1969 - Born John Paul Cormier in London Ontario 1974 - Begins playing guitar 1978 - Wins first guitar championship 1985 - Takes up fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and bass; releases first album “Out of the Blue””; U.S. festival tour Florida to Kansas. 1986 - 1994 - Begins playing with The Sullivan Family; numerous appearances at the Grand Ole Opry, and tours, jams, recording sessions and TV appearances with Waylon Jennings, Marty Stuart, Hal Ketchum, Earl Scruggs, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt, Kitty Wells, and the list goes on. 1989 - Wins ENSE championship class (fiddle), best reel at Maritime Old Time Fiddle Contest, Bridgewater Honda Old Time Fiddling Contest championship class, and Downeast Old Time Fiddling Contest open class; attends college at Northeast Mississippi Junior College majoring in music education; takes up dobro and piano; wins Southeast US banjo, guitar and fiddle championships 1989 - Wins Southeast US banjo, guitar and fiddle championships; attends college at Northeast Mississippi Junior College majoring in music education; takes up dobro and piano. 1990 - Releases “The Fiddle Album” 1991 - Wins first Instrumental Artist of the Year East Coast Music Award (ECMA) 1992/1993 - Makes final move to the U.S. and tours Europe with the McCarter sisters; begins working with Jerry & Tammy Sullivan and Marty Stuart; makes numerous sideman appearances at the Grand Ole Opry 1994 - Releases first recording with Hilda Chiasson-Cormier, “Return to the Cape”. 1996 - Wins Don Messer Trophy at Maritime Old Time Fiddling Contest for having the most points of any fiddler in any class; wins Downeast Old Time Fiddle Contest and Best Reel Award; wins Maritime Old Time Fiddle Contest championship class (including the award for best reel). 1996 - Extensive touring of North America and UK festivals, theatres and showcases. 1997 - Releases “Another Morning” - more touring!; featured in full page article in Billboard Magazine; listed as most played Canadian artist on US college radio for six months. 1998 - Nominated for Juno award and three ECMA’s; wins ECMA for Roots/Traditional Artist of the Year; #1 song on CMR radio charts in Europe for “The Island”; makes first appearance with Symphony Nova Scotia to rave reviews; co-founds the Guitar Summit 1999 - Tour, Tour, Tour!; releases “Heart & Soul”; chosen out of 300 Canadian bands to showcase at The Southern Arts Exchange in Tampa, Florida. 2000 - RWins Instrumental Artist of the Year ECMA; receives Letter of Commendation from Governor General Adrienne Clarkson saying therein: “What you have to say as an artist and your special talents are a credit to the entire Canadian Music Industry.” 2001 - Releases "Now That The Work Is Done"; extensive touring throughout Canada and the U.S. 2002 - Releases “Primary Color - A Guitar Collection” and “Velvet Arm Golden Hand”; receives ECMA nomination for Male Artist of the Year; tour, tour, tour! 2003 - Receives ECMA nominations for Instrumental Artist of the Year and Male Artist of the Year; wins Instrumental Artist award. 2004 - Tour, Tour, Tour!; festival appearances in Scotland, Denmark, the United States, and Canada; guest performances with Canada's symphonies including three nights with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra; releases "X8 - A Mandolin Collection" and prepares release of Gordon Lightfoot tribute "The Long River".