The Fridge Full of Empties was formed late one night at the Alexandria Curling Club during the winter of 2004. Mark Hall picked up his guitar, started playing, and Paul Villeneuve began singing—and that marked the beginning of a friendship that soon developed into Glengarry’s very own Fridge Full of Empties. Of course, accordion virtuoso Nelson MacPherson was there from the very beginning. With his incredible talent and calm demeanour, Nelson’s wealth of stage experience was a perfect fit for this trio.
Today, the band is rounded out by Andrew Munro (guitar and pipes), the extraordinary fiddle player Kelsey (McDonell) Duval, and Georges Levere (bass). Over the years, many talented Glengarry musicians have shared the stage with the band. These include Glengarry Celtic Music Hall of Fame inductees Paddy Kelly, Gerry O’Neill, Jackie Smith, Ashley MacLeod-McRae, and the Caddells. Other local musicians, such as Koryne Fraser, Neil Emberg, Ewen McIntosh, Pat Maher, and Brendan Kelly, have also performed with the band on various occasions.
Few in Glengarry have not been entertained by the Fridge Full of Empties. The band has delighted Celtic music lovers in Glengarry and beyond for the past 20 years. Whether you enjoy lively, up-tempo tunes or ballads with strong harmonies, the band never disappoints.
In 2009, they released a CD of traditional Celtic music titled Freezer Full of Tunes, dedicated to the memory of Jackie Smith.
The Fridge Full of Empties is always generous with their time and talent, frequently performing at fundraisers and community events. In Glengarry, these have included the RCMP Musical Ride in Maxville, the Julie MacLachlan Foundation event in Williamstown, the Historical Society of Dalkeith, the Walk for Alzheimer’s, Maxville Manor, the Glengarry Memorial Hospital Fundraiser in Alexandria, and the Galarama in St. Raphael’s. They have also performed at countless weddings, anniversaries, and private events throughout Glengarry County and beyond, as well as at bonspiels and events at the Glengarry, Lancaster, Vankleek Hill, and Alexandria curling clubs. They always play to capacity crowds at the Glengarry Highland Games.
Further afield, they have been invited to perform many times at the annual ALS Kickoff in Ottawa, at the Ontario Good Roads Association Conference in Toronto, and, back in the day, as mainstays of the St. Patrick’s Day event in Douglas, Renfrew County.
People of all ages enjoy their music, and through their performances, the Fridge Full of Empties is helping to ensure that traditional Celtic music will live on in Glengarry for generations to come.
