Fred Eaglesmith

Frederick John Elgersma (born July 9, 1957), known by the stage name Fred Eaglesmith, is a Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter.

Eaglesmith was one of nine children raised by a farming family in rural Southern Ontario. As a teenager, he hopped a freight train out to Western Canada, and began writing songs and performing.

Eaglesmith is known for writing songs about machines or vehicles, including songs about trains, tractors, trucks, cars, and engines. Rural life, dogs, guns, drinking and farming/ranching are other common themes. Many of his songs are about failing farms and small businesses. Eaglesmith's songs are populated with down and out characters dealing with loss of love or livelihood, and quirky rural folk. His songwriting uses many of the techniques of short-story writing, including unreliable narrators, surprise endings, and plot twists.

Eaglesmith's band is known as The Flying Squirrels or The Flathead Noodlers. Both bands have the same lineup, but play different styles. The Flathead Noodlers play bluegrass, while the Flying Squirrels play more folk and rock. An early incarnation of the band was known as The Smokin' Losers. When Eaglesmith does solo appearances he bills himself as Fred J. Eaglesmith.

His fans are known as Fredheads because of the similarities to deadheads.

He has appeared in several movies, including "The Gift" and "50 Odd Dollars."

In addition to his own albums, he frequently collaborated with the late Willie P. Bennett. Willie P. Bennett was a past member of Eaglesmith's band but had to step down after a heart attack in spring 2007.

In addition to the songs, a typical Fred Eaglesmith show includes several lengthy between-song comic monologues by Eaglesmith. Topics in the past have included stories about crossing the U.S./Canada border, Newfoundlanders, and some friends from an Indian reserve.

Eaglesmith is the owner and president of A Major Label, which publishes his records.

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