Musicians getting new music out
Pandemic doesn’t stop these Cape Breton performers
SYDNEY — The restrictions surrounding COVID-19 have changed most musicians' lives but happily, it's been for the better for Keith Mullins.
Normally, the Baddeckbased singer/songwriter is on the road, playing between three and seven nights a week, across Nova Scotia, Canada and Europe.
“There was one year when I lived outside of Halifax where I put 80,000 km on a vehicle,” Mullins recalls. “Now I can go to work in my stretchy pants every morning and help others and my arse isn't sore from diving thousands of kilometres.”
The changes occurred when COVID-19 hit last year. The resulting restrictions shut down or limited the places where he used to play to make a living. With his main source of income gone, he had to find something else to do, preferably still in music, that would allow him to make a living no matter the circumstances.
“In the summers I was playing maybe six or seven nights a week — I couldn't do that for the rest of my life,” he said. “It would just burn me out.”
Mullins wanted to start recording and helping other musicians. He built a 12x16foot barn at the back of his property — which is across the water from the Alexander Graham Bell estate, Beinn Bhreagh — and named it Barn Bhreagh.
“The studio is in my backyard,” he said. “It's a great commute.”
For the past six months, Mullins has been working out of that studio on the albums of Morgan Toney, Isabella Samson and Jesse Cox. On Tuesday of this week, the three albums were released on the online music platform Bandcamp, to allow the musicians a chance to make some of their investment back.
When the restrictions are lifted, the threesome will officially release their albums at an in-person event, but for now, fans will have to content themselves with a livestream event on May 22 at 7 p.m., featuring them and Mullins. While all are solo acts, together they are the group Barn Bhreagh and they will perform together, backing each other up.
“We went pretty hard at it. It's been a really great experience for me. I knew I wanted to start a studio but I didn't want to record just anybody. I wanted to be able to do what I do. So I found those three artists and I'm a huge fan of all three,” said Mullins.
Morgan Toney is a 21-year-old Mi'kmaq singer-songwriter/fiddler from Wagmatcook First Nation who combines his Mi'kmaq roots and his love of Cape Breton Celtic tunes. His album is called “Msit No'kmaq featuring Ashley MacIsaac.”
Jesse Cox is the son of folk musicians Dennis and Lori Cox and his album features such artists as Shaun Verreault (Wide Mouth Mason) and Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar). His album is called “Whipping Post featuring Shaun Verreault (Wide Mouth Mason).”
The youngest of the three is 17-year-old singer/songwriter Isabella Samson from Louisdale who also comes from a musical family. Her album is called “If It's Not Forever.” Samson has always loved music, singing since she was a tiny child.
“The whole entire experience was absolutely amazing,” said Samson. “I'm really happy with how it turned out.”
The three albums will be released on all platforms at a later date and once COVID restrictions ease, the foursome hopes to embark on a tour later in the year.
“We'll do the tour in August hopefully,” said Mullins. “I'm calling it the 'Fingers Crossed' tour.”
The three musicians have released lyric videos and have been accepted to CBC Searchlight where they will be seeking votes over the upcoming weeks.