Ian & Sylvia

Folk-pop, Americana, country-rock, singer-songwriter

Fans of other folk duos like Simon & Garfunkel and classic folk-pop artists like the Weavers and Peter, Paul and Mary may appreciate the work of Ian Tyson (and Ian & Sylvia).

Ian & Sylvia (Vanguard 1962) Compare prices

Play One More (Vanguard 1966) Compare prices

"Four Strong Winds"
"Early Morning Rain"
"Circle Game"

Ian Tyson was born in Victoria, B.C., Canada, in 1933. Growing up, his dream was to be a rodeo rider. But, after falling off the horse and getting injured, he took up guitar while he was recovering. Soon after, he moved to Ontario and started playing music in coffeehouses around Toronto. There, he met Sylvia Fricker (whom he would eventually marry). Fricker was born in Chatham, ONT, in 1940, and grew up making music. She started performing when she was a teenager in Toronto.

Together, the young lovers recorded a folk album for Vanguard in 1962. The disc was successful enough to land them a slot on the very popular Newport Folk Festival lineup for the summer of 1963. Though that first self-titled album was mostly traditional songs, its follow-up included compositions by Ian.

By the end of the 1960s, the duo had moved to Nashville and helped to pioneer the country- and folk-rock movement. They started a country-rock band called Great Speckled Bird and set off on tour before making their final two albums as Ian & Sylvia in 1971 and '72, respectively.

Ian & Sylvia stopped touring together in 1975, and divorced soon after splitting their musical careers. Both have pursued solo projects, and have been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Ian has released 13 solo albums, and Sylvia has released nine on her own. She was named Country Female Vocalist of the Year at the 1987 Juno Awards.