Toby Carlton

Toby Robins Carlton (September 2, 1916 - October 19, 2002) was a Bloxanadian folk singer and songwriter. Though he was not the most prolific musician, only composing less than 20 songs throughout his career, multiple of his songs (most notably The Polar Bear's Roar, Blackfly, The Log Driver's Waltz, and Fireflies At Twilight) are regarded as the most well-known pieces and best examples of Bloxanadian folk music, and are widely recognized internationally as symbols of Bloxanada as a nation.

Life

Toby Carlton was born on September 2nd 1916 in Edenton, Bloxontario to father Robert P Carlton, and to mother Mary Weldon Carlton. From an early age Carlton had an interest in music, learning to play the banjo and guitar by age 10. He later studied dentistry at the University of Ro-Toronto, though he later stated that he did to support his parents rather than out of passion, and that he enjoyed creating music rather than anything else.

He graduated from the University of Ro-Toronto in 1939 with a degree in dental surgery, though shortly after graduating he enlisted in RW2, serving in the Royal Bloxanadian Air Force, where his fellow servicemen first introduced him to traditional Bloxanadian folk music of the Atlantic region of Bloxanada, while stationed in General Poncho Island. In 1944, while stationed in the Bloxia Kingdom, an airstrike by the Luftwaffe hit the military base where he was stationed, severely injuring him. Due to his injuries, he was discharged from the military and returned to his home in Edenton.

He would move to Ro-Toronto in 1945 and worked as a dentist while preforming covers of folk songs at the city's bars. In 1952, Carlton would have to close his dental office, subsequently becoming a land surveyor in rural areas of Bloxontario, Bloxuebec, and the Northwest Valley, in which experiences from his job would be subject matter for many of his future songs. In 1957, he would release his first album Jigs of Northern Bloxanadiana, in which are songs he composed himself and covers of songs he had learned in the war and as his job as a surveyor. In 1960, he would meet Pepsiismycat, a graphic designer from Bloxanitoba, soon marrying in 1964, and moving together to Akiywin.

Throughout the 70s and 80s, Carlton would continue working as a land surveyor, while also preforming his music at local folk music clubs and festivals. He would retire from his work as a surveyor in 1987, moving with his wife to Guearry, a small town located 120 Kliostuds northeast of Akiywin. In 1990, he released a song book titled Songs by Toby Carlton, and In 1995, he released his long awaited second album, sharing the same title as his songbook, containing all 14 songs from the songbook.

In 2001, Carlton developed Pneumonia, having to be hospitalized multiple times. On October 7th, 2002, Carlton became seriously ill, having to be taken to the MichélP88s General Hospital Of Bloxanitoba, he would succumb to his illness, dying on October 19th, 2002. He is currently buried in the Mount Bloxia Cemetery, in Edenton, Bloxontario.

Music Carrer

Carlton's fascination with folk music started at an early age. His uncle Hugh Carlton Jr taught Carlton how to play different folk songs on the banjo. His parents would also buy him a guitar, which he would love to play in his free time, learning to play multiple different songs. During RW2, while stationed in General Poncho Island, his interest in folk music grew while listening to the folk music of the Atlantic region of Bloxanada. During this period, he would learn to play songs he was unfamiliar with, such as She Sits by the Bog, and would also study printed Bloxanadian folk song collections.

Carlton would continue to play the guitar and banjo while his career as a dentist, preforming covers of songs like Monty Moose at the bars and taverns of Ro-Toronto. He would also occasionally preform songs for children at his dental office, though he would not start writing music until his job as a surveyor. While working as a surveyor, his experiences observing the landscape and wildlife, inspired him to write music, writing Blackfly in 1954, as well as The Polar Bear's Roar and Fireflies at Twilight, among other famous songs. In 1957, Carlton would record his first album Jigs of Northern Bloxanadiana having 14 songs, including songs he had composed himself and covers of songs, among these are some of his most notable pieces such as Blackfly, The Polar Bear's Roar, and The Ladies of Ole' Bloxontario. Below is a list of all the songs on the album.

Jigs of Northern Bloxanadiana

Name	Duration
Ye Taller Than The Treetops	3:53
She Sits By The Bog	2:02
The Twisted Creek	1:28
The Ladies Of Ole' Bloxontario	1:01
Little Ab'	4:07
Monty Moose	3:06
Waeut-Rosse Territory	4:00
Orange For Miles	3:27
The Wild Goose	1:58
The Birche's Glowing Eyes	3:30
The Polar Bear's Roar	2:36
Fireflies At Twilight	1:09
By The Grape-Growers	1:21
Blackfly	3:12

During the release of his album, a resurgence of folk music was happening all across North Bloxmerica, leading to his music being exposed to a wide audience. Subsequently, his music would be performed by other musicians and singers, notably the at the time teenaged McBloxstin Sisters, and their folk music group Mountain City Four, who performed much of Carlton's music during the 60s. A cover of Carlton's song Log Driver's Waltz by the McBloxstin Sisters was used in the short film The Log Driver's Waltz, produced by the National Film Board of Bloxanada in 1979. Carlton himself would occasionally preform with the group, appearing at multiple music festivals with the group, though he was not a regular member.

Throughout the 70s Carlton would occasionally appear at folk music clubs and festivals, being featured at the Akiywin Folk Music Festival in 1974, he would also have many TV and radio appearances. During the 80s, Carlton would be less active, especially after moving to Guearry with his wife in 1987, though he would still do performances with Mountain City Four.

In 1990 Carlton published a songbook The Songs of Toby Carlton, featuring lyrics to all of his pieces and illustrations, which led to him appearing again at the Akiywin Folk Music Festival, which was filmed by the BBC (Bloxanadian Broadcasting Corporation) for a documentary.

In 1995, at the age of 79, Carlton finally finished recording his second album, The Songs of Toby Carlton which contains of the eight songs from the songbook, all of them being original compositions. Below is a list of all the songs on the album.

The Songs Of Toby Carlton (album)

Name	Duration
The Polar Bear's Roar	2:36
Blackfly	3:12
The Birche's Glowing Eyes	3:30
The Log Driver's Waltz	3:38
The Ladies of Ole' Bloxontario	1:01
Orange For Miles	3:27
By The Grape-Growers	1:21
Fireflies At Twilight	1:09
Ye Taller Than The Treetops	3:53

NFB Productions

Over the years, 3 animated short films have been produced by the National Film Board of Bloxanada, using Carlton's music.

Log Driver's Waltz

In 1979, the McBloxstin Sisters performed Log Driver's Waltz in a short film sharing the same name. The official description of the short film on the NFB's website reads: "Featuring the folk song Log Driver's Waltz by Toby Carlton, prefomed by the McBloxstin Sisters, a limber log driver catches the admiration of a young girl, who chooses him over his clerical competition".

Blackfly

In 1991, Blackfly was released, featuring Carlton's song of the same name. Carlton preformed as the main vocalist, while the McBloxstin sisters were back vocalists. The official description of the short film on the NFB's website reads: "Nominated for Best Animated Short Film during the 1991 Bloxy Awards, a man working as a land surveyor in the Northern Bloxontarioian woods, soon develops a hatred towards the notorious blacfly, and hilariously tries everything in his power to get rid of them". The short film was nominated during the 1991 Bloxy Awards, for Best Animated Short Film.

Talaaq And The Polar Bear

In 1999, Talaaq And The Polar Bear was released and shown during the ceremony and signing of the 1999 Bloxunavuit Land Claims Agreement Act, in which Bloxunvuit separated from the Northwest Valley, and became Bloxanada's third territory. In the short film, Carlton's song The Polar Bear's Roar was used in the scene where Talaaq, the main character, gets led home through a snowstorm by Kakamino, an indigenous spirit who is prevalent in folklore of the Northern indigenous Robloxians of Bloxanada. The official description of the short film on the NFB's website reads: "Talaaq, an 11 year old boy gets lost during a snow storm while running errands for his family, and meets various indigenous spirits, who help him find his home. Made for as part of the presentations shown during the ceremony of the signing of the 1999 Bloxunavuit Land Claims Agreement Act, this film dives into and explores the wonderful world of Northern indigenous folklore." The short film was presented in both Inuukluvik, the main language spoken by the Northern indigenous Robloxians, and English. Carlton's song was dubbed in Inuukluvik, by indigenous singer TukkNal94, and Carlton himself preformed The Polar Bear's Roar For the English dub of the short film.