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Press
Buddy MacDonald is a masterful entertainer, someone who has been at it long enough to be considered a Cape Breton musical institution. He’s also one of the most gifted songwriters this island has to offer, with an eye for detail that gives him the ability to see a song in many situations and the talent to paint that picture with his words.
Buddy has just released his latest CD, an interesting collection of material, some of which is brand new and some of which goes back almost 30 years. Titled myself...my shadow...and me, it was produced by Dave Gunning at his Wee House of Music studio in Pictou County.
Dave adds some guitar work, Rachel Davis does the backup fiddle work, and both do backup vocals. Dave is also featured in a duet with Buddy on We Remember You Well, an always touching song that is also included on Dave’s new project, Tribute To John Allan Cameron, which will be released this fall. Allie Bennett and J.P. Cormier also perform on this cut.
This is some of Buddy’s best work, an introspective collection that shows an evolution in his music over the years. Rooted deeply in the Gaelic area of Cape Breton’s North Shore, much of his early work has a sound and pacing distinctive to that culture, while you can often spot a new song just from its feel.
A good comparison is the older Atlantic Seabreeze and the much newer Mountains Never Sleep. Whatever the comparison, this CD has the variety that you would hear at a live Buddy performance — old and new — and always good.
Buddy has the CD just in time to head overseas. He and Rachel are spending the next week in Scotland at the Blas Festival. Meanwhile, go looking for myself...my shadow...and me. It’s a dandy CD!
- Cape Breton Post...September 2010
Discography
1 Getting Dark Again with John Ferguson
2 We Remember You Well
3 Buddy Mac Donald..'LIVE" A Night At The Pub
4 Six Strings and Me
5. SONGBOOK...original songs of Buddy Mac Donald
6. "myself...my shadow and me..." 2010 release...11 tracks of new original songs
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Bio
I have been chasing audiences around since thirty five years...have performed all over Canada and the United States, Scotland,Sweden, Denmark,Norway,Germany, Switzerland and Holland as a solo act and as part of celtic folk band combinations.
Performed at pubs, folk festivals, house concerts, theatre tours,corporate conventions,tourism related shows for the province of Nova Scotia,song-writers circles and workshops..
Have performed at Tourist Resorts around maritime Canada,and love to entertain as well as talk to the visitors and give them a little local feel and flavour of where they are.
I've also done a lot of touring as a backup guitar player for various celtic fiddle players, such as Natalie Macmaster, Asley MacIssac .Wendy MacIssac, Glenn Graham, Rachel Davis, Howie Mac Donald.
I enjoy doing my own material, but also feel at home doing old pub music, sing along tunes and getting the audience as involved as possible...old Irish,Scottish,Canadian,American folk music is what i do and it works.
I was born and grew up on Cape Breton Island Nova Scotia, in a rural setting where culture is strong and music is important,and it is that format that i follow...entertain is what I do...
Being involved as host and entertainer at the Celtic Colours International Festival since it began, has given me the opportunity to meet and perform and learn from, some of the worlds greatest musicians in the celtic world..such as Tommy Makem, Dougie Mac Lean,Phil Cunningham,David Francey,Dave Gunning, JP Cormier,Lennie Gallant, and the list goes on...
I believe strongly that there is way more to getting on stage and playing the guitar and singing ....you must make that connection with the people who have paid the nickle and entertain them to the best of your ability...and that is what I enjoy the most and continue to do so in every show...no matter what the setting or venue.
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