Peter Appleyard

Peter Appleyard (born August 26 1928) is a Canadian Jazz vibraphonist.

In 1992, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in recognintion of his being an "internationally renowned vibraphonist [who] has represented the Canadian jazz community across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia". [1]

Peter Appleyard

[www.peterappleyardvibes.com]Although Peter Appleyard is acknowledged to be one of the world's five topvibraphonists, he actually started his musical career playing drums. Thiswas in his native England at the age of thirteen.

At the time, The Second World War was in progress and there was a biginflux of big American Band recordings, which introduced Appleyard to suchJazz greats as Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington and Count Basie.

Times were hard and Appleyard had to leave school and he becameapprenticed to a nautical instrument maker. Because of his interest inmusic, and his experience on drums and bugle he was accepted by the bandof the Boys Brigade, a youth organization. In the evenings he also playedwith local dance bands. Then, when he was seventeen, he auditioned forthe Mendelssohn's Hawaiian Serenaders. Appleyard got the job and wassoon on the road with one of the biggest dance bands in England. Hiscareer was now underway.

During a tour of duty with the Royal Air Force Appleyard was able to keep up with his music playing in the military band.

In 1951, while on his way to join a band in Bermuda, he stopped off at BopCity in New York. On the billboard, names included the George ShearingQuintet and the Lionel Hampton Big Band. Appleyard was thrilled, - thiswas his real music scene.

During his two years in Bermuda he spent his holidays in Canada and pickedup his first set of vibes. He was so impressed with Canada that, when thetime came to leave Bermuda the choice of anew home was easy - he headedfor Toronto. At first, unable to get a union card in Toronto, Appleyardworked as a room booking clerk at the King Edward Hotel as a salesman atSimpson's. All the while he was honing his musical skills.

His first musical job was at the Colonial with Bill O'Connor followed by astint with the Calvin Jackson Quartet at the park Plaza. This included togroup's weekly coast to coast CBC series "Jazz with Jackson".

In 1957, having become a Canadian citizen, Appleyard decided to form hisown quartet and it toured the major club circuits in Canada and the UnitedStates. he next year, he recorded his first Jazz LP "Anything Goes" forRCA Records.

An invitation to open at the Round Table Club in New York led to richopportunities for Appleyard and he was soon playing with such luminairesas Andre Previn, Steve Allen and the Dukes of Dixieland.In the late sixties, Appleyard returned to Toronto on a more permanentbasis and was soon playing once more at the Park Plaza Hotel. In additionhe began studying timpani and percussion and extended his musicalexpertise substantially. At the time he was doing many CBC televisionproductions.

Appleyard has been the leading percussionist with the CBC on both radioand television since 1960. He still plays for all the Wayne and ShusterShows and also for Anne Murray, Oscar Peterson, Gordon Lightfoot and manymajor television specials seen in Canada. His work with the CBCeventually led to his career with Benny Goodman.

Benny Goodman had been impressed with Appleyard's skills and invited himto join the Benny Goodman Sextet. Within the next eight years they hadplayed in most major concert halls in the world while touring Europe,Australia, the Middle East, Bermuda, Jamaica and behind the Iron Curtain.Working with this group gave Appleyard the opportunity working with someof the jazz "greats" such as Slam Stewart, Bucky Pizzarelli, Abe Most andButch Miles.

During his years with Goodman, Appleyard continued to live in Toronto andremained active in local fund raising activities for a number ofworthwhile causes.

Most of his NATO tours have been at his own expense. He has completedfour tours at bases in Europe and three tours in Cyprus and the Gaza Stripand has also performed for Canadian and American servicemen at the NorthPole Christmas Show in Greenland.

Appleyard has appeared as a guest soloist on every major Variety [sic] onboth sides of the border. He has appeared on shows hosted by JohnnyCarson and Dave Galloway. He appeared on the Arthur Godfrey Talent Showwhich he won.

In 1983 his big band album "Swing Fever" went "gold" with 50,000 records sold in Canada before going international.

In the past twenty years he has appeared at all major jazz international jazz festival. He has performed for many members of the British Royal family.

He has worked with Hagood Hardy, Maureen Forrester, Ella Fitzgerald, TonyBennett, Vera Lynn, Dinah Christie, Gordie Tapp, the Toronto Symphony, theR.C.M.P. Musical Ride, Walt Disney and Henry Manc ini, to name a few. Hehas recorded with Oscar Peterson on several occasions including the awardwinning "A Place To Stand".

Following the death of Benny Goodman, he formed the Benny Goodman TributeBand which is compromised of a number of Goodman alumni and some greatToronto musicians. Appleyard also is the leader of the "Swing FeverBand".

Although he has enjoyed a long and brilliant career to date, Appleyardlooks to the future with enthusiasm. He has no plans to retire to hisfarm outside Guelph, Ontario. While not on tour, Appleyard indulges inhis love of horses riding as often as he can.