Hank Fisher, (born 1954) more commonly known as Washboard Hank is a Canadian musician,[1] songwriter[2][3][4] and stage performer. He was born in Peterborough, Ontario in 1954. He plays a number of instruments, including banjo,[5] guitar[6] and percussion. He is known for his unusual performances with self-created instruments.[7] In 2016 he performed with his band, the Wringers.
Fisher is a regular performer at children's events, including the Peterborough Folk Festival. He creates and plays improvised instruments,[8][9] including his "signature" washboard.[10] and kitchen sink tuba. He sings humorous traditional tunes such as "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More"[11] as well as his own compositions.
Career
Washboard Hank with his one-man band equipment, including his signature washboard.
In the 1980s, Fisher performed with Reverend Ken (Ramsden) and the Lost Followers; after Ramsden left, the group became Washboard Hank and the Honkers. In 1989 Fisher began co-hosting a show, "The Country Cousins" on Peterborough's Trent Radio. The show was aired for more than 20 years.[12]
In the 1990s, he performed for four years as a percussionist with Fred Eaglesmith and the Flying Squirrels,[13][10][7] recording on his album 50-Odd Dollars.[14]
In 2001, Fisher provided the music for an agitprop play, Where's the Care?, created by the group Ground Zero to protest cutbacks in healthcare services in Ontario.[15] He also performed a lead role in the independent short film, Rigoletto... in Bluegrass in 2006.
He has toured with the Country Squires,[16] and he also fronted his own band, the Gravestone Lickers.[10]
Fisher performed on an Adventure Canada cruise ship to Greenland.[17] He also played locally with Catfish Willie and the Buckle Busters.[18]
In 2012, Fisher performed at the Alianait Arts Festival in Iqaluit, Nunavut.[19]
