Born in Charlottetown, Jim Hornby is a folklorist, fiddle player, historian, and lawyer. He has an M.A. in Canadian and Modern Literature from Concordia, an M.A. in Folklore from Memorial, and an LL.B. from Dalhousie University Law School. He was the editor of The Island Magazine from 1980 to 1984 and is the author of articles on Island history, folklore, and traditional music. He lives in Belfast, Prince Edward Island, with his wife Susan.