George Melnychuk

George Melnychuk was born April 17, 1944, to Bill and Elsie Melnychuk. Music was part of his life from the start. He first got his hands on a little 12-bass accordion from a neighbor and began teaching himself to play. His mom would hum tunes, and George would figure them out on the keys. That’s where it all started.

His parents later bought him his own accordion for $125 and sent him to his Uncle Steve Majcher over Christmas to learn. Uncle Steve played violin, not accordion, but he gave George some tough lessons he never forgot. From there, George kept at it—learning guitar, accordion, and later spending hours on the keyboard, which became his favorite.

George recorded five albums in Winnipeg under the name The Rhythm Master. His CDs made their way from B.C. to Ontario and even down to Louisiana. His song The Sweetheart Waltz was a hit for over three years on CJGX Yorkton’s Saturday Night Dance Party, and it still gets played today. When he performed, folks knew him as “the man in black,” like Johnny Cash.

Aside from music, George farmed the family homestead, worked for construction companies and rural municipalities running heavy equipment, and ran his own taxi business in Yorkton for 15 years. He retired at 68 but kept playing music for as long as he could, even when hauling equipment around got harder.

George is survived by his children Darryl Melnychuk, Debra Henderson, and Tammy Bulych. He will also be missed by many extended family, friends and neighbors.

In lieu of flowers, donations in George’s memory can be made to:

The Canadian Lung Association  |  885 Meadowlands Dr., Suite 502  |  Ottawa, ON  |  K2C 3N2