The Lineup
Meet the talented artists who'll make this seaside songfest a weekend you'll never forget. Put on your dancing shoes and warm up your singalong chops - it's going to be amazing.
Séan McCann
“Stay calm and shanty on.”
A lot has happened in the almost 10 years since Séan McCann exited the Canadian folk rock arena-filling GREAT BIG SEA he co-founded in 1993. He’s released five successful solo albums touching on a range of subjects from Canadian life and culture to spotlighting national hardships like the infamous 2016 wildfires that devastated Fort McMurray, Alberta, in which he partnered with the Canadian Red Cross.
A philanthropist as much as he is an artist, McCann also organized a songwriters’ benefit in 2017 in support of veterans suffering with PTSD and addiction. In recognition of these efforts and his other advocacy work for people living with mental health and addiction issues, McCann earned the Order of Canada in 2020.
The Johnson Girls
Internationally acclaimed The Johnson Girls have been a force on the folk and maritime music scene since 1997 as the leading all-woman, a cappella maritime group in the world. Believing that sea chanteys and sea songs were the first real “World Music”, Joy Bennett, Alison Kelley, Bonnie Milner, and Deirdre Murtha each bring a special influence to their music.
Whether performing chanteys with hair-raising harmonies or sharing tender ballads at intimate venues, folk clubs or packed national and international folk festivals in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, and Europe, The Johnson Girls remain true to their mission of keeping chantey singing alive, bringing women’s voices to the fore, and sweeping their audiences along in a tidal fervor.
Lennie Gallant
Canadian East Coast songwriter Lennie Gallant has released fourteen albums (11 English, and 3 in French) of original songs which have won him a host of awards and nominations from the JUNOs, Les Prix Eloizes and The East Coast Music Awards. His multimedia show, Searching For Abegweit, ran for 180 shows and toured Eastern Canada to sold-out performances. His song "Peter’s Dream" was recently inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. Lennie is an international touring artist, who has performed all over North America, in Europe, for the troops in Afghanistan, and at the Olympics. He is a recipient of the Order of Canada.
His songs have been covered by numerous artists, including Jimmy Buffett, The Rankins, and Opera superstar Measha Bruggergosman, and one of his albums even went up to the international space station and circled the planet 248 times. Lennie’s recording "Time Travel" was voted a top ten Album of The Year by a panel of Canadian industry personnel. His song and video for "Sequoia", from that album, have received many accolades, especially for bringing attention to the need to protect our great ancient forests in this fragile time on the planet. Lennie’s most recent French language album is in collaboration with partner, Patricia Richard, under the name Sirène et Matelot which has been doing extremely well in the francophone world. His last recording was a Christmas album of original songs to celebrate the season and hopefully, a time of healing for this beautiful fragile planet.
Wellington Sea Shanty Society
Aotearoa New Zealand's Most 'Seaworthy' Shanty Group™ have been belting out traditional and original sea songs from Aotearoa, France, Spain, the UK and more, since time immemorial (2012). Seafarers and landlubbers from across the globe have been battered by the rousing chorus of this 2-man tempest of pure shanty. Expect rousing harmonies and raucous foot-stomping abound!
The W.S.S.S have toured Aotearoa and France multiple times and are known for their rowdy and participatory live shows. They've performed at Paimpol (one of the world's largest shanty festivals), Splore, and a shipload of other festivals in NZ and France. Their new EP "Sea Shanties of the 70s, 80s, &Today!" has just recently surfaced to complement their "Now That's What I Call Sea Shanties" series. Another must-listen is "Ahoy!" - a French/English album made with Nantes amis Croche Dedans.
They have recently been riding the "Wellerman" wave as their recording with Croche Dedans was released prior to the 'shantytok' phenomena and is widely regarded as the definitive version.
Croches Dedans
Croche Dedans is a Sea Shanty group that has been lighting up stages on the western coast of France for over ten years now. Based in Nantes, the group imbues traditional sea shanties and songs with their infectious energy.
The group has been privileged to play the Festival du Chant de marins in Paimpol (in 2015 and 2019), the Festival Interceltique in Lorient, the Festival Ilophone at Ouessant, and the Brest Festival in 2012 and 2016, as well as shows from Ireland to Czechia to New Zealand... adding to their repertoire with every tour.
Croche Dedans has made waves with its driving and lively style for over 10 years, performing traditional songs and shanties that celebrate the beautiful blue sea and a sense of wanderlust for audiences in Ireland, England, Czechia and the far reaches of New Zealand.
The Mighty Ship
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An experienced composer and arranger, accomplished multi-instrumentalist, and award-winning musician from Fredericton, New Brunswick, Rick Morgan has performed for royalty at home and abroad, has shared the stage with the likes of Bonnie Tyler, Melanie Doane, Blue Rodeo & Jim Cuddy, and has written and performed some of the original music heard on The Music of Dundurn - A Musical Anthology of the Life and Times of Sir Allan Napier MacNab.
When the pandemic struck in March of 2020, it severed Rick from musical connection, collaboration, and his ability to return home to the sights, sounds, and experiences of Atlantic Canada was negated. As a coping mechanism, he launched a creative voyage to reconnect himself to his Celtic and East Coast Folk roots. Using his multi-instrumentalist abilities, Rick began to record himself playing numerous musical loops that he combined to create master backing tracks for some of his favourite sea shanties/songs, Irish pub standards, and East Coast classics.
He also "Celtifies" covers of popular songs from the 1950s to the 1970s. Acting as his own "backing musicians" playing these pre-recorded parts, he sings and plays guitar live in unison. The result is a full and diverse sound, which is certain to get your toes tapping and your hands clapping! The show is pure dichotomy - a one-man band with a full-band sound delivering an authentic Celtic and East Coast Folk musical experience to fellow saltwater souls from home and away.
Taproom Growlers
The Taproom Growlers are an exciting, eight member, a capella Sea Shanty singing group who will get your toes tapping and your hands clapping. They perform sea shanties from the days of sail as well as more modern versions of life at sea. The group is comprised of Ken Maher, John Bottomley, Kevin Thompson (group founder), Wayne Currie, Miles Leahy, Gordon Keel, Ray Balcom and Maurice LeClair.
Castlebay
Castlebay treats an audience to a musical journey through time and across the Atlantic interweaving timeless songs, spritely dance tunes, and haunting airs inspired by our rich nautical and Celtic heritage. Exuberant and expressive vocals are supported with Julia Lane's unique award-winning Celtic harp style, and Fred Gosbee's expertise on 12-string guitar, violin and woodwinds. As a result of their extensive research into the traditional music of Maine and the Celtic lands as well as their evocative original compositions, Castlebay blends history, legend and experience into their personable performance style. Their songs celebrate the lives of those who live by the sea, not only the deep water sailors, but also the shipwrights, coasters, fishermen and their wives. These are the people who established Maine as a maritime legend and who continue to build that legend with their daily lives of skill, hard work and pride. In addition, the duo has been mining archives for seafaring songs passed down through Maine families. Their most recent CD, Bound Away, and their songbook Bygone Ballads of Maine- Songs of Ships & Sailors are composed completely of these.
Castlebay plays frequently at museums, arts centers, libraries and festivals from Maritime Canada to Florida and in the British Isles and Ireland. Performances include the International Festivals of the Sea in Bristol and Portsmouth, England & Leith Scotland, Mystic Seaport Concert series, New Bedford Working Waterfront Festival, Portsmouth NH Maritime Folk Festival as well as local events such as Windjammer Days in Boothbay Harbor, OPSail 2000 in Portland, Eastport Salmon Festival and the Maine Lobster Festival. They have presented workshops on Maine and nautical history through music to thousands of children and adults at the Penobscot and Bath Maine Maritime Museums and at schools throughout New England and Scotland. They have released 28 recordings and their work can be heard on numerous video soundtracks.
Before The Mast
Before The Mast is nine guys who sing the sea shanties and sea songs that working men sang aboard ships in the age of sail. They sing with gusto and energy, balanced with heartfelt ballads and carefully-arranged harmonies. Like the sailors of old, they sing a cappella (without instruments), allowing the beautiful blend of male voices in harmony to shine through.
Yarmouth Shantymen
Based in Yarmouth, on the southwestern tip of Nova Scotia, Canada, the Yarmouth Shantymen have been performing traditional work songs from the age of sailing ships since 1984. The group has produced three CD collections of shanties and other sea songs.
Melanie Ross
Steeped in the song tradition of Miramichi and fine tuned in performance venues in places like Tokyo, Bangkok, Switzerland, Ireland, England, Dubai, and Hong Kong, Melanie has delighted audiences with her pure clear voice and her performances from the heart. Well known for her a capella ballad singing, heartfelt performances of many styles of music, and appearances at folk festivals in Canada and internationally, Melanie brings authenticity to each musical performance.
Whether she is singing her unique a capella ballads, launching into one of her original compositions, or singing one of her thoughtful arrangements of well-known or traditional tunes, an opportunity to see Melanie on-stage is one not to be missed.
Chris Ricketts
Chris hails from England. Although he has performed in Canada many times this will be his second visit to New Brunswick (he was with us last year!).
According to Acoustic Magazine, "'Chris is the sort of artist who can hold a whole room spellbound with the sound of his voice alone."
Craic at the Cask
Craic is an Irish word meaning good times. For over six years, 'Craic At The Cask' has entertained audiences every Thursday evening at the Cask & Kettle Irish Gastropub. Just like in pubs all over Ireland, they gather to masterfully play traditional Irish jigs, reels, and airs.