Omar ('Sagebrush Sam') Blondahl. Folksinger, guitarist, born Wynyard, east of Saskatoon, of Icelandic parents, 6 Feb 1923, died St. John, NL, 11 Dec 1993. He studied piano and violin in his youth, and voice later in Winnipeg. Taking the name 'Sagebrush Sam' ca 1944, he sang country music on radio throughout western Canada until 1951, then worked as a folksinger 1951-3 in Hollywood, Cal. He lived 1955-64 in St John's, Nfld, where he developed a repertoire of island folk songs, some he collected himself. Adopting a Newfoundland accent and employing a simple vocal and guitar style, Blondahl performed locally and, in broadcasts from Halifax and Toronto, on national radio and TV, popularizing Newfoundland songs throughout Canada. Under his own name and as 'Sagebrush Sam' he made several LPs of Newfoundland material during this period (those for Rodeo, Arc, and Melbourne are listed in Michael Taft's A Regional Discography of Newfoundland and Labrador 1904-1972, St John's 1975). He also edited Newfoundlanders Sing!: A Collection of Favorite Newfoundland Folk Songs (St. John's 1964). Blondahl subsequently lived in the Arctic and in 1979 settled in Vancouver.
-
- MLA 8TH EDITION
- . "Omar Blondahl". The Canadian Encyclopedia, 20 January 2014, Historica Canada. www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/blondahl-omar-emc. Accessed 06 October 2024.
- Copy
-
- APA 6TH EDITION
- (2014). Omar Blondahl. In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/blondahl-omar-emc
- Copy
-
- CHICAGO 17TH EDITION
- . "Omar Blondahl." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published October 14, 2012; Last Edited January 20, 2014.
- Copy
-
- TURABIAN 8TH EDITION
- The Canadian Encyclopedia, s.v. "Omar Blondahl," by , Accessed October 06, 2024, https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/blondahl-omar-emc
- Copy
Thank you for your submission
Our team will be reviewing your submission
and get back to you with any further questions.
Thanks for contributing to The Canadian Encyclopedia.
CloseArticle
Omar Blondahl
Published Online October 14, 2012
Last Edited January 20, 2014
Omar ('Sagebrush Sam') Blondahl. Folksinger, guitarist, born Wynyard, east of Saskatoon, of Icelandic parents, 6 Feb 1923, died St. John, NL, 11 Dec 1993. He studied piano and violin in his youth, and voice later in Winnipeg.