Easy Pickins

Claude Plamondon: Guitar and Vocal
Music has always been a big part of Claude’s life. From a young age Claude was influenced by his father who played guitar and his uncle who played fiddle at many family’s get togethers. At the age of 15, Claude got his first steady gig playing in a band called The Flyers at a bar in Quebec. For many years he played with Village, a band that was quite popular in the Cornwall area. In his twenties, Claude met Bob Flynn from Virginia and together they formed a duo, which toured in the States and Ontario. Bob & Claude were featured on CBC radio and were well-known entertainment in the Ottawa area for more than ten years.
1n 1990 Claude married and moved to Japan for two years where he played with the Thirty Grass Boys, a Japanese Blue Grass Band. His time in Japan was musically productive and saw Claude compose and record a number of original songs.
After returning from Japan, Claude settled in Dundela with his wife, and started raising a family. He met Jeanne Ward in the late 90’s and the band Easy Pickins was formed.
Some of Claude’s musical influences include Pink Floyd (David Gilmour in particular), John Prine and Chet Atkins.

Jeanne Ward: Guitar and Vocal
Originally from Ottawa, Jeanne has been living in Morrisburg for about 20 years.
As Easy Pickins Jeanne Ward and Claude Plamondon have been playing locally and beyond for longer than ten years. They have performed at The BRANCH in Kemptville, RASPUTINS in Ottawa among many other places. You can always find them at the Morrisburg and Iroquois celebrations of Canada Day. Benefits and fundraisers are always venues that appeal to them.

Jeanne’s songwriting influences include Joni Mitchell, Lynn Miles and Patti Griffin and recently has been listening to Dallas Green. Vocal harmonies are what Jeanne loves best. She enjoys accompanying other artists with vocals and percussion whenever she gets the chance. When you don’t see her promoting the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage, you can find her down by the river from spring till fall with the Morrisburg Community Drumming group on Monday nights.

Claude Clement: Bass Guitar and Vocal
Claude Clement was born and raised in Cornwall Ontario. He started playing guitar at age 11. Most of the guitar players on his street were taught by Vincent Plamondon, Claude Plamondon (Plum’s) father. Claude Clement started playing bass at age 13. “There were too many guitar players...in high school… Plum was starting a band...there were no bass players ...I volunteered...the rest is history.” Their group was called VILLAGE and it was made up of Cornwall local musicians Plum (Claude Plamondon) Gerry Leduc, Paul Giroux, Bernie Tessier, John Jarvo and Claude Clement on bass.

Today Claude does most of his playing as a member of Cornwall's BUTLERS, made up of founding member Bob Bazinet, George Charron, Claude Clement and Larry Sylvain. Claude is a big fan of The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Chicago, The Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan.

Of EASY PICKINS Claude says: “It’s a real pleasure to play along side of Plum and Jeanne. I have a genuine appreciation for their talent as songwriters. And it’s great to play with Plum after all these years. It brings back memories of our youth when we used to rehearse in his parents garage during warm summer days in Cornwall.”

Larry Sylvain : Drums and Vocal
Larry is the latest addition to Easy Pickins joining up in late January 2009.He comes form a musical family having both parents (Marie and Cecil, ‘Spence’), professional musicians. Larry has performed regularly over forty-two years with a multitude of talented musicians all the while being a good standing member with the American Federation of Musicians since the age of fourteen. His experience of playing steady all these years with a varied background in virtually all types of music, lends a unique blend to the Easy Pickins mix.
There is no time Larry can remember that music has not been a major part of his life. He enjoys every minute of playing and you can sure sense it when you watch him perform.