Spring 2014 News

This year is shaping up to be one of my busiest in some time, and I wanted to share with you some of the exciting events and recordings that we are working on for this Fall:

Joining forces with President’s Choice Financial
and PC Insurance
I am pleased to announce my relationship with President’s Choice Financial and PC Insurance. These wonderful organizations are assisting in the support of McDermott House Canada through the sales of the Highway of Heroes CD now being sold at ONRoute stations across the 400 series of highways. One hundred percent of the sales of this CD go to support McDermott House Canada. I look forward to working with PC Financial and PC Insurance in helping to raise awareness and funds in support of serving those who serve.

The Highway of heroes CD is available online at www.mcdermotthousecanada.org.

BMO Chicago Fundraiser
Due to the extraordinary generosity of BMO we are doing a second “annual” concert in Chicago on December 10th at the Holy Family Church. This concert will raise funds for A Safe Haven, 100 Club of Chicago and Friends of McDermott House. 100% of the ticket sales for this event will go to these wonderful organizations who are serving those who serve.

New Album: How Great Thou Art
I have just released my latest recording How Great Thou Art, a collection of hymns in praise of Him. The album includes both my favourites and some of my late mother Hope’s favourite hymns and songs. This is a collaboration with my long time arranger and friend Eric Robertson. The CD is now available on iTunes and will soon be available for order in the store.

Coming this Fall
Also in the works are two new recordings that will be released in the Fall of this year:

• The first is a new recording of some old traditional and newer contemporary Irish classics. Entitled The Contender, it is the result of a long-time labour of love for these songs with my good friend and musical director Jason Fowler. Jason has done an extraordinary job with the arrangements for this recording and I am thrilled with the final results. Wonderful songs and stories that will make you smile, laugh and shed a tear.
• The second is a project with another great Canadian musical giant Mr. Bill King. Bill and I have talked about working together for a long time and finally we have a chance to do it. We will begin recording in the next month and hope to have an album ready for a September 2014 release alongside The Contender. The album, entitled Traditionally Yours, will highlight some of the oldest traditional tunes dating back 400 years, as well as some really, wonderful old classic standard Irish and Scottish songs like Flower of Scotland, Carrickfergus, Cockles and Mussels, Down by the Sally Gardens and many, many more. Just Bill and me and his keyboard magic.

I am absolutely thrilled to work alongside icon John McDermott and explore the rich Celtic traditions of Ireland and neighboring Scotland where every song comes with history and a magnificent story to tell. The music is distinctive and an ongoing conversation with ancestors and those yet to be born. The voice addresses the spoken word and the melodies passed from generation to generation. The acoustic grand piano – paints the landscape in broad folk tradition and captures the rhythms of daily life.

Great music comes in all forms. The best and most memorable is that which is rooted in the soil and land of people who have toiled generations preserving that spark that gave birth to its culture: the food, the battles, the drink, the fragrance of youth and the seasons of lasting change, then life’s final cadenza.

BILL KING, producer

Ben and John!
As you may have heard the great Canadian and world renowned tenor Ben Heppner retired last month. Ben and I have known each other for over 20 years and our love of music and singing is our lifeline outside of family. We are in discussions to work together on a new recording that is near and dear to both of us and when we are ready to begin we will let you know all the details.

All the best,

John