Alan Doyle’s comments from the “In For A Penny” show on CBC-TV, a program where a group of prominent Newfoundlanders (a group that also included Mary Walsh, Andy Jones, Bernice Morgan, Christopher Pratt, Harry Steele, Robert Joy, Ed Roberts, and James Iglioliorte) were encouraged to speak their minds about matters of Newfoundland life, culture, and identity. Here, Alan discusses the impact of the Newfoundland Cultural Renaissance in the 1970s on his own band, Great Big Sea.
Duration : 0:1:3
A.Frank Willis, the “One-Man Band from Newfoundland“, is a virtual legend on the Canadian east coast music scene. This “little feller from Dover” is arguably one of Canada’s most uniquely talented and engaging performers.
A.Frank, as he is affectionately known, launched his one-man show in 1975 and became an overnight sensation. Fans marvelled as they watched him simultaneously play bass pedals with his left foot, chord organ with his right foot, and the harmonica (clamped in a holder)… all while his hands alternated between the guitar and mandolin strapped in front of him. He frequently pulled the accordion, banjo, and kazoo into the performance just for good measure! During performances, he integrated a variety of musical styles including traditional, country, pop, rock-and-roll, and everything in between. This diversity, combined with such rare abilities, garnered jam-packed audiences of young and old alike. The title of his 1976 debut album, Any Kind Of Music, says it all.
Duration : 0:2:55
Here’s Sam at 5 months old with his friend Blazer who is about 5 years old in this video. Sam is a Newfoundland dog and Blazer is a Great Pyranees, which grows to the same size, just not as heavy in build.
Duration : 0:1:22
Slideshow of shots from our trip to Newfoundland in July 2007…..Music by Great Big Sea…..
Duration : 0:5:3