b: December 18, 1904, in Port Hilford, Nova Scotia.
d: December 5, 1996, in Scotsdale, Arizona
Inspired at an early age by a yodeler who was passing through his hometown, Carter began to practice his technique and soon discovered his own unique "three-in-one" or "echo" yodel. Carter worked as a lumber worker in the woods of West Leichester, Nova Scotia eventually moving on to the Alberta grain fields in 1923.
While out west he began singing at local dances and in 1929 he went to a Calgary radio station to audition as a performer on live radio broadcasts. Management saw potential in the "green" musician and told him to return in a year after gaining some experience. Carter's own determination saw him return the following year -- but auditioned for a different radio station, CFCN, where he was hired to sing on their Friday night hoedowns called 'The Old Timers'.
Fan mail began to arrive at the radio station and Carter soon became one of the station's most prized entertainers. On one fateful occasion Carter was approached by a Brewster Transport Company executive and signed on as part of the company's entertainment team for the Canadian Pacific Railways' trail rides through the Rockies. For several years Carter accompanied the trail riders on their summer packing trips. At night, they would sit around the campfire and listen to Wilf tell stories, sing, and yodel.
On a trip through Montreal Carater auditioned for RCA. He sang two original compositions, "Swiss Moonlight Lullaby" and "The Capture Of Albert Johnson". It was some time later while back on the trail rides that Carter was able to touch base with RCA and soon discovered that his audition was being prepared for release as a 78 RPM single. In 1933 the song became a huge hit, despite the advent of the Depression.
Things soon started to roll as Carter met a gentleman on the trail rides who introduced him to New York executives at NBC and CBS where, after 15 minutes of singing and yodelling, he was offered a contract to star in his own show -- The Wilf Carter Show.
Some time later, a New York secretary who was typing the lyrics to his song "A Cowboy's High - Toned Dance" at the publishing house that bought Carter's songs, asked him "What name do I put on it?". "Anyone'll do", replied Carter. The young woman typed Montana Slim as the author and Wilf Carter soon became an American singing legend under that name.
In 1937 Carter left New York and bought a ranch near Calgary. He appeared regularly on both American and Canadian network radio, but in 1940 he sustained a severe back injury in an automobile accident and retired from touring until 1949. At this time he sold the ranch in Calgary and bought a 180 acre farm in New Jersey, resumed his CBS show and went back on the road.
In 1952, Carter relocated his family to Orlando, Florida where he opened the Wilf Carter Motor Lodge -- though that operation only lasted two years. Also in the early 1950s Wilf incorporated his daughters into his act he now dubbed "The Family Show With The Folks You Know" to sing and dance. They toured Australia in 1953.
He remained one of the nation's most popular country entertainers through the '60s but as the years went by, he began limiting his appearances to about 20 a year. He played at the Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show in 1964 and returned many times over the years. He was made one of the Stampede's parade marshals in 1984.
Carter was made Honourary Chief of the Stony Indian Tribe as well as Honourary Citizen of both Winnipeg and Tennessee.
Carter retired from performing in 1988 due to poor hearing. He died in 1996 just short of his 92nd birthday in Scotsdale, Arizona of a stomach tumor. Though his wife died in 1989, Carter was survived by two daughter, Sheila and Carol Sue.
Singles
1933 Swiss Moonlight Lullaby/The Capture Of Albert Johnson (RCA)
Albums
Video
Compilation Tracks
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