Alexander Peter Chernywech (November 1, 1932 – August 25, 1989) recording as Al Cherny, was a Canadian fiddler. He studied with Frank Nowak and played country music on CHAT-FM.

Cherney won the Canadian Old Time Fiddlers' Contest in Ontario, under the novelty class from 1959 to 1961 and the open class in both 1960 and 1961.

In the early 1970s, he was a leading studio musician, recording with musician like Gary Buck, Dick Damron, Tommy Hunter, Jesse Winchester and Sylvia Tyson. He released more than ten studio albums and received an RPM Big Country Award for Top Country Instrumentalist in 1978.

From 1964, until his passing in 1989, Cherny was a regular, featured musician on the CBC's The Tommy Hunter Show. Cherny met Tommy Hunter when he worked at CKNX in Wingham, Ontario.

Legacy

He was posthumously inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1989. He also performed regularly on The Tommy Hunter Show, until his death in 1989, of lung cancer.

Discography

Albums

YearAlbum
1965North American Fiddle Champion (Plays Contest Winning Tunes)
1965Plays Old Tyme Fiddle
1967On Stage With Al Cherny AKA Al Cherny
1968Golden Slippers
1969Blue Ribbon Fiddle
1972Fiddle Magic
1974Rural Roots
1975"The Big Fiddle Sound" Of Al Cherny
1975Fiddle Country
1978Country Club Hits of Al Cherny (Compilation)
1988Al Cherny's Fiddle Party (Compilation)
1988A Tribute to Al Cherny (Compilation)
2002The Lost Recordings - Live

Singles

YearSinglePeak positions
CAN Country
1972"Shannon Waltz"46
"Mr. Bojangles"45

External links