Scalliwag

Scalliwag is a family band, hailing from Sunnyside, Newfoundland. Consisting of dad, George (Phil) Smith, age 52; mom, Muriel Smith, age 51; daughter, Sandra Smith, age 31; daughter, Shelley (Smith) Martin, age 29; son, Philip (Phyl) Smith, age 25; and son, Edward Smith, age 23, the group has been singing together since before the children were old enough to form words and are looking forward to the debut of six month old grand-daughter Katie Martin. All 6 members of the band have been involved with various choirs/singing clubs, and all play at least one instrument at various times.

Phil is the town manager for the town of Sunnyside, Muriel is an office worker for the oil industry in nearby Bull Arm, Sandra is working on her MBA at Memorial University, Shelley is a Chartered Accountant, Phyl is a technical support agent for a major internet service provider, and Edward is finishing his BSc in physics at Memorial. The whole family is also involved in the ownership and operation of P.E. Sounds, an audio business providing sound and music for public and private functions on Newfoundland’s east coast. Since all family members have been involved with various charities, the audio business frequently provides its services for little or no financial gain, but the satisfaction of contributing to the community is reward enough for all.

While the family has always been singing together privately, Scalliwag officially originated in 1997 with “High Tide”, an Irish-Newfoundland group consisting of Phyl, Edward, and a high school friend. After a year performing as High Tide, the friend decided to leave the group, and so Muriel and Phil began performing with them at local festivals. Eventually Sandra and Shelley joined in and the group name was changed to “Family Harmony”. In December, 2000, the name was changed again to “Scalliwag” in memory of Muriel’s father, Harvey Pitcher from Winterton, Newfoundland, who liked to refer to the family as “a bunch a’ scallywags”.

Scalliwag spent several years playing traditional Newfoundland music at local festivals and benefits until 2004, when they were invited to play at a “coffee house” featuring local musicians in Jamestown, Newfoundland. It was hosted by Phyl’s employer, A&P Music of Clarenville, Newfoundland, and there the family was introduced to Neil Rosenberg and Rex Yetman of Crooked Stovepipe. Neil and Rex took an instant liking to the family and recommended that Scalliwag give bluegrass a try, offering to help the band get started on what was, to Scalliwag, an entirely different style of music.

In July, 2005, Scalliwag débuted as a bluegrass group at the first annual Bluegrass and Old Time Country Music Festival in Mt. Pearl, Newfoundland, and has been actively performing bluegrass and bluegrass-gospel music since. In December 2005 they began production on their first CD, called On The “Sunnyside”. The album, which is a compilation of bluegrass-gospel music, was recorded at Soundbone Studios, Arnold’s Cove, Newfoundland and officially released on September 30th, 2006.