Good Lovelies
            
            
            

Sunny and upbeat, with just a pinch of sass, the Good Lovelies textbook three- part harmonies, constant instrument swapping and witty on-stage banter have enlivened the folk music landscape since they joined forces in 2006 for their first show at Toronto's funky Gladstone Hotel. How the Good Lovelies (Caroline Brooks, Kerri Ough and Sue Passmore) got together is a bit of a mystery. Whatever the story may be, the ladies immediately realized they had something special, so they hit the road on a mission to charm Canadian audiences coast to coast.     more »

        Sarah
      Harmer
        
        
        

The first sound you’ll hear on oh little fire is a high-pitched keening, like the shrieking of an unattended phone, or the distant skirling of a ghost on a winter night.  Suddenly, Sarah Harmer’s band kicks in, with drums propelling a gust of rock more forceful than anything she’s played since her mid-‘90s days with rambunctious Kingston rockers Weeping Tile.  She sings with a sense of purpose:  “A new wind will blow through everything / Through everything I know.”   more »               

   Barra MacNeils
            
            
            

A Barra's live concert experience is a delectable sensory treat! Multiple lead vocalists, beautiful sibling harmonies, top drawer instrumental prowess on a wide variety of acoustic, stringed, percussion and wind instruments blend with dancing, storytelling, and Gaelic songs creating a journey through an ancient culture. This is entertainment of the highest order. Steeped in the strong Celtic traditions of Cape Breton, this diverse and talented family group includes siblings Kyle, Lucy, Sheumas, Stewart, Boyd and Ryan, joined by bassist Jamie Gatti.     more »

    Paul Brady
        
        
        

Paul Brady, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist is one of Ireland's most enduringly popular artists. Brady's impressive 5 decade long career has seen him pass through several major bands like The Johnstons and Planxty and then on to a successful solo phase. In 1976, Brady recorded an album with Andy Irvine that he now regards as one of his best. He has received high praise from world renowned artists such as Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt and U2's Bono. In 2000, Brady signed a deal with Compass and reissued his catalog in the new millennium.    more »                

      Ron Hynes
            
            
            

One of Canada's premier singer-songwriters, Ron Hynes has created beautifully crafted signature songs for more than 35 years. His Fall 2010 release, Stealing Genius marks his eighth solo recording. Inspired by works from some of his favorite authors and poets (including Donna Morrisey, Des Walsh, Stan Dragland, Randall Maggs, Al Pittman and Michael Crummey), Ron Hynes has crafted a collection of remarkable songs that not only echo a life in Newfoundland and Labrador, but resonate with people everywhere.      more »

            The
   Dardanelles
         
         
         

Armed with a love of jigs, reels and ballads honoured in Newfoundland and an energy found more often in 3 piece punk rock bands than 5 piece folk acts, their accordions, fiddle and talent have shaken national festivals including Winnipeg, Mariposa, Lunenburg and this year Vancouver and St. John's are about to bear witness. Barely into their twenties they've intuitively become the keepers of the songs we love and have sought out tunes that may have otherwise been lost to the culture forever.     more »                 

    Basia Bulat
          
          
          

Since the age of three, Basia has been sitting on piano stools and trying to hammer things out. It started with her piano-teacher mum, but along the way Basia's picked up guitar, autoharp, banjo, ukelele, sax and flute. In high-school her instrument was the upright bass a lone girl among "eight-foot-tall guys, goofing off with the tubas". There's a sense of play that still suffuses her music, jostling under the songs of regret and love, want and joy. more »

     Catherine
     MacLellan
         
         
         

Matching pure and ethereal vocals with poetic lyrics and her uncompromising song writing craft, there is no doubt as to why Catherine MacLellan has become one of the most celebrated new singer-songwriters in Canada, and around the world, by her contemporaries and media. Voted ‘Critics Favourite New Discovery’ by Penguin Eggs Magazine in 2008, Catherine has quickly built up a loyal fan base and has been a hit with critics worldwide.    more »                 

Matthew Hornell
and
The Diamond Minds

Matthew Hornell is a singer and a songwriter from Newfoundland and Labrador. After bursting onto the St. John's music scene with live shows that showcased his unflagging energy, Hornell's award-winning debut album, released in 2010, firmly established him as a vital new voice in the songwriting community of Atlantic Canada.  After a cross-Canada tour with his band in the fall of 2010, Hornell returned home to spend the winter writing and working on new material that will form the foundation of his sophomore album, slated for release in early 2012.   more »

  Séan McCann
        
         
         

As a follow up to last year’s release, Lullabies for Bloodshot Eyes, Great Big Sea’s Séan McCann returns with the release of his second solo effort, Son of a Sailor.  Having grown up in Newfoundland and spending nearly 18 years touring with the band, it’s not difficult to hear the musical and maritime influences on songs like “Rather Be a Sailor” and the title track. Drawing inspiration from the road, family, home, love and longing, Son of a Sailor provides the listener with a collection of first person narratives.    more »                 

Gordie Tentrees
          
          
          

Yukon roots-music songwriter Gordie Tentrees has released three albums. The most recent, Mercy or Sin, was produced by Juno-award-winner Bob Hamilton and nominated for a 2010 Western Canadian Music Award for Roots Solo Album of the Year. The title track was also chosen from 15,000 entries as a finalist in the 2010 International Songwriting Competition. Judges included Tom Waits, Loretta Lynn and Jerry Lee Lewis.
more »

 Ryan's Fancy
Tribute

In 1971 Denis Ryan, Dermot O'Reilly, and Fergus O'Byrne came together as Ryan's Fancy and a musical revolution was unleashed, not only on Newfoundland and Labrador, but all of Atlantic Canada. Through their 12 albums, numerous television series and appearances, both Regional and National, and energetic live shows, they helped make it fashionable to have enthusiasm for traditional music.   more »                 

The Spinney Brothers
  

From the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, Canada, The Spinney Brothers are comprised of Allan Spinney, Rick Spinney, Gary Dalrymple and Darryl Hebb. Brothers Allan and Rick debuted their band in 1992, showcasing a tight brother duet vocal style that was immediately recognized for it's energetic and distinctive sound. The cornerstone of the Spinney Brothers musical identity is the sound of traditional, southern-flavoured bluegrass music.    more »

 Superpickers!
        
        
        

Superpickers! (see new CD, Blues on the Ceiling) provides an opportunity to hear the remarkable musical interactions of three of Newfoundland's most accomplished guitarists—Sandy Morris (a founder of WGB who has performed with Rasa, Big Mama Thornton, Dame Vera Lynn); Glen Collins (Kelly-Anne Evans, Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra); and Peter Narvaez (Skip James, Sleepy John Estes).  The inimitable Dave Rowe joins in on bass.   more »                 

The Masterless Men
  

Celebrating 20 years of performing and 7 albums along the way, The Masterless Men are gracing the stage once again at the 2011 Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival. Delighting audiences with tunes that fuse the sounds of Irish, folk and bluegrass, this talented group will surely get you on your feet. John Curran, Perry Dawe, Dave Lush, Bob Wiseman, Chuck Lewis and Greg Walsh have been pleasing crowds from George Street to all over Canada and the United States and beyond.    more »

Johnny Moynihan
  

A former member of some of Ireland's biggest traditional acts including Sweeney's Men, Planxty, and De Dannan, Johnny Moynihan is a tremendous singer and multi-instrumentalist. Johnny's passion for traditional music and Irish song developed when he was a teenager. He quickly transitioned from being a listener to a participant and, in turn, an accomplished performer.    more »                

Chris Kirby and
The Marquee
  

He's a witty, spitey, pasty white kid from the woods of Newfoundland whose style is simply addictive. Chris Kirby plays saucy guitar, funky piano and sings as if the fate of his own mother hangs on every word. In September 2010, Kirby left his day job as a software engineer to finally pursue music full-time. Since then the artist has been gaining steady momentum;     more »

Karla Pilgrim
& The Secrets

When three powerful, soulful and versatile women come together, something magical takes place musically. Karla Pilgrim and The Secrets is a captivating country/pop trio made up of some of Newfoundland's finest female musicians: Karla Pilgrim, Terri Lynn Eddy and Renee Batten. Their smooth harmonies and fine musicianship has been turning heads at popular night clubs, festivals and industry events for more than five years.     more »                 

A Crowd of
Bold Shareman
  

Take a pair of veteran performers who have appeared at major folk festivals nationally and internationally, add Newfoundland & Labrador's most renowned flute and tin whistle player and one of it's fastest-rising young stars of traditional music on fiddle, flute and accordion, and you've got A Crowd of Bold Sharemen.     more »

Duncan Cameron

Duncan Cameron's music is highly melodic, often with intricate arrangements. His strong vocals (in both French and English) are inspired by his late father Stewart Cameron's mastery of Scottish ballads. Duncan started performing with his family at folk festivals at an early age. He chose the fiddle as his first instrument, but now plays many instruments including guitar, bouzouki, tin whistle, and concertina, all of which can be heard on his solo CD, The Whistling Thief.     more »                 

Finest Kind

Finest Kind was formed in 1991 in Ottawa, by Ann Downey, Ian Robb, and Shelley Posen. Since then, the trio has earned a solid reputation on both sides of the Atlantic for exquisite vocal harmony and an unusually wide assortment of songs. Given the Canadian, British and American origins and varied musical backgrounds of its members, the repertoire and sound of Finest Kind is hard to categorize.     more »

ENNIS

ENNIS' latest CD "Lessons Learned" has won Root's Traditional Album Of The Year at the 2011 East Coast Music Awards. Maureen and Karen are powerful, interesting and humorous storytellers with a broad mix of Maureen's accessible original songs and uniquely interpreted traditional Irish and Newfoundland tunes and ballads.     more »

Mahers Bahers
  

Frank Maher (4-stop accordion) of The Battery in St. John's is a legendary figure in Newfoundland, noted for his incredible musicianship and significant contributions to the development and preservation of traditional music. He has received Lifetime Achievement Awards from festival organizers in Newfoundland and Ontario and is an ECMA Stompin' Tom Connors Award Winner.     more »

Rik Barron

Rik Barron is a rare and engaging artist. His rich baritone vocals compliment his extensive repertoire of folk songs and sea shanties. A veteran whose unique vocal, guitar and banjo styles have caught the attention of audience members and critics alike, he was once named Best Instrumentalist by the Newfoundland Folk Arts Council, nominated for Traditional Singer of the Year by the Canadian Folk Music Awards  more »                 

Andrew O'Brien
and the Searchers

A new band in St. John's, Andrew O'Brien and the Searchers have been rapidly building a reputation for highly energetic, thoughtful and infectious performances. The band elevates O'Brien's singer/songwriter sensibilities with a blend of folk, pop and rock giving it, at times, a harder edge while maintaining the sensitivity of his unashamedly autobiographical style of songwriting.     more »

Les Tireux d'Roches

For 12 years, this Quebec folklore group has been playing traditional music inspired by the Quebec repertoire, with a uniquely creative touch. Live or recorded, Les Tireux d'Roches know how to impress crowds and never go unnoticed. Storytellers, singers and musicians, Les Tireux d'Roches have developed a unique repertoire of traditional stories and songs called 'modern future', they take you on a fantastic musical, story-filled, multi-colored voyage into an imaginary New-World-of-old.     more »                 

Shirley Montague
and Gordon Quinton

With her eclectic style and a career spanning recordings, television, radio, and live performance, Shirley Montague has reached into the hearts and homes of many. Guitarist Gordon Quinton specializes in original compositions and arrangements of traditional and contemporary folk music.  Shirley and Gordon come together with a unique blend of their individual styles. 
more »

Kelly Russell

Since 1975, Kelly has been a member of landmark groups Figgy Duff, Wonderful Grand Band, Bristol's Hope, The Planks and The Irish Descendants. Working with legendary fiddlers Rufus Guinchard and Emile Benoit, learning and recording their unique music, Kelly has inherited genuine status as a leading Newfoundland music performer, appearing extensively on countless national and international stages.     more »                 

Felix & Formanger

Bernard Felix is a stunning and dynamic accordionist from L'anse A Canards (Black Duck Brook) on the west coast of Newfoundland who has wowed audiences on stages around the world. After a serious injury to his fingers some years ago, he faced the challenge and came out on top as one of our greatest artists.    more »

Celtic Fiddlers

Celtic Fiddlers from St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, is a vibrant group of 14 young professional musicians, ages 13-22. This unique group of fiddlers is accompanied by piano, mandolin, mandola, tin whistle, Irish flute, bodhran, cajone, accordion, bouzouki, bass, guitar and drums. They have gained an outstanding reputation for their eclectic style and presentation.     more »                 

The Song Circle began when a core group of traditional song enthusiasts decided to meet regularly to share and learn songs. Initially, the group met in each other's homes but very quickly they realized a more formal location was necessary. In September 2005, the Song Circle took up residence in the Crow's Nest Officers Club.     more »                 

Jenna Kelly

Jenna Kelly is a 17-year-old French immersion student and a resident of Spanish Room, on the Burin Peninsula. She's a singer/songwriter who enjoys performing a variety of music and playing different instruments. Jenna performs at a number of venues including local and provincial folk festivals, theatre festivals, sporting events, etc.     more »                

Labrador
Showcase

A singer/songwriter and self taught musician from Paradise River, Selby Mesher has been writing and recording traditional music for many years and thrilling audiences with his wholesome vocals and acoustic guitar. The Kilautiup Songuninga Inuit Drum Group has been together six and half years and performs Inuit drumming, Inuit singing, throat-singing, dancing, and storytelling.     more »