Emile Benoit was born on March 24, 1913, in the predominantly French-speaking community of Black Duck Brook on Newfoundland’s Port au Port Peninsula. Emile’s ancestry traces back to St. Malo, France, where his great-grandfather left to settle in Newfoundland as a fisherman. Emile was married at age 21 (later widowed with four children) and remarried at 37 with nine additional children. During these years, he also acquired the many additional skills required to live in rural Newfoundland, including being an accomplished fisherman, logger, carpenter, blacksmith, and doctor.

At 9, Emile fell in love with the fiddle. His grandfather, Henri, had been a good fiddler, and his father, Amedee, would imitate playing the fiddle using two pieces of kindling while singing the tunes. Emile adopted this method until three years later, when his persistence was rewarded, and he got his first fiddle, made for him by his Uncle Jean. With plenty of practice, eventually, he was competent enough to play for local times and weddings, which he continued to do throughout his life.

At 60, when most people are contemplating retirement, Emile embarked on his new career as a “professional” musician. As a renewed interest in Newfoundland culture and music took place in the early to mid-1970s, Emile became a central figure in the “folk revival.” He toured and performed with many younger musicians, most notably the world-renowned band Figgy Duff, with whom he recorded his third album, Vive La Rose, available from Amber Music. Emile’s first two albums were Emile’s Dream in 1979 and It Comes from the Heart in 1981, released on the Pigeon Inlet Productions label. Emile became a regular performer at festivals and clubs around Newfoundland. He traveled to major events across Canada and as far away as Louisiana, England, France, and Norway. He was a guest on radio and TV programs such as Peter Gzowski’s Ninety Minutes Live, Pistroli en Atlantique, and Jiggs Dinner. Emile received an Honorary Doctorate from Memorial University in St. John’s for his contribution to the rich cultural life of our Province, as well as The Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council Lifetime Achievement Award.

As well as being an accomplished fiddler and composer of tunes, Emile was also a great storyteller. He would regale his audience with humorous tales of how he came to compose many of his tunes Emile also knew many traditional folktales, which, if the occasion were right, he would tell with great enthusiasm. When Emile Benoit passed away on September 2, 1992, after a battle with cancer, he left behind a rich legacy of original and traditional music that will live on for many generations.