Alan Doyle And The Beautiful Gypsies…My favourites for 2016 are…

Last year I wrote a post called Alan Doyle…My favourites for 2015 are…and was published on the 27 November, 2015. I have decided to do the same again this year.

The winners of my favourite fan and professional photographs, videos and reviews as voted entirely by me…the fan blogger. I also included my favourite event that I would have most like to have gone to and Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies fan of the year.

Many thanks to Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies, the professionals and fans who generously share their words, stories, photographs and videos online. I really appreciate and enjoy them.

My favourite Alan Doyle tweet from his official Twitter account this year is…

Alan Doyle as part of Great Big Sea and now on his own has always shared his knowledge of Newfoundland history and culture, challenged stereotypes of Newfoundlanders and spoken up for Newfoundland and Newfoundlanders. These are some of the reasons why I am a fan and absolutely adore him. It takes a lot of guts to speak up sometimes.

As a fan I find it pretty hard to remember all the things that happen during the year in the professional life of a favourite musician and artist when one relies so much on social media for information and when your favourites take full advantage of social media not only to share information but to interact with fans.

My favourite tweet of the year was when Alan spoke up for a fellow Newfoundlander and member of parliament after they shared their story of online abuse.




My second favourite tweet was when Alan spoke up for Newfoundland when a Canadian mainland journalist admitted her firsts impressions of Newfoundland were wrong after she visited the island during the summer.

The winner of my favourite Alan Doyle official social media account…


My favourite Alan Doyle official social media account goes to Instagram. I love all the photographs he posts from home in Newfoundland or on the road touring. I of course absolutely adore his selfies.

It was hard to pick a favourite but I adore both these absolutely drop dead gorgeous Alan selfies. The first one is of him and his dog Spencer and the second one is from earlier this year with his Winter beard. 

The winner of my favourite Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies band photograph is...

I love this Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies band photograph taken during a tour of America. This photograph was published originally Alan Doyle's official Twitter and then Facebook accounts.





The winner of my favourite Alan Doyle fan photograph is…

My favourite fan photograph of Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies was taken during the Canadian summer at PNE in Vancouver. The fan then got the photograph autographed by the members of the band and posted it on the Great Big Sea Online Kitchen Party Facebook page. It is absolutely awesome. No copyright infringement intended.

The winner of my favourite Alan Doyle fan videos are…

There were two highlights for me. The first one was of an excellent sound recording of an early Great Big Sea pub concert in St. John’s, Newfoundland. This sound recording was made available for download to members of the Great Big Sea Online Kitchen Party on Facebook.




The second one was a bootlegged Alan Doyle Trio concert in Ithaca. Alan and The Gypsies were caught at the Canadian/US border without the correct documentation.

Although I don’t agree with the philosophy of bootlegging full concerts these bootlegs told an interesting story and were well recorded. I really love the bootlegs of a solo Alan Doyle and guitar. Again these were distributed on the Great Big Sea Online Kitchen Party on Facebook.

The winner of my favourite Alan Doyle professional photograph is…

This year Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies played at a range of festivals over the Canadian summer. These festivals were attended and written about by reviewers and photographers from a range of online music webpage pages. As part of their story Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies were included especially in photographs.

After extensive research my favourite photographs are these two taken at the KL Community Complex on 25 June, 2016 by J.R. Doaust. I copied my two favourites here and provided a link to the official site. No copyright infringement intended.

Kirkland Lake Festivals Committee http://klfestivals.com/index.php?id=62







My other favourite photographs of Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies were taken by Sean Sisk and are now used as promotional posts for their concerts. No copyright infringement intended.

The winner of my favourite professional concert review is…

My favourite review was by regular Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies concert goer Jaime Lubin. The article was titled ‘Take Us Home: Alan Doyle and the Beautiful Gypsies Come to Eddie’s Attic’ published on 23 March, 2016 in the Huffington Post. A link to the photographs is copied below.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jaime-lubin/take-us-home-alan-doyle-a_b_9525610.html

My other favourite review was ‘1, 2, 3, 4: Alan Doyle & The Beautiful Gypsies at Boots & Hearts 2016!’ Photos by Ray Williams and Trish Cassling, published 7 August, 2016. The review contained some absolutely gorgeous photographs of Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies. A link to the photographs is copied below.

http://www.thereviewsarein.com/2016/08/07/1-2-3-4-alan-doyle-the-beautiful-gypsies-at-boots-hearts-2016/

Alan Doyle favourite event of 2016…

My favourite Alan Doyle events and wish I was there events are those held in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

The event I wish I could have gone to the most this year was the Concert for Fort McMurray at O’Reilly’s Pub on George Street or Erin’s on Water Street. The event was supported by Alan Doyle and lots of local Newfoundland musicians for a great cause and raised a lot of money.

Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies fan of 2016…

For their contribution to social media and providing appropriate emotional support to fans in need.

Alan Doyle Questions And Answers Update 2016…

Alan Doyle on Twitter…Wrote a thousand words for book. have 10 minutes before phone interviews. Any questions ? 20 August, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle what was your most used word of those 1000? 20 August, 2016

hmm...probably 'yes b'y' 20 August, 2016

It has been a while since I wrote a summary of Alan Doyle fan question and answer sessions on Twitter, so I have decided to do one now covering those from the last six months of 2016.

As with previous posts I have deliberately left out the identity of the fan who asked the question and some personal comments to protect their identity. The questions and responses are not in the order they were answered on Twitter but random and I have not included all the questions and answers due to copyright.

Many of the questions and answers asked when Alan and The Beautiful Gypsies are going to do a concert in their area, the progress of the new album and book and the possibility of a Great Big Sea reunion. There were lots of questions about what his favourites were including food and beer, what was happening with his favourite hockey team the Habs, the release of the Crowe and Doyle songbook and his musical ambitions. Despite the fact some of the questions have been asked before by fans Alan answered them with enthusiasm and respect.

There were some really interesting questions and answers about Newfoundland, the evolution of the idea behind the new book he is writing and about the life of a musician and the band travelling on the road. I found the question about the creation of a new song really interesting in that even after the initial performance of a new song the words may change. I also found questions about the meaning of a song interesting and especially when Alan condensed it to the 140 characters of Twitter.

@alanthomasdoyle any chance u can post the lyrics to Ready To Go on your alandoyle.ca? Can't quite get them all. Love tic tock vers 3 November,2016.

ha! Im not even sure Ive settled on what they are yet! Thanks 3 November,2016.

@alanthomasdoyle Is there a story behind Lover's Hands? I absolutely love the bridge, but I feel like there's context I'm missing. 7 August, 2016

yes...too long to tell here...but about lust and love and a daydream that never came true 7 August, 2016

One fan also asked about Alan and Scott appearing in Alan Hawco’s new series Frontier. At the time of the question Allan Hawco responded that the series had not been renewed which it now has for a further two seasons. So anything is possible. There were some updates on his appearance in the Canadian historical drama Murdoch.  

I also enjoyed the debate on whether a hot dog (one of Alan’s favourite foods) and hamburger were a sandwich. After careful consideration with his brother-in-law, a chef and fellow musicians weighing in on the debate, Alan concluded that if a hotdog were a sandwich it would be called a wiener sandwich.

@alanthomasdoyle Is a hotdog a sandwich? 3 November,2016.

I argue no...nor is a hamburger 3 November,2016.

If a hotdog were a sandwich it would be called a wiener sandwich 3 November,2016.

I have written the question in the words of the fan who asked and as Alan answered. The questions are highlighted in bold. The questions and answers are from the official @alanthomasdoyle Twitter account. As always not copyright infringement intended.

I have also included a gorgeous selfie of Alan on a flight somewhere in Canada. That photo is from the official Instagram account of Alanthomasdoyle. No copyright infringement intented. 

News…

@alanthomasdoyle How is the new album coming along? 16 October, 2016

Got a bunch of tunes Hoping to record for real early 2017 16 October, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle which episode of Murdoch are you in this season 16 October, 2016

...#10 or 11 I think...just small part, but great fun 16 October, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle any new material been written recently? 10 December, 2016

yeah a couple of dozen to pick form for the new CD10 December, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle Can't wait to read it! What part of your life does it relate too this time?

my first trip across Canada really 10 December, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle what is happening with the Crowe/Doyle songbook vol viii? 3 November,2016.

saw a tweet today that it is to come out in Feb 3 November,2016.

Musical ambitions…

@alanthomasdoyle if you could record/play with any musician alive or dead, who would it be?

Definitely @katerusby 16 October, 2106

@alanthomasdoyle Who would you love to work with? Do a song together? Your biggest idol?

Loves @jannarden 16 October, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle any instruments you can't play but would like to learn? 16 October, 2016

working on5 string banjo...tough 16 October, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle if you could sing a duet with anyone still living, whom would it be and what song? 10 December, 2016

hmm..I adore 10@jannarden December, 2016

Newfoundland…

@alanthomasdoyle besides family, what do you miss most about home when you travel?

hmm...walking down Duckworth and Water Street 19 August, 2106

@alanthomasdoyle one more,..what about favourite food, NL food lol?

pan fried cod 19 August,2016

@alanthomasdoyle any great Newfoundland photographer you know who's work I should check out? 19 August, 2016

Brian Ricks photo captures NL in a most storytelling way. Paul Kinsman haunting pics. Sara Rostotski’s portraits are amazing 19 August, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle Why does Nlfd have such colourful homes? 16 October, 2016

many of them are nautical colours used on boats to be seen in the fog 16 October, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle what was your most used word of those 1000?

hmm...probably 'yes b'y' 20 August, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle  What's the best time of year to visit St. John's? 7 August, 2016

Depends…last July early august has the most events 7 August, 2016

Personal…

@alanthomasdoyle what's your favorite meal? 2 November, 2016

hmm...ham sandwich on Moms bread 2 November, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle what is the most fave Xmas food you can't wait to eat....

Turkey dinner...and old fashioned dark fruit cake 10 December, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle reflections of the year. Craziest gig ? 10 December, 2016

hmm.. Ithaca Id say 10 December, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle Fav Christmas song ? 10 December, 2016

fairytale of NY 10 December, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle just got a library card, any good book recommendations? 12 September, 2016

A Prayer for Owen Meany...John Irving 12 September, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle I just bought my first guitar and plan on learning...what's the best tip you can give when starting out!

keep ur thumb low on the back of the neck

@alanthomasdoyle On the road what kind of snack do u & gypsies like - Salty, sweet, healthy.. just so I know what to bring 3 November, 2016

The Gypsies fight over chocolate all the time 3 November, 2016

@alanthomasdoyle haha! Making a note. Any particular way they likes it? 3 November, 2016

expensive! 3 November, 2016

Great Big Sea reunion…

@alanthomasdoyle any chance of a Great Big Sea reunion tour? 19 August, 2016

anything is possible, but nothing in the works 19 August, 2016

Cory Tetford...Live and unplugged in Newfoundland.

My blog statistics tell me there has been a steady interest in Cory Tetford’s new album ‘In the Morning’ since being released on the 24 November, 2016 in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

During my research for a post on the highlights of the year for Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies, I found some great posts from social media about the release party for Cory’s new album, and a personal appearance he did at the Newfoundland music institution, Fred’s Record Store. That would have been totally awesome.

I have also included links to a recording of the title song from the new album ‘In the Morning’ which Cory performed during an interview on the Newfoundland radio station 975krock and an interview in The Telegram newspaper. I have posted a copy of links to the official sites below.

‘In the Morning’ recorded by 975krock and available on Soundcloud.

https://twitter.com/975krock/status/802255808444637184

‘It’s scary, but it’s beautiful’ Cory Tetford gets personal on his first solo CD in almost 20 years’ published 22 November, 2016 in The Telegram in Newfoundland. Please find a copy of the link to the article and a copy of the article below as I have trouble circulating their articles on Google +.

http://www.thetelegram.com/living/2016/11/22/its-scary-but-its-beautiful-4690991.html

I wish Cory all the best with his new album. He is a superb singer and musician and he deserves success.

As always no copyright infringement intended.

‘It’s scary, but it’s beautiful’ Cory Tetford gets personal on his first solo CD in almost 20 years' author unknown...published on 22 November, 2016 by The Telegram in Newfoundland. (no copyright infringement intended).

Cory Tetford is on the phone from a hotel room in Oregon, on a little detour. A hiccup, he calls it.

On tour with Alan Doyle as part of the band, the musicians were on their tour bus, asleep in their bunks, when the bus broke down. They called a shuttle to take them to a hotel, and were ready to hit California once the bus was fixed.

“Never a dull moment,” Tetford says, laughing. He’s not bothered in the least — he and Doyle and the others are more or less roommates at this point, having been playing together since 2012 (but really digging in as of last year). There’s nothing he and Doyle don’t know about each other now, he reckons, and it has been to their advantage, especially when it comes to writing music together.

Tetford is releasing “In The Morning” — his first solo CD since 1999 — in St. John’s Thursday night, much of it written by himself and Doyle while on the road.

“It’s been a very busy year, but I’m proud of this record. I’m eager for people to hear it. It’s a good snapshot of where I am as a musician and a writer and a person,” Tetford says.

A native of central Newfoundland who has been based in Nova Scotia for more than a decade, Tetford grew up on church music, singing and playing gospel songs as a toddler and touring with his brothers and his father, a Pentecostal preacher.

He released his debut solo album, “Grace,” 17 years and one month ago (October 16, 1999 — Tetford remembers the exact date), earning himself a MusicNL Award for Male Artist of the Year and the 2000 Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council Emerging Artist of the Year Award.

A year later, he and Paul Lamb formed the duo Crush, releasing two albums and garnering eight East Coast Music Awards and a Juno nomination.

After that, he took a decade off.

“I was in my studio in my pyjamas, working on people’s records and on TV shows (as a composer, producer and engineer), and I just stayed home with my family,” Tetford explains of his hiatus. “I just didn’t feel inspired to write something that I would feel proud of. I could probably have put out a record, but I just didn’t feel it.”

“In the Morning” is a collection of 10 tracks, showcasing Tetford’s stellar voice first and foremost. Instruments are minimal: a fiddle, a pedal steel, maybe some drum and bass. The album was mostly recorded live off the floor.

“It was so refreshing to get into a room with musicians that I admire and respect and just let them go and hang on for dear life,” Tetford says. “It was a freeing experience.”

Songs on the album are country-gospel-sounding, but an old-school, throwback country, with simple arrangements.

Tetford’s emotion is audible on every track— it’s clear he feels what he has written. His version of “Amazing Grace” is a capella, his voice ringing clear. His hold of the high notes and brief moments of silence add to the emotion.

Some of the tunes are very personal, such as “Over and Over,” co-written with Doyle, and inspired by Tetford’s mother.

“She passed away when I was 21,” he explains. “The song is just about missing her and about realizing that while it’s unfortunate that we lose loved ones, the memory and the love that’s there continues to carry on and it lingers. It’s a beautiful thing.”

Tetford isn’t used to getting so personal on recordings, and credits Doyle with encouraging him to open up.

“Sometimes it’s easy to shelter yourself away if you’re just writing by yourself, but he sort of dug deep and asked the harder questions. Therapist Doyle,” Tetford says, chuckling.

The CD’s title track was written with Canadian music legend Barney Bentall, telling of a gypsy musician and the road not taken; “Gone,” features a gospel choir.

Tetford had originally planned to include Ron Hynes’ “Shines Like Diamonds” on the album, but decided against it after Hynes died a year ago.

“I didn’t know how to treat that,” he explains, adding he still plays the song live. “I didn’t want it to look like I was trying to take advantage or be an opportunist. That’s not what I wanted. My respect for Ron and his art is authentic. Whenever (his death) comes up, I feel heartbroken.”

Tetford is releasing “In the Morning” with a show at the Jag Hotel on George Street West, starting at 8 p.m. on Thursday. Tickets are $20 and are available at the front desk of the hotel. The album will be available at Fred’s Records and on CD Baby and iTunes the same day.

Tetford hopes it will resonate with listeners, but says the album was also made for himself. The deaths of musical icons such as Hynes, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen and others over the past year have brought that thought even closer to home for him.

“I want to leave bodies of work that I’m proud of and that represent who I am, not just as a musician but as an individual,” he says. “There are little bits of me on this record and it’s scary, but it’s beautiful.”

Fandom An Unexpected Journey…Merry Christmas and a happy new year 2016.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all the people who so kindly visit my site every day. I hope all my readers and their families and friends have a very happy and safe holidays, wherever you may be in the world. It never ceases to amaze me how many people are visiting my blog and I hope you all will continue to visit next year. 

I have had a fabulous year following Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies, Allan Hawco, Russell Crowe and the members of Great Big Sea on social media and through the traditional press as they continue to build on much loved projects whether they be concerts, music for plays, charity events, documentaries, movies and television shows.

I have really enjoyed researching and reading all the musician’s, artist’s and fan’s words, thoughts and ideas and looking at their photographs and videos as they were shared on social media. I have also really enjoyed the professionals and their role in writing about and recording the big Canadian music festivals throughout the summer. 2017 is certainly shaping up to be an exciting year and I look forward to researching, writing about and attending some events myself.

Recently on the Great Big Sea Online Kitchen Party on Facebook one fan shared a professionally made Great Big Sea video of ‘Come And I Will Sing You’ (a traditional Christmas carol). The song is sung by Bob Hallett, backed up by the other boys of Great Big Sea and filmed in a snowy Newfoundland. The video was a Christmas treat indeed. The posted video recorded a record number of likes for a shared video on the site and up to 5 times as much as bootlegged videos. This proved that professionally made videos are some fan's favourite ways to watch Great Big Sea music. The high number of likes may also be due to Bob Hallett’s occasional visits to the site to share news with fans about what was happing with his band mates. I have also shared the video on my Google + page for those interested.

Throughout the year there was a lot of discussion where the fans expressed how much they miss Great Big Sea and in particular on the Great Big Sea Online Kitchen Party site. Recently shared was a post asking fans what was their favourite Great Big Sea songs were. Many of the members of the group were happy to participate. Of course some fans found it difficult to pick just one song. What type of song they liked often depended upon the mood they were in. For other fans the songs they picked were related to significant events in their lives. After a quick tally the most favourite songs of those who participated in the survey, were Ordinary Day, Consequence Free and Lukey’s Boat. These songs are still included frequently in Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies setlists and loved by the fans. I have also shared official Great Big Sea videos on my Google + page of Ordinary Day and Consequence Free. 

As the fans posted their favourite songs I went in search of mine. It has been a while since I have listened to Great Big Sea XX so I started there. I also went through the official Great Big Sea YouTube site. My favourite Great Big Sea pop song is ‘Love Me Tonight’ and although not officially a Great Big Sea song ‘Lover’s In A Dangerous Time’. From their traditional songs I love ‘Ferryland Sealer’ and ‘England’. Another favourite is ‘Follow Me Back’ by Bob Hallett. I have circulated a copy on my Goggle + page of ‘Follow Me Back’ as well. Despite the fact they are on a hiatus of sorts I still really love listening to their music and stories from Newfoundland.
                                                                   
Many thanks to Alan Doyle for all his work on social media, especially Twitter and Instagram. He has done a brilliant job really and made a lot of fans very happy. I have really enjoyed his posts in particular, those about Newfoundland and of course the selfies. His Facebook live posts are also really popular with the fans. So today I have shared a gorgeous Alan Doyle selfie from last night from what was suppose to be his last trip to Toronto off Twitter. I have posted some information about concerts in March 2017. The photographs are from the official Twitter account of Alan Doyle @alanthomasdoyle. No copyright infringement is intended.

So once again to all my readers many thanks for visiting my site and a very merry Christmas and all the best for you and your families and friends in the new year.

Liz Smith

Russell Crowe…Getting By With A Little Help From His Friends And Fans…A repost…

It is always interesting checking the statistics of my blog where I can find out what posts are regularly visited by people, the countries people who visit come from and the number of hits. 

When visiting the statistics recently I noticed a post titled “Getting By With A Little Help From Your Friends” about the friendship between Russell Crowe, Alan Doyle, Scott Grimes, Kevin Durand and Allan Hawco was one of the most visited on a regular basis and has had over 540 hits. So I have decided to repost this post again.

Although the friendships have been highlighted through interactions on their official accounts on Twitter, discussed by all those involved in a range of interviews in the media and through regular meetings on social media I am not really surprised the topic has remained of interest. They are a group of generous and loyal friends indeed.

For those fans who follow our favourite celebrities, the topic of friendship has continue to reach over into the fandoms and connected fans who watch movies, TV shows or go to concerts and charity events to become friends both on social media and in person.

One of the things I still find really interesting about Russell Crowe on Twitter (his official social media account) is how much his positive advice can mean to fans who share their creative works (which in turn is supported by other fans). Not only his personal advice, but also the way he gives validation to fan’s ideas, thoughts and words through a reply or retweet and to charitable causes. It certainly has created an online community of fans who have connected through his online presence and their love of his work and music.

This final paragraph is from the post and still applies nearly two years on…“Their friendships I am sure have its ups and downs and creative differences over time, but is something we can all learn from and aspire to as a fandom. Fandoms are places where many people meet and become life-long friends through the activities and sharing stories about the things they love. This post is a tribute to the friendships between Russell Crowe, Alan Doyle, Scott Grimes, Kevin Durand and Allan Hawco and all the fans in these fandoms who have met and become real life friends”.

This screenshot is from the official Instagram account of Alanthomasdoyle when Russell Crowe, Alan Doyle, Scott Grimes and Kevin Durand appeared on Allan Hawco’s Republic of Doyle. No copyright infringement intended.




Getting by with a little help from your friends... published 2 February, 2015.

Getting by with a little help from our friends…

“What would you think if I sang out of tune
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key
Oh I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm going to try with a little help from my friends”

Billy Shears

Recently I read a tweet from a person criticising the amount of Twitter retweets Russell Crowe did. I thought about this for a while and I had to disagree. There are a couple of things I really like about these musicians and artists whose fandoms I am interested in and their use of social media. Firstly, I am always learning something about the places and communities where they are all from, the story of the products they create and the inclusion of fans in their stories through retweets and replies. Yes, it is a nice thing to valid and share fan’s thoughts, creating a sense of belonging and a community by sharing their tweet. Fandoms and social media are a place which bring people together and they become life-long friends.

However, one of the really interesting things the fans have noticed on Twitter over the years is the friendships and support between Russell Crowe, Alan Doyle, Scott Grimes, Kevin Durand and Allan Hawco have on a personal level and professional level. As many of the fans know Russell Crowe, Scott Grimes and Kevin Durand met on the set of Mystery, Alaska, and became friends. Then Russell Crowe met Alan Doyle and they made Robin Hood and then did Winter’s Tale and a heap of Indoor Garden Parties in Canada, America and Australia. Russell and Alan made the album Crowe and Doyle Songbook 3. Then Russell, Scott, Kevin, Alan and Allan all came together for an episode of Republic of Doyle. Scott Grimes and Alan Doyle had a regular episode on the show. 

I have read some interesting stories about how they all became friends. Kevin Durand explains how he met Russell and Scott then Alan during an interview for Robin Hood just after they made Robin Hood together.  “Russell, Scotty and I met on a movie called Mystery Alaska which started back in 1998. That was my first movie. It was my first audition for a movie actually. I was a theatre grad up to that point. Then Russell and I also did 3:10 to Yuma together. Scotty and I did a movie together. It was called Throwing Stars at the time and then they changed the title to Who's Your Monkey?, a small independent. So, we were all very familiar with each other.

And the connection with Alan was that I had been a huge, huge Great Big Sea [Alan Doyle's folk band] fan way back before Mystery, Alaska happened and I gave Russell and Scotty copies of his CD. And they all became big fans. Through the course of a decade of different things happening, we all ended up becoming good friends and becoming the Merry Men, so to speak. I'm grateful for the journey’. (From interviews in Sherwood. Kevin Durand Actor in 2010 film Robin Hood. Conducted and transcribed by Allen W. Wright)

In an interview with CBC in Newfoundland 2011, Russell Crowe explained how they all became friends “in the interview (below) Russell explains that he met Great Big Sea frontman Alan Doyle at the NHL Awards. Hawco was “on the bones of his ass – a struggling actor doing Shakespeare in the park or something like that at the time” (Hawco and Doyle are both from St. John’s and Great Big Sea’s “Oh Yeah” is the theme song of Republic of Doyle).

But then there’s more to this story than that…here’s what a few hours of watching Youtube clips and studying Twitter feeds produced on the interesting relationship between this group of very talented an creative friends (Russell Crowe – The Republic of Doyle connection by Jamie Ordolis 23 August 2011 CBC live). I also love this article as it is the beginning of news agencies using Twitter and social media as a source of news and searching timelines to find information out.

In an interview for American Songwriter, Alan Doyle describes he came to meet and work with Russell Crowe in 2002. “I met Russell when we were both presenters at the NHL Hockey Awards almost a decade ago in Toronto. I had heard that he was a GBS (Great Big Sea) fan and had even performed one of the songs I had written. I made sure I was standing in the hall when he was passing through and casually introduced myself. He had first heard of GBS and my writing when he was filming a movie called Myster,y Alaska in Canada in the late 90’s. After a few chats he asked if I ever passed through Toronto where he was living while filming Cinderella Man and if I would like to write a song or two. I totally jumped at the chance, of course, and the rest is history. (From ‘Meet Alan Doyle, Russell Crowe’s Musical Partner in Crime’, by Britta Dragicevic published on the 16 May 2012 for the American Songwriter).

In a recent interview with the National Post Sessions Alan Doyle talks about when his friendship with Russell Crowe and how his recent trip to Gander made headlines when he tweeted him from the Gander airport. He explains “I’ve known Russell for 12 years now. He was introduced to Great Big Sea while shooting Mystery, Alaska in Alberta and he was a big fan so he introduced himself to me at the NHL awards in Toronto in ’02 or ’03. We ended up writing a bunch of stuff together, I produced his album…it’s a great friendship. Anyways, he called me late one night just before Christmas and said, ‘I’m flying into Newfoundland tomorrow so our plane can refuel.’ I think he was flying from London to Atlanta. I said, ‘You’re flying into St. John’s?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, I guess.’ So I was like, ‘Awesome, I’ll come up and see ya.’ About three in the morning I get a text saying, ‘We’re not flying into St. John’s we’re flying into Gander, where’s that?’ And I said, ‘it’s about four hours away.’ And so when he got there he started tweeting about how he expected us to be there, joking around, and the local media made a big deal about it and I was like, ‘Guys, he was on the other side of customs! I couldn’t have even seen him even if we had gone. It’s a gag.’ But you know what’s cool about it? It’s that, and maybe this is little brother complex but I still think it’s cool that there’s a guy that’s as worldly and as famous as him that takes a moment to acknowledge when he’s in Newfoundland, he loves the place, that he’s got friends there and that it’s significant to him. I probably should be above that but I’m not. It feels like a bit of a pat on the back to be honest.” (Great Big Sea’s Alan Doyle is looking for something true to sing on ‘So Let’s Go’” by Jon Dekel published on 21 January 2015).

Russell, Alan, Scott, Kevin and Allan have made movies and television episodes together, written songs and created albums together, and of course done concerts together.  When each person has created something new they seem to be always there with help and encourage each other and give their work a bit of a plug. Their friendships I am sure have its ups and downs and creative differences over time, but is something we can all learn from and aspire to as a fandom. Fandoms are places where many people meet and become life-long friends through the activities and sharing stories about the things they love. This post is a tribute to the friendships between Russell Crowe, Alan Doyle, Scott Grimes, Kevin Durand and Allan Hawco and all the fans in these fandoms who have met and become real life friends.

The Australian Indoor Garden Party...(From the Daily Telegram.com) No copyright infringement intended.

Alan Doyle And Somewhere In A Song…

"We're the brightest light, on the darkest day-" Alan Doyle on what it means to be a Newfoundlander... 

Congratulations to Alan Doyle for being awarded the Canadian Red Cross, Newfoundland Humanitarian of the Year (2016) award. The gala dinner was held on the 23 November, 2016 at the Convention Centre in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

The Newfoundland newspaper The Telegram live streamed the gala dinner and a short concert by Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies on Facebook. While I did not watch the awards ceremony, I did watch the fabulous concert by Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies. Thanks to The Telegram for including the fans. 

As the event was live streamed Great Big Sea and Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies fans from Canada and around the world were able to log onto the site, listen and post comments as the awards unfolded. Alan and The Beautiful Gypsies sang some of their new music and some Great Big Sea favourites. Alan sang a beautiful new song called 'Somewhere In A Song' about growing up in Petty Harbour, Newfoundland which was dedicated to his parents Jean and Tom Doyle who were in the audience.   

The Newfoundland and Labrador local news media, the Canadian Red Cross Newfoundland branch and those who attended the gala dinner shared a range of words, thoughts, photographs, videos and congratulations to the winners via social media. While there were lots of social media posts, I have posted a couple of my favourites here.

The first post is from alanthomasdoyle’s official Instagram account with the sponsors and the second post is from Twitter from the speech made by Alan Doyle on what it means to be a Newfoundlander and why he volunteers. The third post is also from Twitter of the Young Humanitarian and Humanitarian of the Year winners together and the final post is The Telegram’s live stream on Facebook.

CBC Newfoundland and Labrador covered the event online with updates on social media and through news articles. They published an article with some nice photographs and is titled “Alan Doyle honoured with Canadian Red Cross Humanitarian award ” by Jeremy Eaton, posted on 23 November, 2016. I have provided a link here and circulated a copy of the article on my Google + page.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/alan-doyle-humanitarian-award-1.3864977

The Telegram also published an article about the awards “Red Cross NL honours humanitarian of the year” posted on 23 November, 2016. The article provided links to the Facebook page where the live stream was occurring and recorded. I logged onto Facebook and at the time of the writing of this post they were still available for those interested.  I have provided a link here to the article.

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2016-11-23/article-4691608/Red-Cross-NL-honours-humanitarians-of-the-year/1

VOCM local Newfoundland News published  “Red Cross Honours Doyle, Ramjattan With Humanitarian Awards” published on 24 November, 2106 about the awards.

I love this quote from the article by Alan Doyle…

“23-year-old Miranda Ramjattan was presented with the Young Humanitarian Award for, among other things, her volunteer work with autistic children. Doyle was very impressed by her long list of accomplishments at such a young age.

Doyle joked "if you had seen me and my brother Bernie and Perry when I was 23 in the house we were living in on Suez Street, we were more likely to get help from the Red Cross than get an award."

I have provided a link here to the article.

http://vocm.com/news/red-cross-honours-doyle-ramjattan-with-humanitarian-awards/

Sean McCann Sings… A fan review of a concert.

It has been a while since I wrote anything about former Great Big Sea member Sean McCann. The reason for this is, well to be honest I am not really interested in what he has been saying to anyone who listens via the traditional type media including newspapers and television or on social media. Occasionally these interviews have been shared via the Online Kitchen Party, A Great Big Sea Community Forum on Facebook and the fans have responded sharing their thoughts, words and experiences.

After Sean McCann hijacked GreatBigSea.com diverting the results of anyone who searched this address to his own webpage (without the permission of the other members of the band) I decided not to give him any more attention. As those who have followed the hiatus of this band know it was Sean McCann who asked for the Great Big Sea webpage to be brought down because for him to move forward and to be healthy and happy they couldn’t exist in any form past and present without him.

For a man who has responded so negatively about his former employer, his work mates and experiences, I found his current actions (including bringing down the webpage and then hijacking) extremely questionable and not one of a person I consider to be in a happy and healthy place both personally and professionally. I am not sure why a person who is so happy in his current life and profession would spend so much time and energy engaging with something so negative three years after it all happened.

However, last week one long term Great Big Sea fan published a post about her experiences at a Sean McCann concert on the Online Kitchen Party, Great Big Sea Community Forum page on Facebook which evoked a range of responses from other fans both positive and negative. I was really impressed with what this fan shared about her experience. I thought she was quite brave to share them considering the discussion a Sean McCann interview brings. I also thought it was really sad a fan came away with such negative feelings from something that really should have brought much happiness.

As I do not participate on the site or any fan sites I do read posts and occasionally respond here. As I thought this post was a significant response as were many of the responses I have responded to these. I have removed her name and those who provided comments on the posts for copyright and privacy reasons.

The fan wrote…

“It is no secret that I am a Great Big Sea fan, especially Alan Doyle.

Last night I saw Séan McCann solo, something I had been dreading because of what I believe to be his role in the demise of GBS & some past behaviour I witnessed, which will remain in the past, so let's just say I am not his biggest fan.

Séan is a gifted musician, singer and songwriter and that was more than evident last night. He is also a recovering alcoholic which played a huge role in the vibe of his show.

Mostly he spoke of love & forgiveness and the strength to overcome all obstacles and then his anger & resentment would show up and he would say things like "when they get their act together", meaning that his former band mates were currently a mess of some sort. He gives the impression that he blames them for his alcoholism and is quite flippant & arrogant about his role in the end of GBS.

I went to this show not wanting to be there and he pleasantly surprised me for awhile but then he would bash the guys so instead of leaving the show with the sense of joy, contentment, entertainment etc., I left disappointed and upset.

It breaks my heart and I don't even know them, I can only imagine what it does to his former band mates and friends for 25+ years.

I wish Séan nothing but success and genuinely hope he finds his inner peace but I will certainly not be going to see him play again’.

Many of the comments posted had been made before. Many of those fans continued to wish Sean McCann all the best and offered empathy and understanding on his issues, while other fans were losing or had lost patience with the constant bashing of his former employer, management, workmates and friends and his need to sabotage their careers. I agree that after three years Sean needs to move on or find professional help rather than venting his frustrations through the traditional media and paying fans at concerts.

I also don’t agree with him billing himself as a member of Great Big Sea or former member then bashing the whole experience. One person who posted put it perfectly. “But this GBS can’t exist without me was horrible… I was under the impression that being in recovery meant owning your shit, and if that you’re still harming other people with your actions, you’re not recovered…” As those fans who have followed the debate know Sean has refused to allow the band members to move on as Great Big Sea without him.

There were some new insightful comments. One of those raised the issue of Sean McCann using the people who pay for concerts as a ‘personal therapist’, and I will add a non-responsive personal therapist that supports his actions and words with rounds of applause and approval.

One person posted Sean McCann won’t play bars only small theatres as part of his recovery. In other posts people stated Sean had said he didn’t like the number of songs that Great Big Sea performed around alcohol. Personally I have never notice. One day when I was researching I found a current setlist of the songs he was performing and many of the songs he selected were the traditional songs about drinking and alcohol. I wondered what effect this selection of songs would have on his recovery and what type of concert he would deliver.

I also found it really interesting Sean allegedly won’t play in bars or hotels. To me that seems a bit judgemental. Not every person who attends a concert at a bar or hotel drinks or has a problem with alcohol. As a person who rarely drinks alcohol, it really doesn’t matter to me whether people have a couple of drinks while enjoying the concert, as long as that drinking doesn’t infringe on my and other’s enjoyment. And as long as they have a designated driver so they won’t kill and injure others on the way home. As a former ‘alcoholic’ Sean McCann would be in a perfect place in bars and hotels to preach drinking in moderation and the consequences of what excessive drinking can do in an appropriate way.

I do think Sean McCann misses the point of Great Big Sea music in that alcohol really isn’t essential to enjoying the music or having a good time in my opinion. Their songs to me do not focus on drinking or alcohol either. While perhaps his new music and outlook may be attracting new fans who are perhaps ignorant of the whole story, he needs to be aware many old fans have lost or are losing their patience and going elsewhere for a more positive musical experiences. If people are leaving him then that is no one’s fault but his own.

Alan Doyle And The Beautiful Gypsies Help Others Out (2016)…

As fans of Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies know all the band members including Alan Doyle are constantly giving their time to help out a range of great causes close to their hearts.

In March earlier this year I wrote a post titled ‘Newfoundland and the art of giving’ posted on March 11, 2016 about a newspaper article I had read where Newfoundlanders have the highest level of charitable donations that exceeds the national average… “Recently in a CBCNL article titled “A generous bunch: N.L. leads Canada in charitable donors,” by Laura Howells published online on March, 7, 2016 describes just how much Newfoundlanders give to charity within the Canadian context. This contribution has been supported by statistics.” 

Musicians and artists from Newfoundland (and Canada) are certainly an integrated part of raising money for charitable causes with the community.

I have provided a link to the article here.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/newfoundland-labrador-donations-1.3477399

This weekend the tradition is continuing as Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies are playing in Victoria, British Columbia for another charitable cause. The concert is sold out.

Prior to arriving Alan Doyle did an interview with the Times Colonist titled “Alan Doyle and Beautiful Gypsies give back to help Victorians” by Mike Devlin published on the 17 November, 2016 about the Canadian music and raising money for charitable causes. I have provided a copy of the original article here and a link.

I have also included a copy of an Alan Doyle selfie taken in Victoria, British Columbia prior to the concert tonight. No copyright infringement intended.

http://www.timescolonist.com/alan-doyle-and-beautiful-gypsies-give-back-to-help-victorians-1.2841947

Musicians in Canada are uniquely positioned to help others, especially as the holidays approach, singer-songwriter Alan Doyle says.

“It’s the time of year [that] if you’re a musician, and have a day or two in your calendar to give back to your community, somebody could probably use it,” Doyle, formerly of Great Big Sea, said Wednesday from a tour stop in Portland, Oregon.

“I’ve long touted the role of the Canadian music industry in charitable work in this country,” he said. “I would love to know much money the Canadian music industry has raised for charity. It would be staggering.”

Doyle knows whereof he speaks. Back home in St. John’s, N.L., he sits on several boards and committees for fundraising groups. For his efforts, he was feted last month with a 2016 Humanitarian Award from the Canadian Red Cross, Newfoundland and Labrador.

For the past few weeks, Doyle and his solo band, the Beautiful Gypsies — which includes Victoria fiddler Kendel Carson — have been touring Canada and the U.S., with fundraising stops in between. Doyle and Co. will be in Victoria Friday for the Concert for Hope Help Home, a sold-out fundraiser for Community Living Victoria.

Doyle has campaigned often in support of the Community Living Society of Canada, which supports people with developmental disabilities.

“It makes me proud to be a part of a long tradition of Newfoundlanders helping people when they need help. As a Newfoundlander, it’s not just who I am, it’s who we are as a people. It doesn’t matter if you’re a rich doctor or a folk singer, you do what you can and everyone is better for it.”

The concert sold out three months ago, and will add to the $500,000 that Community Living Victoria concerts such as this one have raised during the series’ 10-year run.

Doyle has a new book out and an album he’s preparing to release in 2017. The new record with the Beautiful Gypsies will be produced by Bob Rock, who has helmed recordings for everyone from Michael Bublé to Metallica. Doyle said he has no doubt the record will sound amazing, his contributions aside. “I’m the worst one in the band by so long, it’s not even funny. It’s like standing in the middle of a tsunami every night.”

Music is a focal point for all facets of Doyle’s life and drives his daily thinking.

He enjoyed an incredible run with Great Big Sea, which has not officially ruled out a return, and his musical memoir, Where I Belong, about growing up in the fishing village of Petty Harbour, N.L., had a distinct lyrical quality. Fans should expect the unexpected when he performs at the McPherson Playhouse.

“The band is so versatile, we can do a bunch of songs from Newfoundland, traditional songs, Great Big Sea songs and a bunch of my own. If something shows up on the day of a show and it feels like we should be doing a John Cougar song because it’s his birthday, we’ll do that.”© Copyright Times Colonist