Joseph Allard

Joseph Allard (February 1, 1873 – November 14, 1947) was a Canadian fiddler and composer. He occasionally recorded under the pseudonym Maxime Toupin. Allard made many popular recordings, including Reel de l'Aveugle, Reel de Chateauguay, Reel de Jacques Cartier, and Reel du voyageur. During most of his life he was rarely in the public eye, and worked much of his life as a fisherman. After his recordings became popular, he was known as The Prince of Fiddlers. Allard's birthplace is reported both as 1 February 1873 in Woodland, Maine and as 1 July 1873 in Châteauguay, Quebec. His family was living in Quebec when he was quite young. Allard's father was a violoneux, and when Allard reached the age of nine he was instructed in fiddling....