Can you take us back to the beginning? What are your earliest memories, and how do you think they’ve shaped who you are today?
I have a lot of early memories of sitting in the living room surrounded by records. I loved listening to music as a kid. As a toddler I was surrounded by my parents classical music records. Operas and ballets. Symphonies and string quartets. As an adolescent I was surrounded my by older brother’s records. Classic rock and prog. Deep Purple and Jethro Tull, Steeleye Span and King Crimson. There are also lots of memories of driving across Canada. We seemed to spend a lot of time going on really long trips all throughout my childhood. Sometimes moving back and forth across the country, and that has turned me into a person who loves being on the road. Which is handy, since I chose to become a musician.
As you reflect on your life, are there any key moments or turning points that stand out to you? What made them significant?
I quite vividly remember my dad handing me a classical guitar and bringing me to my first guitar lesson when I was eleven. Since that’s shaped everything I’ve done since, I would say that’s a pretty significant turning point. Deciding to leave Montreal and go back to Newfoundland during the Pandemic definitely constitutes another key moment in my life. Leaving a big thriving metropolis to start over in the woods, on an island, in the North Atlantic, that was a big change, but I’m glad I made it.
Who were the most influential people in your life, and how have they impacted your journey and development?
My dad was always playing piano and singing, and my oldest brother played professionally for a few years. My mom is always in a choir, and my other brother always loved to play. Along with the musical influence, my dad was definitely someone who walked to the beat of his own drum and really enforced the idea that if you want to do something, you should go out and do it. Then, in my early 20s I was fortunate to live in St. John’s Newfoundland which was filled with really killer singer-songwriters and musicians so there was all this wonderful songwriting happening around me and I couldn’t help but join in. I think that upbringing coupled with that music scene really shaped who I am today.
What challenges have you faced along the way, and how did you overcome them?
I play kind of odd niche music, which really speaks to some people, but it’s pretty far from the mainstream. I am also incapable of doing anything I don’t want to do. This…has sometimes made things unnecessarily difficult for me. The internet has been the saving grace here. The ability to reach people all over the globe, and find my fellow weirdos has been invaluable.
If you were to pick a theme or a lesson that runs through your life story, what would it be?
Ooooh, this is a good question. I think ‘be yourself’ might be the theme and the lesson. I’ve always sort of done my own thing. That probably hasn’t always been the best choice, but I don’t regret it. I don’t think I could write the songs I write if I didn’t have that attitude. Imagine if everyone in the world just got to be themselves, and everyone just accepted others for who they are.
Are there specific accomplishments or milestones that you’re particularly proud of, and why do they hold such significance for you?
I am particularly proud of my second full length album Bloom & Grow. It is a very personal album. I’m naked on the cover. It consists of 12 songs, and all but an 8 minute long song received radio play. When I got my first radio play report back I felt very vindicated in the strength of my songs. It was the first album where I started adding some really different elements to my recordings, and some of my choices may have been a little questionable, but I stand by them and I’m very pleased with how it came out.
It was also the first album I put out after the big moves I made during the pandemic, and the first to come out after the passing of my father. A lot of that album deals with how I see the world, and quite a bit of that comes from my father. I think it will always hold a special place in my heart because of that.
Looking ahead, what are your hopes and aspirations for the next chapter of your life story? What legacy do you want to leave behind?
I want there to be a lot more touring to more and farther places in the next chapter of my life. I really enjoy the live entertainment aspect of being a musician and I love interacting with the audience. I’m currently working on adding some more guitars to my live show. Right now I just play classical on stage, but I think there’s room for 12 string and electric, and like, maybe some costume changes! It would be fun to have a band for some songs at some point too.
As for legacy, I want to record my whole body of work and disseminate it widely so it can continue to reach people after I’m gone. I love when someone comes up to me after a show and tells me that I’ve inspired them to go home and write a song, or to go home and practice their guitar, or that a song has changed their mind about something, or made them feel better about themselves. Wouldn’t it be something if my songs could keep doing that even if I’m not here to sing them!