Tony Butyn

The life of a working man travelling from job site to job site has its disadvantages. Many missed family birthdays, graduations and talent shows are gone and never to be gleaned in Tony Butyn’s eyes.

Despite the heartache that accompanies a lonely life on the road, Tony’s work and life experience around the ocean in Atlantic Canada and around the world has weaved its way into his soul and his music.

In retrospect, there are two major factors in this type of life which have played a pivotal role to allow Tony to create songs in a unique folksy kind of way.
Factor one is time. After a hard day’s work his evenings would often be spent with his guitar and a pen bending words around music or the other way around.
Factor two is inspiration. Often, accommodations in remote areas are on or near the ocean with breath taking views to sooth the soul into a tranquil evening of songwriting.

In 2008 on a work term in Bellmullet, Ireland, Tony met a couple of local musicians. After writing a song about the local area called “Miss Broadhaven Bay” and suggesting that they record it together as a memento, he was introduced to Pete McArthur. This was the first time he had seen his song come to life though the art of sound engineering and the talents of a few local instrumentalists. Pleased with the results, “To Hell With Davie Jones” and “George The Blacksmith” were also recorded there and are part of his first album “Circle Like A Square” released in 2009.

Now that the recording bug was firmly engrained Tony’s future, he sought out a recording studio to record another nine songs to complete his first album. Through internet searches and phone calls a meeting was set up with Mr. Charles Austin at the “Echo Chamber” in Halifax, Nova Scotia. With Charles’ great engineering skills and wealth of a talent vault, a number of excellent and accomplished musicians were brought in to play. Some of those included Brain Murray, Erin Costello, Ian Mosher, Serge Sampson, Gina Burgess, Rob Crowell and Kelly Sloan. They are literally instrumental in giving his first album “Circle Like A Square” its unique sound.

For a first time kick at the can it is impressive that Tony’s music was being played on radio stations in Newfoundland like CJYQ (Newfoundland Radio) 930 AM.
VOCM 650 AM in Gander, NL on the "Home Brew Show" hosted by Sonny Innis.
KIXX Country 103.9 FM in Carbonear, NL
K-Rock 97.5 FM in St. John's on the Home Brew Show.
CFBS Radio Blanc Sablon Inc 89.9 FM. on the “Odette Show”.

Nobody likes to dwell in the past so now it is 2012 and Tony has just released his second Album “Enamoured”

“Enamoured” is another compilation of twelve original songs. The vibe and sound of this album is significantly different as he has used more electric guitar at the hands of the multi instrumentalist Mr. Seamus Erskine which gives a slightly more contemporary sound with a touch of blues. The instruments are mostly traditional and even the Bodhran makes some selective interesting appearances through-out as well as some pump organ and hammer dulcimer.

As with “Circle Like A Square” there are many great players on “Enamoured” with Gina Burgess of ‘Gypsophelia’ playing all the violin parts and multi talented Rob Crowell of ‘Deer Tick’ playing all the bass and most of the keys. John Spearns plays cello and again Brian Murray of ‘The Guthries’ has helped define the albums unique sounds.

The decision to record again at the Echo Chamber with Charles Austin has made it easy to communicate and develop the albums architecture based on a past and comfortable relationship both personally and professionally with Charles.

Tony looks forward to bringing his unique brand of Canadian East Coast music to a venue near you!