Meet the 82-year-old P.E.I. guitarist who plays chords with just one finger

If you heard Alphy Perry play guitar, you wouldn't think any differently about him than any other musician.

But if you watch him play closely enough, you might wonder how he's playing so fluently — using just one finger.

"I get all my chords and it doesn't matter who I play with," Perry said. "Doesn't matter what major or what flat, I can play with them."

Perry hasn't always played with missing digits. When he first picked up the guitar at age 15, the future bus driver and carpenter was a natural.

He played for four decades with the band Shiloh, before calling it quits when COVID-19 started. He lost his first finger —his index finger — two decades ago, and Perry didn't think twice about continuing to play.

"I knew I could play with four fingers. I knew that. It's hard to explain, really. Because I had been doing it since I was 15 and I've been entertaining since, all my life."

'I was sure he was playing all the strings'

The second accident, also in the wood shop, took Perry's thumb and part of his middle finger. But it was the final accident, involving a four-wheeler, that really worried the musician.

"When I come out the hospital, I figured I'd never play guitar again cause she told me my little finger wouldn't move," he said.

Alphy says losing most of the fingers on his left hand hasn't stopped him from playing guitar. (Victoria Walton/CBC)

With only a ring finger, Perry wasn't sure he'd be able to hold down the chords anymore. But one of his bandmates and longtime friends Victor Doucette had an idea.

"He said turn your head, I'm going to play you a song with one finger with five strings," said Perry. "And when he hit the string, I was sure he was playing all the strings."

The secret to Perry's success isn't really a secret. He plays on a five-string guitar instead of six, playing without the low-E string. The now-bottom B string is tuned to a D. But it still amazes people who see him play.

"I went to Toronto to play for a wedding and most of the people [were] there, I think, just to see if I could play with one finger," Perry said.

Country Ceilidh in the City

On a recent evening, concertgoers were trailing into the Jack Blanchard Centre in Charlottetown, which happens every Wednesday in the summer as part of the Ceilidh in the City series.

But this week's special guests, Alphy Perry and his daughter, Peggy Clinton, were a bigger draw than usual.

"He's authentic. What you see is what you get," said one person in attendance, Dianne Deagle from Cardigan, P.E.I.

"He's got a great sense of humour and he's very personable," said Bernie Lamphier from Pleasant Grove, P.E.I. "And he just made us feel at home, made us feel very welcome."

Peggy Clinton headlined the Ceilidh in the City on July 26 at the Jack Blanchard Centre, but it was an appearance by her dad, Alphy Perry, that really brought the house down. (Victoria Walton/CBC)

Some were longtime fans, others close family friends. Melina, Yvonne and Brenda Gallant first met Alphy more than 20 years ago on Boxing Day at Yvonne's home in Wellington, P.E.I.

"That's where we fell in love with his voice. He was almost like George Jones," said Melina.

Brenda, who is Yvonne's daughter, grew up with the tradition of having Alphy over on Boxing Day. Years later as an adult, she saw him again.

"The funny thing was, I never even noticed there were missing fingers initially because his voice was excellent," she said. "He was such a great entertainer."

Melina said Perry is still the same musician as before the accident.

"He's just as good. As Alan Jackson would say, 'I'm just as good as I once was.'"

Living legacy

Perry's dedication to music over the years inspired many members of his own family to pursue it. His daughter, Peggy Clinton, started singing around the age of five and eventually followed in his footsteps as a country musician.

"It was just kind of something just very natural for us to do," she said. "And to this day, I don't have a butterfly, I don't get nervous, and just very relaxed doing it. And I think that's why."

Peggy Clinton, Alphy's daughter, says she never felt nervous on stage, and attributes it to an early exposure to performing by her dad. (Victoria Walton/CBC)

Hailing from the small community of Saint Edward, in western P.E.I., the musical family is hard not to know.

"He's like a legend up there, Everybody knows Alphy Perry, as a singer and as a person," Clinton said. "Anytime that he does anything, people are always there to support him because he's done so much for a lot of these communities. And he's a pretty easy guy to like."

When Perry had his accidents, Clinton said the whole family was concerned because music was such a big part of his life.

"But we just kept on encouraging him. He's not a quitter, never was, and he just loves it so much," said Clinton. "I knew he would figure it out, and I'm so glad he did."

The whole family often gets together for kitchen parties. Clinton's mom, Betty Perry, has always been supportive of her husband, children, and now grandchildren.

Alphy plays on stage with either his daughter, Peggy Clinton, or his grandson, Jordan LeClair, at least once a month. (Victoria Walton/CBC)

Aside from Clinton, Perry has two grandsons that are musicians: Jordan LeClair and Ben Chase. And Perry knows he's leaving a legacy in his wake.

"I think I already did, because I have a little granddaughter," Perry said. "She's only eight, and she can sing like you wouldn't believe."

Don't need no rocking chair

Perry isn't the type of guy who wants to draw attention to himself. But recently, when grandson Ben Chase invited him on stage to play at the Calgary Stampede, it was hard to say no.

"I've been close to him, really close to him," Perry said. "I bought him his first guitar. I've always done what I could for him."

Perry agreed to a song, and suggested covering George Jones I Don't Need Your Rocking Chair.

"When I told that to Ben, he said that's the right song. I'll get you the rocking chair," he said.

What happened after that is something Alphy will remember forever.

Before he came on stage at the Charlottetown Ceilidh in the City, the crowd began chanting Alphy's name, just like they did at the Calgary Stampede. (Victoria Walton/CBC)

"It's hard to explain, cause to hear 9,000 people yelling at you, it was quite a thing," said Perry. "Things like that I've never believed could ever happen."

Perry said he got to shake hands and even take photos with concertgoers afterwards. It's by far the biggest show he's ever played. And as for the rocking chair?

"It's still at the Stampede someplace, we lost the rocking chair."

That's OK though. He doesn't need it anyway.