The Newfoundland & Labrador Folk Festival would not be complete without Art Stoyles. To hear Art at his best, however, you need to join him at a kitchen party or with a small gathering of friends. Relaxing with a cup of Red Rose tea whitened with Carnation milk, and surrounded by fellow musicians, Art is able to harmonize, ornament and counterpoint like no other. His buttons magically paint sound with colour.

Art Stoyles was born in St. John's on May 7, 1942. He grew up on Gower Street, the seventh child of a family of eight boys and four girls, and still lives in the house of his birth with two of his brothers. His first musical instrument was a mouth organ, given to him when he was about three years old, by his older brother Gord. His real love was always the accordion; as a young child he would often borrow his older brother Melvin's. On his eighth birthday, his mother gave him his first accordion, a Hohner 4-stop; it wasn't long before he was displaying his prodigious talent regularly in the Bannerman Park bandstand, entertaining children and other park-goers. Art's early musical influences include traditional Newfoundland music and mainstream North American popular music, but most notably the music he learned from sailors of The Portuguese White Fleet(*). The Portuguese typically favoured the piano accordion, an instrument with much greater range and versatility than the button accordion. In trying to mimic their piano accordions, Art developed his unique playing style and learned many of the tunes, such as the Portuguese Waltzes, for which he is now renowned.

Art has performed with many bands during his musical career. His earliest bands were the Westerneers and the Country Blues Band, which played primarily country and western music. In the early 1970's, he played with the famous Figgy Duff band--brothers Noel and Phil Dinn, Pamela Morgan, Dave Panting and Kelly Russell--travelling with them throughout Canada, the USA and Ireland. Figgy Duff was influential in the revival of traditional folk music; one of Art's favourite memories from that time is playing with the Chieftains at Massey Hall in Toronto. Dave Panting says of Art: "We had a saying in The Duff that 'Art is life and life is Art'--to listen to him play is to experience humour, romance, longing and sheer joy. I would have to count Art well up there on the list of people who taught me my trade. He took me under his wing, proving to be a very patient and effective teacher with a never-ending enthusiasm for music that was contagious. It was nothing for him to practice eight or more hours at a stretch, fine-tuning his huge and eclectic repertoire."

In 1992, Art decided it was time to form his own band. With long-time friend Terry Thomson (fiddle), Len Penton (guitar & vocals), Gayle Tapper (harp) and Bob Rutherford (accordion), The Bannerman Park Band came to be. A notable feature of this band was its instruments: the two button accordions, harp, fiddle and guitar made a surprisingly successful musical combination. The many South American, Irish and other harp tunes Gayle played became part of Art's already extensive musical repertoire. When Gayle left to pursue other musical interests, Neil Rosenberg (mandolin and banjo) moved quickly to fill the void, and a touch of bluegrass was added.

The current Art Stoyles Band was formed two years ago. The importance of Art as the band's musical maestro and mentor is recognized in the name. In some ways, though, the band might more appropriately be called "The People-Who-Like-to-Play-With Art Band." The Art Stoyles Band is nominally Gayle Tapper, Hugh Scott (mandolin and vocals), Len Penton and Bob Rutherford. The band is frequently it is joined by other musicians who relish the inspiration and joy of playing with Art.

Although he knows every button on his accordion intimately, Art never stops exploring; he is always looking for new sounds. He will take a tune and work with it a thousand different ways. Art never ceases to surprise and amaze his fellow musicians. He is an undisputed master of the accordion. Art can play a tune a dozen times and play it differently every time or suddenly put a new musical twist into a tune that has become routine. Whenever he does this, a big, mischievous grin appears on his face.

Art decided at an early age that the accordion would be his life, and he has never wavered from it. Art's passion is music, and he is a friendly person who loves to have fun with good friends and good food. Art's amazing ear has captured the sounds he has heard growing up in St. John's; his music encapsulates the magic of this wonderful, cosmopolitan city.

(*)Portuguese White Fleet
Anyone over 40 from St. John's will be quite familiar with the White Fleet. Until the early 70's the Portuguese fishing fleet would leave Portugal for a season's voyage, or a campanha, to fish off the Grand Banks. The fleet was known as the White Fleet because all the ships were painted white. Many of the sailors in the fleet were fine musicians who brought their instruments ashore or played on the boats tied up in the harbour.

Want to hear more of Art Stoyles?
Although he has played for over fifty years, there are very few recordings of Art Stoyles. He can be heard playing the Portuguese Waltzes on the Pigeon Inlet production, All the Best; those who saw the movie Rare Birds heard these tunes on its sound track. He can be heard on Figgy Duff's A Retrospective. He plays some wonderful back-up music on Gayle Tapper's beautiful Here the Tides Flow. In 2001 he released a solo CD of Christmas tunes called Accordion Christmas.

Art is at his very best playing live. He is a frequent player at the Folk Club's open mic sessions at the Ship Inn Wednesday evenings. Alternatively you could invite him to perform at your own party.

If you would like to know when and where Art is performing or to be kept in formed about any future recordings please contact moonmusic@nfld.com .