Allan Ricketts, The Student – a young musician

“I first met Frank at the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival in 2001, though I never really got to know him until 2002 when I got to perform with him and all the Auntie Crae Band during their Tuesday performances at Auntie Crae’s. Since then, I have had several opportunities to perform with him. Along with his great accordion playing he has a great sense of humour. There is no telling what he will say next!

Frank has done a great job keeping the Newfoundland and Irish tunes alive and I believe his CD will be a great opportunity for young musicians, like myself to learn new tunes that you don’t usually hear. I have learned a number of tunes from him, including Frank Stamp, Tom Lakes, Sterling Castle and The Belfast Hornpipe. About a year ago, I composed a tune that I play on the accordion, but at the time I didn’t know what to call it. Then I thought to myself, what better way to say thank you, and to honour one of the best Newfoundland accordionists than by naming a tune after him – Frank Maher’s Tune. I look forward to many more years of performing with Frank and listening to his great accordion playing.”

Bill Garrett, The Producer - Musician, Record Producer and Partner in Borealis Records

“I first met Frank Maher while starting to work on a new Christina Smith and Jean Hewson CD last year. Frank came by the studio to play a set of tunes and I was of course, like others before me, floored by the man’s musicianship. Frank doesn’t just play a tune – he drives it. He’s a natural born musical leader and these types are not only fun to listen to, but as any player will tell you, they’re great fun to play with - fun because musicians like Frank are a breeze to follow. You just can’t lose the musical groove because their playing is so strong and well articulated.

While taking a break from recording Jean and Christina one day, we went for lunch at Auntie Crae’s. There was Frank with a group of excellent musicians playing up a storm, and most notably playing the mentor to a couple of young fellows in their teens. In this case, Frank was leading by example. I returned to Auntie Crae’s this summer and the young lads, now a year older and with another twelve months under their belt of absorbing so much good music, were playing spectacularly well.

One doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that Frank Maher is not only a first-class player of traditional Newfoundland music, but he is making sure that the tradition is being passed along to the next generation. Add to this that the man is as generous as the day is long and possesses a wit that is constantly on ten. Much to my amazement, he had never before recorded his own album. I contacted the Canada Council regarding the need to rectify the situation and happily they agreed to fund the project. We recorded Frank this past summer in St. John’s, accompanied in-studio by Jean Hewson, Christina Smith and Rick West - a collective known as The Mahers Bahers. The CD is loaded with great tunes and a few vocal gems and should be in stores by the time you read this article.”

Rick West, Band Mate – Bodhran Player, Maher’s Bahers and Auntie Crae Band Member, and Chauffeur Extraordinaire

“For my part, playing with Frank is like being in the company of a stand-up comic, a master of the anecdote, a loveable rogue and a skilled musician all rolled into one. His timing when delivering a tall tale or two is as dead-on as his box-playing, and spontaneous puns are as likely as his famous tap on the opposite shoulder of a (highly suspicious) friend. He is not beyond the odd practical joke (ask Stan!): shortly after I met Frank, when we were recording Snotty Var (1996), we had a gig at Folk Night when it was at the Blarney Stone on George Street. On the day of the gig, Frank went over to his neighbour's house and sent an unsigned email saying how much he loved traditional music but hated the bodhran and especially bodhran players. Possible physical harm was very definitely implied if a bodhran was seen at the Blarney that night and I was strongly advised to stay in the basement of my house - a very weird message to get, particularly as I hadn't been on stage much before. I didn't have a clue who this guy was and asked around to see if anyone recognised the name on the email address. Finally I called up Frank, who after a few minutes of playing innocent couldn't contain himself and allowed that it was himself amid considerable guffaws. I now call Frank first whenever anything strange happens."

Jean Hewson, Band Mate - Guitarist, Singer, Maher’s Bahers Band Member

Playing with Frank is like a good cardio-vascular workout. We start out at a medium pace, and then after a brief, ten-minute warm-up, Frank will generally go for the "burn." After several hours of brutally paced, high impact accordionobics, one would normally expect a "cool-down" period. Well, not with Frank leading the class! He just keeps playing at a thousand miles an hour, pausing only long enough to crack a joke or have a sip of Guinness. By the end of a session with Frank, I usually have an ice pack on my wrist, Christina Smith has ripped through half the hair on her bow, and Rick West has worn a hole in his bodhran. Frank generally looks as fresh as a daisy. Damn him!

Sally Goddard, Admirer – Audience member at Folk Night and Auntie Crae Aficionado

“I was listening to Frank long before I knew him, or even before I knew his name. Arriving in Newfoundland in 1987, the first spot I located was the Folk Club (then held at Bridget’s, and since at various spots round St. John’s on the way to The Ship). I would go there each week, sit in the darkened room with a beer and listen to all the amazing musicians that would turn up, play brilliantly, go and have a beer at the bar, and then wander off into the night. I didn’t know any names at first, but it didn’t take me long to find out that Frank’s name seemed to crop up everywhere that there was good traditional music (plus laughter and beer). Tunes are guaranteed to be musical when Frank is playing - often fast, always lyrical. I watched him at the LSPU Hall a while ago playing gentle harmonica to accompany Pamela Morgan. She sang Stealer of Hearts, and I was glad the theater was dark, because I was in tears - the music was so breathtakingly beautiful. At the Ship on Wednesday nights, if Frank is there the evening is guaranteed to lift the heart. When he plays, his music cheers you up, no matter what has gone down during the day. When he tells a joke you will laugh and probably tell someone else the same joke the next day (and you will be laughing harder than they will because you will be thinking of how Frank told it). And when he sits on stage with his silver locks flowing and the accordion going, he is the perfect ideal of the sailor come back from the sea - eye (and ear) candy for all us romantics in the audience.”

"There can't be too many people that go down to folk night at the Ship Pub on a Wednesday, that haven't been touched by Frank Maher's presence, warmth, humour and generosity...at least not on the shoulder anyway!"  - Andrew Lang