2017 Past Performers

Born in the UK and raised in Alberta, John Wort Hannam earned a degree in Native American Studies and taught on reserve for five years. Things changed one spring morning about 15 years ago when ...

Willie Stratton’s show is made up of stories, singin’, and hot guitar pickin’.  In his art, Willie works to preserve and to promote the rich, and nearly forgotten, country music heritage of Atlantic Canada – ...

For over a decade, the Acadian trio, Vishtèn, has dazzled audiences with its fiery blend of traditional French songs and original instrumentals that fuse Celtic and Acadian genres with indie-folk and rock influences.  The group ...

Union Duke is a Toronto quintet with a sound that is a mixture of folk, rock, country, and bluegrass.  Blending these sounds perfectly, the group belts out soaring harmonies with three, four, and even five ...

Newfoundland’s indie-folk trio, The Once, has collected a trio of Canadian Folk Music Awards, numerous ECMA awards, and the title of Artist of the Year from the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council.  Originally known for ...

Diverse instrumentation and soaring, five-part vocal harmonies characterize the distinct, alternative folk sound of the Halifax-based band, The Barrowdowns.  Born in a cold, dark Albertan winter in 2014, the band was started by Halifax musicians ...

Suzie Vinnick is a ten-time Maple Blues Award winner, a three-time Juno nominee, the winner of the 2012 CBC Saturday Night Blues Great Canadian Blues Award, and a finalist in the 2013 International Blues Challenge ...

Sussex is the brainchild of Michael Emenau and Rob Lutes.  The two renowned musicians were childhood friends and high school band mates in New Brunswick.  They went their separate ways following university:  Michael to Tokyo, ...

Hailing from Halifax, NS, Shannon Quinn has been playing music professionally for over 16 years.  In that time, she has performed with Symphony Nova Scotia, with her father, Tony, and as a solo performer.  For ...

Upon hearing the first few notes, audience members are struck by the sheer magnitude of Samantha Martin’s other-worldly voice.  Cigarette-ravaged and whiskey-soaked, her vocals can bring listeners to tears in one instance and raise their ...

Rosie & the Riveters are three fiercely talented and sassy dames from Saskatoon, SK, who perform upbeat folk music with a vintage 1940s flair.  Their original songs feature sophisticated harmonies, body percussion, scintillating dance moves, ...

The Reverend Robert B. Jones, Sr. is a pastor, storyteller, teacher, and activist.  He is also a self-taught multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, mandolin, harmonica, cane fife, and fiddle.  An award-winning educator, he has an encyclopedic ...

Red Moon Road made its debut at Folk Harbour in 2014 and left a lasting impression on the audience.  Band members Daniel Peloquin-Hopfner, Daniel Jordan, and Sheena Rattai produce a sound that seems greater than ...

Lennie Gallant’s involvement with Folk Harbour can be summed up succinctly: Lunenburg loves Lennie!  And what’s not to love?  The Rustico, PEI native has recorded eleven albums (nine in English and two in French), has ...

Born and raised in North Sydney, Cape Breton, and now based in the Halifax region, Kim Dunn has been working on a successful music career for 30 years now, with a four-year stint studying jazz ...

2016 was a big year for the musical quintet, Hillsburn.  The group released its critically-acclaimed, full-length album, In the Battle Years, won a Canadian Folk Music Award for New/Emerging Artist of the Year, and toured ...

After over twenty-five years of performing with her siblings, Heather Rankin comes into her own with A Fine Line (2016), her debut solo record. This is Heather Rankin like you have never heard her before, ...

Folk Harbour favourite David Myles returns this year to grace our stages with his timeless songs, irresistible energy, appealing stage presence, and of course, his trademark suits.  A man whose sound ranges from soulful, contemporary ...

Dar Williams is considered one of America’s best singer-songwriters.  Born and raised in small towns in New York, she started playing guitar and writing songs at an early age; it was theatre, however, that initially ...

Halifax-based singer-songwriter Chelsea Amber brings soul to the stage with passionate vocals, uplifting lyrics, and grooving guitars.  As a songwriter, her goal is to bring hope and a sense of purpose to every audience.  In ...

Sisters Cassie and Maggie MacDonald grew up in Antigonish, NS, but now call Halifax home.  Their Celtic background influences their music, but they add an edge all their own.  Cassie provides the powerful, lively fiddling, ...

Ashley MacIsaac first played Folk Harbour in 1992 as a 17-year-old and made his return appearance 20 years later at our 27th annual Festival.  Fans of his unconventional, hard-driving fiddle style will rejoice in the ...

Amelia Curran is a Juno-Award winning songwriter, activist, and mental health advocate from St. John’s, NL.  Her music is distinguished by her intricate and evocative lyrics – no wonder she has been compared to Leonard ...

Alan Jeffries is no stranger to the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, having accompanied David Myles over the years; Alan also headlined his own band in 2014. This year Alan returns with his Bluegrass Band. A superb musician, ...