Multi-platinum, award-winners The Barra MacNeils will be back on the road in the winter of 2023 with An East Coast Christmas cross-Canada tour. The 32-city trek begins November 14 in Whitehorse, Yukon and ends on December 22 at Toronto, Ontario’s legendary Massey Hall. Full routing and ticketing information is available below. Below, Shaylynn chats with Stewart What’s it like being an Atlantic Canadian group? Atlantic Canada has a wonderful history of both professional musicians and amateur players and singers as well. A vibrant community of many cultures and styles exits and is very much part ..read more

How have you been since we last spoke? All is very well! Family is growing, thriving, fiddling! We all continue to play and travel, mixed in with domestic life here in the farm. I’m grateful for little things; being able to enjoy the land, have wonderful opportunities here in Ontario, good food, good home and lots of love around me. You have a lot going on musically, what inspired this work? Our most recent CD was inspired from having the freedom of time and no pressures. It was done during the pandemic. We called it CANVAS to represent the blank space with which we got to create. There were n ..read more

Myles Goodwyn, singer, guitarist, writer, producer and leader of the multi-Platinum selling rock band April Wine, who shaped and directed the group from its earliest beginnings, has died today at the age of 75 at Noon Atlantic Time. No further details on cause of death, location or funeral details will be disclosed at this time. The family asks for privacy. April Wine has sold over 10 million recordings worldwide. Myles Goodwyn’s voice is as distinctive and immediately recognizable as his song writing skills are prolific. Myles and the other members of April Wine were inducted into the Canadia ..read more

What’s it like being an Atlantic Canadian artist? I feel there’s a real kinship between Atlantic Canadian artists that’s not always present in others circles/genres. Atlantic Canadians are already an authentic and friendly bunch, the kind that’ll give you the shirt off their backs, and wholeheartedly welcome you into their homes. Add in the ingredients possessed by our musicians and artists – heartfelt lyrics, soul-touching melodies, poignant interpretations of past and present pain, struggles, and emotions – you’ve got the perfect recipe for the profound experiences and healing that we artist ..read more

I am a collector of bones… no, not in a horror movie kind of way… more like in a Victorian era naturalist, gentleman scientist kind of way. I have several whale vertebrae in my collection, for example. One fossil vertebra was mundanely added: I bought it at one of those mineral/fossil shows that I frequent from time to time. Once, in Newfoundland, I traded a giant pyrite crystal for a sperm whale vertebra. But, by far the coolest and certainly the smelliest method by which I obtained a vertebra was by actually collecting it directly from a whale, in a Victorian era naturalist, gentleman scient ..read more

One hundred years Since the year I never saw One hundred years watching, Waiting Wondering in awe. I looked at you all, As you grew, as you died too. Like weeds you continued, Flowering and disintegrating As summers faded into cold fall.   So much has changed— And yet, the world Is still the same. So much I have never done, And never will.   We move through time And yet, we change nothing. A short life or a long life— The end is the same. Carved stone and 6 feet of sediment, That hold your bones as flesh turns back To feed the earth.   One hundred years Since the year I never sa ..read more

I was raised Roman Catholic. We were LIED to. We were told in our white schools and churches that bad things that happened to natives was “a long time ago” and many more lies. I promise you some of us white folk care but were straight up lied to and told it was just a bunch of “alcoholics” who were “ungrateful”. The shit you’d hear in communities was more divisive than helpful. Then there’s the church who tries to say it was only there to HELP people… and yet they were killing children. I have no words other than, “I am sorry.” Now, I do think that there needs to be work done in so many commu ..read more

I am not a perfect artist, but these paintings are directly related to my other story on lighthouses and my love of the ocean. This is where I find peace. Click to view slideshow.   Artwork by Shaylynn Hayes-Raymond ..read more

What’s it like being an Atlantic Canadian artist? The beauty of being an Atlantic Canadian artist is that you’re part of a tight-knit community of musicians. No matter where you play in the Maritimes you always feel welcomed by the artists splitting that evening’s bill.  Do you feel there are significant challenges in Atlantic Canada for musicians? There is sometimes a preconceived notion in the industry that you need to be from one of the big three cities to make it; leaving you to feel like you need to put in twice the amount of work.  What advice do you have for other singer/song ..read more

What’s it like being an Atlantic Canadian artist? I personally love living in the Maritimes! Atlantic Canada is so rich in talent, and I love the diversity in the genres and styles. There is also, for the most part, a great camaraderie with other musicians which is nice to be a part of. Do you feel there are significant challenges in Atlantic Canada for musicians? We live on PEI so we do feel somewhat isolated here. We have a smaller population so less people to play for, but it’s surprising how many venues here have entertainment! It’s quite amazing. In the Summer you can find music in almost ..read more