Sylvia reprises her first song at the 50th Anniversary of Gerde’s Folk City in NYC

Sylvia Tyson was half of Canada’s most popular folk duo, Ian and Sylvia. Born Sylvia Fricker in Chatham Ontario in 1940, she met Ian Tyson in 1959. Ian Tyson was a laid up cowboy when they started performing together in folk clubs in Toronto. They moved to NYC in 1962 in the middle of the folk boom.

Albert Grossman, who managed Peter Paul and Mary, took over their management and signed them to Vanguard Records. Their first album was almost lost in the crowded folk market.

It was the song and album Four Strong Winds that made them a hit and famous. November 22, 1963 I brought Four Strong Winds home from Eatons to review it. In the store they had the JFK shooting on the television. My review of Four Strong Winds , my first record review, had to wait another 2 weeks while the world got over the shock of Kennedy’s assassination.

Ian and Sylvia got married in 1964 and later had a son Clay, who was the inspiration for the song Mr. Spoons.

By 1965 the Folk Boom was petering out. Ian and Sylvia moved their sound to Nashville which was a natural for them. They had both been raised on Country and Western.

Later they electrified the sound and formed the Great Speckled Bird, an early folk rock group. They never got any notoriety again except among loyal fans.

Sylvia was a regular Ian’s Ian Tyson Show. When the show ended in 1975, they stopped performing together and divorced.

He went back to the ranch life in Alberta. She continued to perform and produce music in and around Toronto, Ontario.

Ian’s Four Strong Winds and their performance of the song are considered the most popular Canadian song. (Sorry Anne Murray)

Here are Ian and Sylvia at a reunion singing You Were On My Mind.