Birth name Eric Charles Edwards Years active 1938-2003 Genres Country Instruments Guitar Role Singer | Occupation(s) Singer Name Alberta Slim Origin Canada Labels RCA Victor Record label RCA Records | |
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Born February 2, 1910
Wiltshire, England ( 1910-02-02 ) Died November 26, 2005, Surrey, Canada Similar People Wilf Carter, Paul Brunelle, Emile Berliner, Don Messer, Stompin' Tom Connors | ||
Alberta slim when you play your last card
Alberta Slim (February 2, 1910 – November 26, 2005) was a Canadian country music singer.
Contents
Alberta slim tears of shame
Biography
Slim was born Eric Charles Edwards in Wiltshire, England, and emigrated with his family to Canada as a child. He was a hobo during the Great Depression, riding the railroads and playing on street corners as a guitarist and yodeler. He played in an amateur talent show at Regina station CKCK; soon after, in 1938, he was offered a job singing there. After this he held radio spots at CFQC in Saskatoon from 1940 to 1944, and then on Regina's CKRM from 1945 to 1947.
Slim started a traveling circus in the 1940s which included an elephant who could play harmonica, a singing dog, a chimpanzee on a bicycle, and a horse which Slim claimed could see the future. In 1949, he had his first hit on record, "When It's Apple Blossom Time in Annapolis Valley", released on Gavotte Records. Later, RCA Victor signed him and released songs such as "Waltz Evelina Waltz", "You Say I'm a Fool", "My Annapolis Valley Home", and "It's Too Late to Care".
After his career ended, he got a job in British Columbia selling real estate. In 1997, he was asked to perform again at the Vancouver Folk Festival. He continued to perform until he was 93. He died in 2005 at the age of 95 in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.