Incredible Canadian Folk Rock Band GREAT BIG SEA, Band Behind "Ordinary Day" - Artist Spotlight

In today's Artist Spotlight, Brian talks about a phenomenal folk rock band from Canada, GREAT BIG SEA. Hailing from St. John's in Newfoundland, and beginning their career in 1993, Great Big Sea released ten albums through Warner Music Canada. Their work was best known for their fantastic fun mix of Celtic elements and sea shanties.

Consisting of members ALAN DOYLE, BOB HALLETT, SEAN MCCANN, and DARRELL POWER, Great Big Sea officially retired as a touring band in 2016, though Alan Doyle and Sean McCann both continue to perform as solo artists. Fans around the globe hold out hope for a reunion. Among their fantastic songs are "Ordinary Day", "Friday (w/ Dean Brody", and Brian's favorite "The Chemical Workers' Song"!

To follow Great Big Sea online, visit:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GreatBigSeaOfficial
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063856414400
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deathdealerunion/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0GxOdKrtD5oUmQROcCs8M4

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Biographical information on Great Big Sea from Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Big_Sea):

Great Big Sea was a Canadian folk rock band from Newfoundland and Labrador, best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs including sea shanties, which draw from the island's 500-year Irish, Scottish, and Cornish heritage. The band was very successful in Canada, with eleven of their albums being certified Gold in the country, including four being certified Platinum and two achieving multi-platinum certifications. Between 1996 and 2016, Great Big Sea was the sixteenth best-selling Canadian artist in Canada and the sixth best-selling Canadian band in Canada.

While it has been confirmed that the band has officially retired, former members Alan Doyle and Séan McCann have continued performing in their own solo careers typically including music from Great Big Sea in their setlists.

History
Beginnings
The band played its first official concert on March 11, 1993, opening for the Irish Descendants at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John's, Newfoundland. The founding band members included Alan Doyle (vocals, guitar, bouzouki, mandolin), Séan McCann (vocals, bodhrán, guitar, tin whistle), Darrell Power (vocals, bass, guitar, bones), and Bob Hallett (vocals, fiddle, accordion, mandolin, concertina, bouzouki, whistles, bagpipes).

Power, McCann and Hallett had already been playing together in another band. In the winter of 1989, the band, a six-piece with guitar, bass, fiddle, accordion and mandolin played its first show at the Memorial University's winter carnival talent show under the name "Newfoundland Republican Army" or NRA, and won first prize. The band's only other appearance as NRA was later that winter at the university "Grad House". The band then dropped the fiddler, accordion player and the name.

The band found its new name as original bassist Jeff Scott rented an apartment on Rankin Street, St. John's, where the members first met and discussed the formation of the band. As a four-piece, the band first appeared as "Rankin Street" at a little pub in downtown St. John's called "The Rose and Thistle", playing for $100 and beer. They played through Sean McCann's stereo system, as renting a PA would have cost more than the night's earnings. Susan Hickey (guitar and vocals) left the band months later to attend school in Halifax and was replaced by Darrell Power. The band gained much popularity playing such local pubs as Bridget's and Greensleeves. In 1991 Jeff Scott was replaced by Jackie St. Croix on bass. The band released one recording on cassette titled "Rankin Street".

#greatbigsea #alandoyle #babhallett #seanmccann #darrellpower #artistspotlight #fyp #inspiringhowucthat @GreatBigSeaOfficial @DeanBrodyMusic

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