hi John. Perry Friedman was indeed Canadian. I can't add much more to that except that he recorded an e.p. for Topic sometime in the 1950s (could that be the Collector e.p. you were thinking of?).

TOP56 Vive La Canadienne. Perry Friedman:
Vive La Canadienne / The Shining Birch Tree / Mary Ann / The Grand Hotel / The Red River Valley / Great Big Sea Home

The Shining Birch Tree was reissued on a Topic sampler called Men at Work, which I think I've still got. If you could use a copy please holler.

Didn't PF also write The Little Black Fly, which a group called the Calton Three used to sing. Remember them? :-) In fact I recall another Canadian song called Farewell to Nova Scotia, which the trio also sang and which I think they got from him.

It's at times like this that I particularly miss Paddy Doody. If he was still alive, he could have given you chapter and verse on the man. Where he came from, what he recorded, what colour socks he wore, and probably where he bought his lunchtime sandwiches from.