Saskatoon piano man Maurice Drouin celebrates 80 years

Saskatoon pianist Maurice Drouin has tickled a lot of keys.  

"80 years young, I'm telling you right now," he told CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning.

Drouin celebrates his 80th birthday this weekend with a special gig at The Basement featuring his full band, all of his friends and the higher goal of setting up a jazz scholarship in his name.

"We always have fun together. We joke around; it's not all just serious. It's fun."

Drouin can't explain piano prowess 

Drouin plays by ear. He's just one of those natural musicians who can't really explain how he does it, and it has always been that way. He recalled being 7 or 8 years old when his father bought him a guitar. Young Maurice had visions of becoming a famous country and western singer. That is, until, he sat down behind his sister's piano.

"Sometimes you know, you have to find your thing and I just had no problems playing the piano."

Drouin honed his skills at the piano by listening along to artists like Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra, much to the dismay of his father.

"My first job I got paid $2.00. That's a long time ago, of course. And the reason they paid me $2.00 instead of $4.00 is because in those days of course no electronic, no microphones, nothing, is because I didn't play loud enough."

By the time he was 19, Drouin was making a living backing up singers for live gigs, and was making regular appearances on TV and radio.