CRAFTSBURY – For many in the area, Linda and Bernie Lussier were the source of musical enjoyment and festivity for decades. Founding members of the Craftsbury Vibrations, their musical journeys began in the late fifties, the start of a decades long run of genre-spanning performances.
photo by Paul Fixx
“I started playing music in 1956 in Hardwick on the sidewalk in front of the school. From 7 to 8 p.m., we played four different weekends, then had to stop. The crowd got too big, so we moved it to Woodbury Water Tub,” wrote Bernie Lussier. When the cold weather came, he played at the Hardwick Inn for weddings and parties. Moving to Massachusetts in 1963, Lussier played with Bob Higgins and Ray Holly as the Vermont Country Boys, “I made it big there,” he wrote.
Coming home in 1966, Lussier began performing with Ronald Sanville in The Vipers the following year.
The late Linda Lussier’s first gig was with “The Five Beat Nicks” in 1958, playing live with her sisters and cousins on “Chuck Wagon Tales” with Zeb Lightfoot on WCAX television. She began singing and learning piano and guitar at the age of six, also playing trumpet for taps ceremonies. She worked diligently on music, “Without Linda, there would be no Craftsbury Vibrations. She was a musical genius,” her husband writes.
The duo played Christmas parties for the kids at church and school for about 10 years. They performed for the family reunion year after year. The couple played at the nursing home when they could. “We played everything.”
Linda and Bernie started playing with just the two of them in the Hardwick Legion. They moved to the larger area at the K of C Hall in Hardwick and started Craftsbury Vibrations. The original lineup for The Craftsbury Vibrations consisted of: Bernie Lussier, Linda Lussier, Roger Sanville and Bingham Marcier. Soon outgrowing the space, they went to Puss Royers Barn Dance in 1972 in Orleans with crowds up to 1,100. They moved again to Silver Ridge in Morrisville during the winter and Coles Pond Casino in Walden in the summer.
For 10 or 12 years, the band used these venues steadily before moving onto other venues. The Craftsbury Vibrations played in the Cobweb in Georgia, The Old Lantern in Charlotte, Jake’s Barn in Huntington, Barre Canadian Club, Montpelier Elks, Country Cousins, Derby Elks, Paul’s Sugar House in Derby, Wells River and Burlington VFW. They played at functions, political rallies like Senator Aiken’s retirement party and hundreds of weddings. The band played for the Cattlemen’s Association and during the summer they played on Craftsbury Common.
The Craftsbury Vibrations played Christmas parties in the U.S.A and Canada for the border patrols. They played a year in the U.S at the Derby Elks Club.
Linda Lussier took a brief hiatus from performing starting in 1989, suffering from migraines induced by the toll of playing so much. She would throw up from the pain caused by the headache, said Bernie.
David Rowell took over the Craftsbury Vibrations until Linda could perform again. While Linda was unable to perform, Bernie helped give a start to the New Vibrations and the Silver Wing Band, performing with both bands for about four years.
Bernie and Linda retired from Craftsbury Vibrations in 2015, and then played at churches and private parties until 2019. That year, the band reunited for their last shows, one on the common and one at the Highland Center for the Arts. “Linda was struggling with Alzheimer’s during the show but insisted on being on the stage,” wrote her husband.
All in all, the band played 761 unique songs with the Lussiers playing almost 100 more between the band, church music, playing at funerals and playing Christmas music.
Undoubtedly well earned, Bernie plans to apply for a Guinness Book of World Records listing in the near future.
Members over the years include Tony Washburn, fiddle; Gary Potter, drummer; Dave Rowell, singer and bass player; Larry Beaudry, lead guitar; Roger Sanville, bass player and singer; Ray Chaloux, lead guitar; Chip Sanville, drummer; Mark Washburn, drummer; Mike Yates, bass player; Sergio Torres, rhythm man and singer; Royce Miller, singer; Bill Kinzi, drummer; Gary Urie, drummer; Mason Urie, piano player; Ray Holly, drummer; Harry Blake, singer and rhythm man; André Pourtre, drummer; Quannah Dykes, lead singer and guitar player; Sammy Stratton, singer; Dave Allen, drummer; Brian Lamond, bass player and singer; Bingham Mercier, drummer; Tom Mekenna, steel guitar player; Larry Miller, singer and bass player; Dave Miclette, lead guitar player.
Special guests included Ron Sanville, promoter; Al Robarge, square dance caller; Lee Tabor, singer; Tracie Grimes, piano player and singer; Kelly Jones, singer and rhythm man; Willey Williams, lead guitar; Alice Kinzi, piano player; Becky Washburn, singer
John Royer, drummer; Debbie Miller, singer and piano player; Tim Bullard, bass player and singer; Natalie Allen, singer and Scott Campbell, fiddle player.
Linda and Bernie Lussier’s musical legacy is far reaching, spanning six decades. By the end of their career Bernie and Linda Lussier, along with Craftsbury Vibrations, played seven types of music: polkas; square dances; Paul Jones dances, where partners are frequently exchanged; country; rock and roll; pop and cha-chas.
Raymonda Parchment is a Hardwick Gazette reporter. She recently graduated from Vermont State University - Castleton with a Bachelor’s Degree in English. She is a strong supporter of freedom of speech, and the right to publish information, opinions, and ideas without censorship or restraint. She is a lifelong lover of the written word, and is excited to join the team as a staff member.
