![](http://www.michiganfiddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/coverscaled.jpg)
There are quite a few recordings of Patrick Bonner. Famous folklore collector Alan Lomax recorded Bonner — and in fact, one of his recordings was my first introduction to this fiddler. A link to the Lomax collection at the Library of Congress website is available through the Recordings page on this website.
The below picture shows Patrick Bonner and Alan Lomax together. Lomax did not necessarily record the fiddlers of greatest skill or renown while on his trip through Michigan and Wisconsin. Still, Bonner’s music is interesting because he represents a fiddler who learned from the first generation of Irish fiddlers on Beaver Island; Bonner was not necessarily a fiddler of remarkable skill, but he was a fiddler of remarkable connection to the past. Bonner was not an isolated fiddler; Beaver Island was a common shipping stop in the Great Lakes, a safe port and a source of wood for steamers. Bonner’s repertoire reflects this connection with other areas both in the United States and Canada. An aggressive fiddler used to playing for dancing, Bonner was an interesting character in a lot of ways. In the summer of 2010 I spoke with a musician on Beaver Island by the nickname of “Buck.” Buck is one of the last musicians living who played with Patrick Bonner, though Buck was young at the time. He related that Patrick Bonner had the tendency to rhyme considerably, even in normal conversation, and that he left a lot of the farm work to his wife. Bonner also worked other jobs, such as sailing.
![](http://www.michiganfiddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/bonnerlomax-1.jpg)
These recordings of Bonner were made originally by Edward “Edgar” O’Donnell in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Bonner was at this time a fairly elderly individual, and this must be kept in mind when listening to the music. The recordings were also home made, which must be kept in mind when hearing the quality of the recordings themselves. Edward O’Donnell’s sons Charlie and Joe continued the preservation process, and in 2008 Joe O’Donnell had the recordings digitized. Richard Marquis did the digitization. These recordings are presented here by permission of Joe O’Donnell.
The O’Donnell Recordings are divided up into four CDs, presented here in individual playlists. For a list of tracks, see the O’Donnell recording CD covers below. These track lists are inaccurate to an uncertain degree.
CD 1
- 1Track 10:14
- 2Track 21:59
- 3Track 30:04
- 4Track 41:55
- 5Track 50:08
- 6Track 60:09
- 7Track 72:42
- 8Track 80:05
- 9Track 91:16
- 10Track 100:04
- 11Track 120:49
- 12Track 130:09
- 13Track 142:05
- 14Track 150:09
- 15Track 161:42
- 16Track 170:06
- 17Track 182:35
- 18Track 190:24
- 19Track 203:28
- 20Track 210:06
- 21Track 222:33
- 22Track 230:07
- 23Track 242:01
- 24Track 250:18
- 25Track 261:40
- 26Track 270:53
- 27Track 283:35
- 28Track 290:10
- 29Track 309:05
- 30Track 310:18
CD 2
- 1Track 14:17
- 2Track 23:07
- 3Track 30:29
- 4Track 41:01
- 5Track 54:08
- 6Track 60:25
- 7Track 73:16
- 8Track 810:09
- 9Track 90:30
- 10Track 101:36
- 11Track 110:40
- 12Track 121:23
- 13Track 131:21
- 14Track 141:20
- 15Track 150:07
- 16Track 161:24
- 17Track 170:04
- 18Track 181:20
- 19Track 190:05
- 20Track 201:15
- 21Track 210:04
- 22Track 221:08
- 23Track 230:04
- 24Track 241:30
- 25Track 250:04
- 26Track 260:56
- 27Track 270:52
- 28Track 280:04
- 29Track 291:12
CD 3
- 1Track 10:06
- 2Track 22:32
- 3Track 30:04
- 4Track 42:52
- 5Track 50:06
- 6Track 62:50
- 7Track 70:04
- 8Track 83:01
- 9Track 90:04
- 10Track 102:52
- 11Track 110:04
- 12Track 122:53
- 13Track 130:05
- 14Track 142:15
- 15Track 150:04
- 16Track 163:07
- 17Track 172:44
- 18Track 180:04
- 19Track 194:02
- 20Track 200:12
- 21Track 215:41
- 22Track 221:05
- 23Track 230:06
- 24Track 243:33
- 25Track 250:06
- 26Track 261:44
- 27Track 271:16
- 28Track 280:04
CD 4
- 1Track 10:07
- 2Track 21:48
- 3Track 30:04
- 4Track 41:51
- 5Track 50:04
- 6Track 62:08
- 7Track 70:20
- 8Track 81:39
- 9Track 90:11
- 10Track 101:46
- 11Track 110:16
- 12Track 121:58
- 13Track 130:16
- 14Track 141:52
- 15Track 150:10
- 16Track 161:37
- 17Track 170:19
- 18Track 181:48
- 19Track 190:14
- 20Track 201:28
- 21Track 210:15
- 22Track 221:23
- 23Track 231:56
- 24Track 241:30
- 25Track 250:08
- 26Track 260:35
- 27Track 270:09
- 28Track 281:23
- 29Track 290:15
- 30Track 301:33
- 31Track 310:39
- 32Track 320:49
- 33Track 331:37
- 34Track 340:12
- 35Track 351:10
- 36Track 360:10
- 37Track 370:54
- 38Track 380:05
- 39Track 391:04
- 40Track 400:05
- 41Track 411:22
- 42Track 420:39
- 43Track 430:04
- 44Track 441:06
- 45Track 451:03
- 46Track 460:57
- 47Track 470:04
- 48Track 482:14
- 49Track 491:58