Here is sheet music for a composition from button accordionist Adélard Thomassin of Sillery, Québec, who passed away June 4, 2015 at the age of 88. Mr. Thomassin took up the accordion at an early age and was playing in his own band by the age of 17. He played with many of Quebec City’s best-known traditional music groups, including Gerard Trudel’s orchestra (38 years with them!), L’ordre du Bon Temps, and Le Groupe sans Âge. In addition to playing extensively on radio, television, and festival stages, Adélard also accompanied several folk dance troupes such as La Parenté and Les Danseurs folkloriques du Madawaska. I had the pleasure of playing with Mr. Thomassin as an accompanist for the folk dance troupe La Parenté in 1980 and 1981. He was an extremely nice, gregarious man who got along with everyone, and a lovely player with a spritely touch and a vivid musical imagination which led him to compose many tunes, including Le Reel du bonhomie. The Quebec Band Lab band at did a bang-up version of this tune at the 2015 Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, completely with a descant brass section, snare, and step-dancing. Adélard would have been tickled!

Reel du bonhomme (sheet music, pdf file)[wpdm_file id=452]