It might be the only showcase during an upcoming music festival where you can see more than a dozen artists on stage at once – the Gordie Sampson Songcamp Circle.

“Officially, it started, I think, two years ago at Nova Scotia Music Week, but on smaller stages, and it’s really started to gain momentum,” said Sampson, the Cape Breton singer/songwriter that started the songcamp five years ago. “Last year, it took a really big leap. We took over the ballroom in Sydney and couldn’t fit everyone in.”

Over the years, the songcamp has been bringing a number of musicians – including former Truro resident Nicole Curry – to Ingonish for the songwriting circuit.

During Molson Canadian Nova Scotia Music Week, which runs Nov. 6 to 9 in Truro, 15 of those musicians will be participating in the songcamp showcase.

Read more…

Nova Scotia Music Week is just around the corner, and the Gordie Sampson Songcamp is proud to have 10 Songcamp writers showcasing this year at Nova Scotia Music Week. All of these artists have had a busy and productive year – with new albums, tours, and award nominations.

Here is the list of their showcases:

Breagh Mackinnon
Friday / 11:00–11:30pm
Split Crow Pub

Carleton Stone
Friday / 10:15-10:45pm
Holiday Inn – Elm/Oak Ballroom

Sunday / 7:00pm – all ages
Big Dog/Cat Country Present: Blue Rodeo

Carmen Townsend
Friday / 10:00-10:30pm
Royal Canadian Legion Br 26

Corey LeRue
Friday / 8:45-9:15pm
Holiday Inn – Ballroom Stage

Corey LeRue – Neon Dreams
Thursday / 11:15-11:45pm
Holiday Inn – Elm/Oak Ballroom

Friday / 7:15-7:45pm
Royal Canadian Legion Br 26

Dana Beeler
Thursday / 9:00-9:45pm
Split Crow Pub

Dave Sampson
Saturday / 8:45-9:15pm
Split Crow Pub

Dylan Guthro
Saturday / 11:00-11:30pm
Holiday Inn – Elm/Oak Ballroom

Kyle Mischiek
Friday / 6:30-7:00pm
Royal Canadian Legion Br 26

Friday / 11:45pm-12:15am
Holiday Inn – Elm/Oak Ballroom

Molly Thomason
Friday / 12:30-1:00am
Holiday Inn – Elm/Oak Ballroom

Seamus Erskine – The Brood
Thursday / 1:30-2:00am
Holiday Inn – Elm/Oak Ballroom

For more information about the schedule of events, visit nsmw.ca

If you’re going to write a hit song, you might as well try and do it in a place that looks like paradise. That’s Gordie Sampson’s rationale for bringing Nova Scotia’s youngest and brightest musical talent to the Cape Breton Highlands for a week every summer, to find inspiration in the hills overlooking Ingonish Harbour and to ease them into the songsmith’s equivalent of military training.

Instead of the lonely late-night bedroom, or a fluorescent-lit office on Nashville’s Music Row, they get the sweeping grandeur of Cape Smokey as a backdrop and the comfy surroundings of historic Keltic Lodge. Read more…

We are thrilled to have the Gordie Sampson Songcamp writers nominated for a total of 16 Music Nova Scotia awards! The awards will be handed out during Nova Scotia Music Week, which takes place from November 6-9 in Truro Colchester County.

Here are the list of the Music Nova Scotia award nominees:

Carlton Stone – Entertainer of the Year
Carleton Stone, Draws Blood – Male Artist Recording of the Year
Carleton Stone, Draws Blood – Recording of the Year
Carleton Stone – SOCAN Songwriter of the Year
Carleton Stone, Draws Blood – Pop Recording of the Year
Dave Sampson, No Pressure No Diamonds – Pop Recording of the Year
Gloryhound (Evan Meisner, lead singer/guitar), Loaded Gun – Group Recording of the Year
Gloryhound – Digital Artist of the Year
Gloryhound – Rock Recording of the Year
Mo Kenney – Entertainer of the Year
Molly Thomason, Columbus Field – Female Artist Recording of the Year
Molly Thomason, Columbus Field – Rock Recording of the Year
Neon Dreams (Corey LeRue) – Digital Artist of the Year
Nicole Ariana, 4 Seasons EP – Urban Recording of the Year
The Brood (Seamus Erskine, lead singer/guitar), All Debit No Credit – New Artist Recording of the Year
The Brood, All Debit No Credit – Alternative Recording of the Year

We’ll be hosting our annual Songcamp Songwriter’s Circle at Nova Scotia Music Week and we’ll share more details with you about the show closer to the date.

Congratulations to all the nominees; we’re looking forward to celebrating together!

Songcamp in Germany is great so far! We’re staying in a beautiful castle that used to be a prison during the war. Winston Churchill’s son was actually a prisoner here. Writing some cool songs – bit hard to get over the language barrier initially but everyone seems to be enjoying the cowriting and collaborating.

Facilities are amazing.. grand pianos in every studio room, Anika has been great to deal with and has been super helpful with everything!

From Dave, Breagh & Carleton

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Gordie Sampson — who’s had his songs recorded by Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, Keith Urban, Willie Nelson and Bon Jovi, among others — hosted the fifth annual version of his Gordie Sampson Songcamp from July 13-19, 2014, in Ingonish, Nova Scotia.

Taking part this year were 15 returning writers (including Molly Thomason, Dylan Guthro and 2013 SOCAN Songwriting Prize winner Mo Kenney); four instructors (including Carleton Stone and Steven McDougall); three special guests (including Donovan Woods and Chris Noxx); and Sampson himself.

In five years, the songcamp has become an annual tradition for aspiring songwriters, Sampson — who spends a portion of each year living and writing songs in Nashville — has made it his business to nurture emerging songwriters from across Nova Scotia; allow them to network with their instructors and each other; give them access to useful knowledge; and help them develop tools to benefit their careers.

In 2013, the songcamp released its first compilation album, of 15 songs created by 22 songwriters. They were chosen from more than 150 written during the songcamp from 2010-2013, and ranged in style from the folk of “Harbourtown” to the pop/rap of “All the Time In the World” to the reggae groove of “Flip Flops.”

Read more…

Did you know the Gordie Sampson Songcamp is on Twitter? Follow us @Songcamp to catch the latest in new music news from Songcamp songwriters, and, you can visit our Songwriters page to follow the writers on Twitter, too.

Happy tweeting!

Check out this video of Laura Roy’s interview on Global TV.
Big shout-out for Songcamp!

Nicole Ariana’s ombré ambition took her away from us to that repository of dreams, Toronto. But as that plaque in my grandma’s foyer says: “home is where the heart is.” Returning home for a chance to participate in Gordie Sampson’s Songcamp, Ariana will perform Saturday [July 26] at Big Pony with hometown pals Samm Splash and Matty Boh.

Ariana is taking a break from her new industry-focused life in Toronto, where she first moved courtesy of a mentorship grant from Nova Scotia Film and Creative Industries.

Read more…

We’ve had many requests from fans for the set list from the Gordie Sampson Songcamp Circle at the Keltic Lodge, Ceilidh Hall on July 17.

Below are a list of the songs that were played, in order they were performed by each artist, along with the songwriter’s credits.

Circle 1: Gordie Sampson

Gordie Sampson “With You” – Gordie, Nicole Ariana, Carleton Stone
Donovan Woods “Say Yes to the Dress” – Donovan, Gordie Sampson, Breagh Mackinnon
Molly Thomason “Marry An American” – Molly, Donovan Woods, Mark Boutilier
Willie Stratton “How Much” – Willie, Steven MacDougall
Chris James “Wishing Well” – Chris, Barb Cameron, Steven MacDougall
Nicole Ariana “About You Baby” – Nicole, Carmen Townsend, Chris James
Steven MacDougall “Weather Girl” – Steven, Natalie Lynn, Mark Boutilier
Breagh Mackinnon “Astronaut” – Breagh, Dylan Guthro, Gordie Sampson

Circle 2: Breagh Mackinnon

Breagh Mackinnon “Brick by Brick” – Breagh, Mark Boutilier, Dana Beeler
Dave Sampson “Girl Like You” – Dave, Chris James, Rankin MacInnis
Jenny MacDonald “Weightless” – Jenny, Rankin MacInnis, Natalie Lynn
Natalie Lynn “Was It Worth It?” – Natalie, Mo Kenney, Laura Roy
Kyle Mischiek “Cold Water” – Kyle, Donovan Woods, Carleton Stone
Laura Roy “Party With The Lights On” – Laura, Donovan Woods, Steven MacDougall
Mark Boutilier “Highlights” – Mark, Dylan Guthro, Barb Cameron

Circle 3: Carleton Stone

Carleton Stone “Tell Us Apart” – Carleton, Willie Stratton, Mo Kenney
Dana Beeler “One Trick Pony” – Dana, Barb Cameron, Jenny MacDonald
Mo Kenney “Faked It” – Mo, Joel Plaskett, Willie Stratton, Gordie Sampson
Rankin MacInnis “Monster” – Rankin, Nicole Ariana, Dave Sampson
Dylan Guthro “Here ‘Til The Morning” – Dylan (Track)
Elijah Wohlmuth “Intuition” – Elijah (Track)
Barb Cameron “Falling Into You” – Barb, Carleton Stone, Nicole Ariana (Track)

Closing: “Flip Flops”