songcamp’s east coast influence featured in the guardian
Nova Scotia: oceans of music at the edge of the Atlantic
Drawing on music from the Gaelic folk brought by Scottish refugees to hip-hop imported from New York, the Canadian province has a sound all of its own
Nova Scotia’s dynamic music scene is filled with a distinctive array of musical influences and an eclectic mix of genres. It is centered around Halifax, a city with a large student population. Sitting on the edge of the world’s second-largest harbour, it is a city steeped in history, from the Halifax explosion in 1917 that killed thousands, to the hundreds of bodies laid to rest there after the sinking of the Titanic. It’s a place that has inspired many musicians and singer-songwriters (Sarah McLachlan spent her formative years here, while folk singer Anne Murray based her career in Nova Scotia), and has deep ties to Scotland and Ireland, dating to the Gaelic diaspora who first settled there in the late 1700s.
The rugged sea coast of Cape Breton Island forms the northernmost tip of the province. It is a place of vast, winding valleys that lead you into the heart of Celtic culture and tradition. Acclaimed fiddler Natalie MacMaster is one of the region’s most celebrated musicians, while Ashley MacIssac broke new ground with his distinctive rock-infused fiddle sound.
Singer and songwriter Gordie Sampson was born and raised on Cape Breton Island. He earned a Grammy for co-writing the country hit Jesus, Take the Wheel, performed by Carrie Underwood, and has written for some of the biggest names in country music, including Keith Urban, Blake Shelton and Hunter Hayes. Sampson’s invitation-only songwriting camp is a choice destination for a select group of promising young musicians each year, who make their way up to Cape Breton hoping to glean what they can from his years of industry experience.