, “George Hector, The Singing Banjoman”, a limited collector’s edition.

In 1982, George was invited to represent New Brunswick at the Mariposa Folk Festival. Although he was unable to go at that time, he continues to bring enjoyment to many, many, people with his banjo picking.

George was born in 1911 at Gagetown, New Brunswick (Canada) on a grant deeded his great grandfather by a Peterson family, (they arrived together in the locality from the US during the Civil War). His interest in music came from his mother who played accordion. At an early age he became fascinated by the banjo.

His father bought him a second hand banjo. He did not take lessons and he was soon good enough to play on the radio CFBO at the Admiral Beatty Hotel. In 1935 he was hired by Don Messer and made his first professional concert appearance. At the time George was a chauffeur for the late Howard P Robinson.

"I was making $22.50 a week just for driving a car and keeping it shined. . . not bad for the hungry thirties." "They billed me as The Singing Chauffeur." In 1946 he gave up chauffeuring and joined the Maritime Farmers. He played with them on TV, radio and in concerts for the next 15 years. In 1966 he went to Toronto. There he worked a day job and played clubs in the evenings. In the 1970s he had a one man show with patter, jokes and sing along.

One of the unique characteristics about George was that he was a country singer playing the banjo.