Feb 3, 2012
The Guardian: A musical faceoff
P.E.I. singer-songwriter Lennie Gallant has fond memories of playing hockey on the backyard pond and watching the game in the family’s tiny living room in Rustico. Gallant is performing a new hockey-themed song during Stolen From a Hockey Card on Feb. 9 at the Homburg Theatre of the Confederation Centre of the Arts.
P.E.I. singer-songwriter Lennie Gallant has fond memories of playing hockey on the backyard pond and watching the game in the family’s tiny living room in Rustico. Gallant is performing a new hockey-themed song during Stolen From a Hockey Card on...
Stolen From a Hockey Card began as a musical component for Hockey Day
in Canada. For a few years, it was an opening date concert. “But nothing
as ambitious as this,” says creator/producer Dave Bidini.
The opening concert turned into a full-blown event last year with Canadian
musicians and hockey players flying into Whitehorse for the first-ever Stolen
From a Hockey Card.
Tickets for the show are available at the Confederation Centre box office
at 566-1267 or www.confederationcentre.com.
Topics :
Homburg Theatre of the Confederation Centre of the Arts , New York Islanders
, CBC , Canada , Rustico , P.E.I.
Award-winning P.E.I. singer-songwriter Lennie Gallant has plenty of fond memories about hockey.
As a boy, he couldn’t wait to tie up his skates each winter.
“As soon as there was any ice on the pond at the back of our house, I was out making a rink. And if that ice was too rough, I would be out there late at night with a bucket (of water) flooding the ice so we could skate on it the next day,” says the Rustico native who rose up through the ranks of peewee, minor and university hockey.
“It played a big part in my life.”
In the late 1950s, Gallant’s grandfather had a little corner store in Rustico, where his brother, Keith, now operates a service station. Gallant’s family lived upstairs. His father had a television, a scarce commodity in those days.
“Every week on hockey night our place would be packed with people who had come to watch the game. There would be one row of people sitting on the floor. There would be another tier sitting on the couch. Another row of people would sit on the back of the couch. And still another tier would be standing up behind it.
“One night there were so many people in that tiny living room the floor dropped. It actually fell two to three inches,” he says, adding that although no one was hurt during the incident, it made a lasting impact on the rural community.
“It has become a legend in Rustico,” says Gallant, who is pleased to be one of the headliners in Stolen from a Hockey Card on Feb. 9 at the Homburg Theatre of the Confederation Centre of the Arts at 8 p.m.
The hockey-themed concert, which will pay tribute to Canada’s love and passion for the game, will also feature singer-songwriters Sarah Harmer, Chris Murphy (Sloan) and Liam Corcoran (Two Hours Traffic), as well as hockey players like former New York Islanders great Bryan Trottier.
For their part, the performers have been commissioned to write an original song about Canada’s favourite game, says the lead singer of Two Hours Traffic.
“We had to pick a hockey player, past or present, and write a song about them. That evening they’re going to unveil them,” says Corcoran. “For people sitting in the audience, it’s going to be a surprise.”
As for the name of the hockey hero he has chosen, he won’t give any hints.
“A few people have asked me, but once I say we’re keeping it hush, hush, they don’t press me too hard,” says Corcoran, who also has a hockey connection.
“I played a lot of hockey growing up — from peewee all the way up to minor hockey. I even went to Ontario to try out for a junior team. It didn’t work out, so I came back (to P.E.I.) and started focusing more on my music.
“Still, hockey has always been a passion of mine. So it’s a big honour to be invited to play at this hockey event.
That’s partly because some of the people that I look up to are involved like Chris Murphy from Sloan and Sarah Harmer — two of the country’s greatest song writers are going to be on the stage that night,” he says.
Dave Bidini, the show’s creator/producer, says if last year’s debut concert in Whitehorse is any indication it will be a tremendous occasion.
“It will be a jam-packed night of some of Canada’s most recognizable faces in hockey combined with some of the country’s top singer-songwriters. It’s well worth the ticket price,” says the enthusiastic musician, songwriter, journalist and hockey fan during a telephone interview.
The master of ceremonies for the star-studded evening will be Ron MacLean, host of CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada.
After playing a similar role last year in Whitehorse, he’s pumped about the event, which is part of Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada 2012 celebrations being held across P.E.I.
“It’s going to be so much fun. I’ll be there to provide a bit of the Hockey Night in Canada hijinks. Dave Bidini will tell some great stories. So it will be a great mix of music and hockey talk — two things that are close to the hearts of Prince Edward Islanders,” he says.
Other than emceeing and enjoying the music, MacLean plans to make some new friends.
“I’m looking forward to meeting Lennie Gallant. I don’t know him personally. But I’m kind of a fan.
“I also am excited about meeting Bryan Trottier, winner of six Stanley Cups. That’ s the other thing I’m looking forward to,” he says.
Meanwhile, Bidini is busy working with musicians who are preparing to premiere their work.
For the occasion he has put together a house band, which is known as the Bidiniband.
That night, one by one performers will hop up to the mike and sing their song.
And he wants everyone to know how special that will be.
“You’ll have a chance to witness something truly unique in art and performance. And it will only happen once.”
Jan 21, 2012
The Guardian: Music P.E.I. Week wraps up with awards gala in Charlottetown
Guardian photo by Brian McInnis
Lennie Gallant sings one his most famous songs, Peters Dream, during the P.E.I Music Awards Gala Saturday night in the Homburg Theatre.
Jan 14, 2012
A Tribute To Gene MacLellan
Lennie performed at the sold out concert: Just Biding My Time: A Tribute To Gene MacLellan in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. In the first-ever large-scale concert in his honour, MacLellan's music was performed and saluted by a cast of some of the very best Island musicians, plus special guests. The show, called Just Bidin' My Time, was produced by Music PEI, and recorded for broadcast by CBC Radio and TV.
Lennie Gallant and Meaghan
Blanchard sing Shilo Song
photo by Guardian photo by Brian McInnis
Lennie Gallant performs Gene MacLellans song The Call
photo by Guardian photo by Brian McInnis
Dec 29, 2011 - The Guardian, Arts and Entertainment
On the horizon
For many P.E.I. performers, 2011 was filled with opportunity and success.
Now, as the old year fades, some of these artists continue to shine.
The Guardian recently spoke with four performers it featured in stories during 2011 who are looking forward to exciting new projects in the new year.
In concert
P.E.I.
singer-songwriter Lennie Gallant is excited about performing in Just Biding
My Time: A Tribute to Gene MacLellan, the CBC televised concert taking place
Jan. 14 at Zion Presbyterian Church in Charlottetown at 8 p.m.
“Gene was a great songwriter. He contributed a great deal to Canadian culture. Gene also helped to launch Anne Murray’s career,” said Gallant during a recent telephone interview.
In his lifetime, he added, many people were moved by his work.
“I think it’s important that something like this is happening to remember somebody who meant so much to the musical community,” says Gallant, adding that the star-studded concert will feature Gene’s daughter, Catherine MacLellan, as well as Ron Hynes, Haunted Hearts, Meaghan Blanchard and more.
“Gene was a personal friend, and I miss him. We all miss him,” says Gallant, who is also one of the headliners for Stolen From a Hockey Card, a concert taking place on Feb. 9 at the Confederation Centre of the Arts at 8 p.m. as part of Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada 2012 celebrations.
“Hockey played an important part in my life as I was growing up — both as a player and a crazy fan — so I’m very much looking forward to it,” says Gallant, who is also making several yet-to-be announced appearances during Metro Credit Union Music P.E.I. Week 2012 in Charlottetown.
“As you can see, I’m going to be pretty busy for the months of January and February on P.E.I.,” he says.
From The Guardian
Dec 2, 2011
Live in Halifax with special guest Lennie Gallant on CBC's A Propos
Recorded live in Halifax, this edition of A Propos features the sounds of Prince Edward Island, the sounds of Nova Scotia, the sounds of our guest, Lennie Gallant. Hear Jim Corcoran and Lennie Gallant in conversation, in front of a studio audience, as they speak about songwriting and Acadian culture in Prince Edward Island, writing and performing on the road, and simply about music. Also, Lennie performs some of his recent songs live in cozy Studio H at CBC Halifax.
Listen online - click here
Nov 18, 2011
Lennie Gallant special guest on A Propos
A Propos in Halifax on November 24
Join us for a live taping of A Propos on Thursday November 24 at 8 p.m. at the CBC building on Sackville, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Host Jim Corcoran invites singer songwriter Lennie Gallant for a very special interview as well as live performances of his songs. If you want to be there, you can reserve your seats by sending an email here. See you then!
Nov 10, 2011
Lest We Forget
After having gone to Afghanistan to play for the troops, Lennie Gallant was moved to write this song with JT Harding. He had heard many stories of soldiers wounded in action and felt their voices needed to be heard.
Nov 1, 2011
"You Don't Know How Beautiful You Are" on the EAST COAST COUNTDOWN
"You Don't Know How Beautiful You Are" has just been added. Please take a moment to vote for this song. Let's get it on the chart and on the way to #1!
VOTE HERE - www.eastcoastcountdown.com (right column, 4 up from the bottom)
Thanks for your support!
Oct 24, 2011
Concerts On Demand: 2011 ECMA
Listen to Lennie Gallant's CBC Concert recorded live at the 2011 ECMAs in Charlottetown, PEI
http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/cod/concerts/20110416lenni
Please take a moment to write a review following the concert!
July 26, 2011
Lennie Gallant featured in CMT special
ECMA is back on television with “CMT Special – Birthplace of the Beat” which will feature highlights of East Coast Music Week 2011 – the four-day music and industry extravaganza which was held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island in April.
Throughout the city, East Coast music took centre stage as artists and industry representatives met to focus on the growth and development of the east coast’s unique musical culture, celebrate career achievements and showcase talent.
Attended by more than 2,000 industry representatives and performers, and thousands of music lovers, the ECMA’s has grown from a one-day event hosted in a Halifax bar, to an event that now promotes east coast artists to national and international presenters and promoters.
The TV special will feature performances and interviews with many east coast artists including; Lennie Gallant, The Trews, George Canyon, Dave Gunning, Ghettosocks, Cynthia MacLeod, Amelia Curran, Rose Cousins, David Myles, Kim Stockwood, Haywire, Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys, and Jimmy Rankin.
Don’t miss a Beat! Tune in to CMT, this Saturday, July 30th at 7pm EST/ 8 pm AST/ 8:30 pm NDT!
For a sneak preview
For schedule information – visit www.cmt.ca/schedule
July 5, 2011
Lennie Gallant performs in Trafalgar Square, London England on Canada Day
Lennie Gallant on stage in London England.
Oh My Darling on backing vocals. (Photo: Ro Cemm)
Lennie performed in Trafalgar Square on Friday July 1st in the largest Canada Day celebration outside Canada’s borders. Thousands of Canadians and friends of Canadians will gather to join in the festivities and celebrate the country’s 144th birthday.
Now in its sixth year, this celebration of all things Canadian is free for everyone to attend. Highlights of the day-long celebration include the annual Trafalgar Cup street hockey tournament, Canadian food and drink, and cooking demonstrations from a celebrity Canadian chef. There’s also the chance to gather the latest information about exciting Canadian destinations, and to learn more about travelling to and visiting Canada.
The main stage provided a platform for crowds to enjoy Canada’s artists and offers the perfect backdrop to other major attractions on offer during Canada Day in London. Lennie shared the stage with Blue Rodeo, Karkwa, Alex Cuba, The Mahones, Devon Sproule, Oh My Darling, Justin Hines, Tammy Weis and James Bryan.
This year’s event was hosted by Tanya Kim, anchor of Canada’s #1 entertainment news show CTV’s ETALK. Kim and her crew talked to artists backstage while also capturing the day’s events. CTV's “The Marilyn Denis Show” correspondent Cabral Richards was also participating in the celebration by introducing the stellar performers onstage.
For more information about Canada Day in London, please visit www.canadadaylondon.com
Paradise on the page
Musician Lennie Gallant adds 'children’s author' to his creative credits
By LOIS LEGGE Features Writer - Chronicle Herald
Lennie Gallant reads his new children’s book, A Day With You in Paradise, which is based on one of his songs, with his seven-year-old daughter Amelie in the backyard of his Halifax home. (Ingrid Bulmer / Staff)
A GOOD SONG is often a good story.
The multiple award-winning Maritime singer-songwriter is now a children’s book author, the man behind the words in A Day with You in Paradise, a new book based on his song of the same name.
Illustrated by New Waterford’s Patsy MacKinnon, the book spotlights a place where "wind turns tail on the setting sun, eagle comes searching for the mackerel run."
Children also play in the sand, eat from mussel beds, share "seaweed pillows" — all scenes reminiscent of his childhood as the oldest of six children growing up in Rustico, P.E.I.
It’s not entirely autobiographical though. The family in this story doesn’t arrive at Cavendish Beach in a gravel truck.
"My dad was a truck driver and we didn’t have a car, he just had a gravel truck that he drove. . . . And I remember on Sundays . . . we’d all jump in the back of the gravel truck and head off down to the beach," he recalls with a laugh.
"And I thought that was the greatest thing, you know. I look back now and think we couldn’t even afford to have a car but . . . I never felt that way. I never felt that we were missing anything. It was an adventure and I have a lot of cool memories of being a kid on the beach."
The story depicts everything from guitar playing to kite flying to frolicking on the beach — vivid colours courtesy of MacKinnon, who Gallant says "did a great job."
But the Halifax resident did tweak a few lyrics for his new, younger audience, including his seven-year-old daughter Amelie.
"The spirit of it is very much the same (but), for instance, there’s a line —‘dive in the waves, feel the water’s slap, hear the popping of your ears and the cold beer cap.’ Well, you know, I thought it didn’t belong in a children’s book so we changed it to ‘pop cap’ . . . and a few other lines that seemed perhaps a little more geared toward adult ears we changed. . . . I really like the way they turned out."
Gallant’s hoping it turns a whole new audience toward his music, which takes him to the northeastern United States this month, then to Trafalgar Square in London for Canada Day concert celebrations July 1, and then back to Prince Edward Island for the Cavendish Beach Music Festival, which starts July 7.
PEI Book Launch will be held at Confederation Centre Library on Wednesday, June 13 at 7 pm. Bookmark will be selling the books at their location.
Purchase your copy from us via paypal
April 17, 2011
ECMA Win!
Lennie Gallant accepting his 15th ECMA award at the Music Awards Gala, held in Charlottetown, PEI
March 8, 2011
Cavendish Beach Music Festival
Cavendish Beach Music festival announced today that Lennie Gallant will co-headline the Main Stage!
Others announced today were Trace Adkins, Johnny Reid, Brad Paisley, George Canyon, Toby Keith and more! CMT personality Casey Clarke flew into town today to personally unveil a good portion of the star-studded line-up for the newly branded LottoMax presents Cavendish Beach Music Festival scheduled to take place July 7-10, 2011 in Cavendish Beach, Prince Edward Island.
Tickets on Sale: 10:00AM Saturday, March 12, 2011
www.cavendishbeachmusicfestival.com
March 2, 2011
Canada Day in Trafalgar Square, London England
Lennie Gallant will perform at the 6th Annual Canada Day in London celebration that will take place in Trafalgar Square. Attracting well over 50,000 Londoners and visitors from around the globe, the celebration of Canada’s 144th birthday presents a unique opportunity to enjoy the best of Canadian music. Previous years have seen artists like Sam Roberts, Kathleen Edwards, Jully Black, Sarah Harmer and Hawkesly Workman grace the stage on the square. Full details will be announced Friday, March 4 at www.canadadaylondon.com
March 2, 2011
David Suzuki's "Playlist for the Planet"
Ashelin's "Song for Mariana" won a spot on the playlist, representing Newfoundland. Lennie co-wrote this song with Ashelin. You can listen here: http://radio3.cbc.ca/#/bands/Ashelin
March 2, 2011
New Single "If We Had A Fire" released to Country Radio
The single "If We Had A Fire" will be released to Country Radio in Canada on March 7. The song was co-written with 2011 Juno Nominee Carolyn Dawn Johnson and she also sings on it with Lennie.
Jan 20, 2011
Lennie Gallant receives four ECMA nominations!
Artist and industry award nominations were announced today at the Confederation Centre of the Arts for East Coast Music Week 2011 to be held April 13-17 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
Lennie Gallant received nominations for Fan's Choice Entertainer of the Year, Francophone Recording of the Year (Le coeur hante´), Recording of the Year (If We Had A Fire) and Songwriter of the Year.
Fan’s Choice voting opens March 14.
Awards will be distributed throughout the event at various times on showcasing stages, at the Industry Awards Brunch, and at the Music Awards Gala on Sunday, April 17 at the Homburg Theatre at the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown.
Happy New Year!
Grand Parade in Halifax on New Year's Eve last year.
watch more of the show here - www.youtube.com/lenniegallant
Oct 15, 2010
Concert Review
Gallant delivers another memorable night
The Guardian
Published on October 15th, 2010
Todd MacLean
“Spending a night with Lennie is almost always a memorable experience,” Eric MacEwen said, as he warmly and passionately introduced Lennie Gallant to a packed crowd at the newly-renovated Kings Playhouse last Friday night.
MacEwen has stated many truths in his day, and the performance that Gallant followed through with proved him to be right again.
“Eric and I have never spent a whole night together, just for the record,” Gallant smiled in his first words at the mike, to start the show on a comedic note.
The premise behind the night of music at the Kings Playhouse was to raise money and food donations for the Georgetown Food Bank. And what better way to do it than to bring out one of the Island’s most widely-known singer-songwriters of all time for the cause.
(Incidentally, he’s so nationally known now that he recently became a “P.E.I. singer-songwriter” clue in the National Post crossword. “And Stompin’ Tom did not fit!” Gallant said.)
Flanked by two Nova Scotia musicians, Anthony Rissesco on violin to his right and Keith Mullins on drums and backing vocals to his left, Gallant wheeled into a driving quick strummer of a first tune — Mademoiselle, Voulez-Vous Danser — to kick things off with a spectacular bang.
(Did you know that Jimmy Buffett recorded that one several years ago? Of course, it pales in comparison to Gallant’s version, but hey, there it is.)
Gallant’s new album is called If We Had a Fire, which has garnered him three nominations for the upcoming Canadian Folk Music Awards in November, and throughout the night he performed a handful of tunes from this new recording.
His third song of the evening, Before We Sell This Car, was one of these. A tune written with Juno award-winning country artist Carolyn Dawn Johnson, it’s a nostalgic heartstring-puller complete with some catchy melodic hooks and was definitely one of my favourites of the night.
Some other highlights of the first set included songs like Tell Me a Ghost Story (perfectly spooky for an October night), You Don’t Know How Beautiful You Are (a gorgeous new tune written for his six-year old daughter, Amelie), 47 Angels on Her Front Lawn (always such a rocker) and, of course, Peter’s Dream, which raised everyone’s voices in song, as well as the goosebumps on the back of my neck.
Gallant also told us an interesting story in the first set. Mentioning that Canadian astronaut Julie Payette took one of his CDs along for her recent trip into space, he also said he was originally going to try to get her a copy of the new CD to take along for the ride as well, particularly because the launch of the album coincided with the launch of her shuttle (“What better way to launch a CD, eh?” Gallant chuckled). But he quickly realized this wouldn’t be the best idea when he remembered that the CD was called If We Had a Fire.
Some highlights of the second set were songs like the set opener, Which Way Does the River Run, the title track from the CD, If We Had a Fire (which is just such a fantastically-written song, with a profound putting-life-in-perspective message to it), the old classic that still sails on, Tales of the Phantom Ship (again, wonderfully fitting for this time of year), the emotively enveloping Wounded, the Gandhi-inspired Be the Change and the massive finale, The Band’s Still Playing, which featured the cream of the crop of Rissesco’s incredible violin solo work throughout the show.
After a standing ovation, and an encore of Seven Years, a guy shouted out, “Open Window!” in the midst of the audience’s applause.
“Maybe he just wants us to open a window?” drummer Mullins said.
But follow through with his request they did, as Gallant belted out with gusto one of his most adored tunes in his repertoire, and the trio rocked it home solidly.
What a treat it was to hear Gallant in this setting and what a great help it was for the underprivileged of the Georgetown area to head into the fall and winter with a boost to the food bank resources.
Oct 7, 201
Nominated For Three Canadian Folk Music Awards
Lennie Gallant has received nominations in three categories from The Canadian Folk Music Awards, announced Wednesday in Winnipeg - host city for the 2010 CFMA Gala event. Gallant, who released two albums in 2009, "If We Had A Fire" and "Le coeur hante´", received nominations for English Songwriter of the year, French Songwriter of the year and Contemporary Album of the year.
The Canadian Folk Music Awards, created in 2005 to bring greater exposure
to the treasure trove of Canadian folk music, honours outstanding achievements
in 19 categories. Awards will be handed out at the Pantages Playhouse Theatre
in Winnipeg on Saturday, November 20, 2010.
"If We Had a Fire" and "Le coeur
hante´" are available in stores, online
and at
iTunes.
April 29, 2010
"Peter's Dream" # 1 on the Essential East Coast Playlist
CBC Radio's Mainstreet on P.E.I. assembled the Essential East Coast Playlist and listeners voted for their favourite Atlantic Canadian tunes. The results are in and "Peter's Dream" topped the list at #1.
Thanks for your votes!
April 19, 2010
Podcast/Concerts on Demand
Lennie's concert recorded at the National Arts Centre is now Available by Podcast www.cbc.ca/radio2/podcasts/canadalive.html
Listen online anytime! This concert is available on Concerts On Demand: Lennie Gallant live at the NAC - www.cbc.ca/radio2/cod/concerts/20100119galla
Please take a moment to write a review following the concert!
April 10, 2010
2010 Juno Awards
Lennie will perform at JUNOFEST on Saturday, April 17 at Bridie Molloy's on George Street at 11 pm.
JunoFest wristbands on sale now at the Mile One Centre Box Office; by phone (709) 576-7657, (toll free)1-800-361-4595 or online at www.admission.com. Only a limited number of JunoFest wristbands are available. Wristbands offer fans priority entry at all JunoFest venues both nights (subject to capacity).
100+ Bands, 16 Venues, 2 Nights, 1 Wristband for $30.
March 9, 2010
Lennie Gallant wins his 14th East Coast Music Award!
Lennie Gallant won "Roots Recording of the Year" for If We Had A Fire. This makes a record number of awards for a solo artist! He also performed on the Gala Awards Show.
Feb 23, 2010
Lennie Gallant performs at BC Place (below), during the Olympic Victory Ceremony, at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games!
Watch the performance here ( the show starts at the 4:30 minute mark).
More photos - click here!
Jan 17 , 2010
Lennie Gallant joins the line-up for Halifax for Haiti
The Halifax for Haiti benefit concert featuring Halifax-based DRUM! and an array of the region’s finest artists is confirmed for the Halifax Metro Centre, Monday, February 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Joining DRUM!, the line-up now includes: Anna Ludlow, Bruce Guthro, Charlie A’Court, Christina Martin, Classified, Joel Plaskett, Lennie Gallant, Linda Carvery, Nova Scotia Mass Choir, Rhapsody Quintet, Scott Macmillan, Sung Ha Shin-Bouey, The Stanfields and Thom Swift. Brookes Diamond indicates there are more to come.
All tickets are $20 and go on sale at 11 a.m., Tuesday, January 19 through www.ticketatlantic.com, at the Ticket Atlantic box office, charge by phone at 451-1221 or at any of the 17 participating Atlantic Superstore outlets. Proceeds from the event will go to the Canadian Red Cross, to support their relief efforts in earthquake-ravaged Haiti.
Jan 6, 2010
Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games!
Lennie will be performing six shows at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games! Performing with his full band at both indoor and outdoor venues. The show on Feb 18th at BC Place, during the Olympic Victory Ceremony, will be televised internationally!
For more information, please visit the tour page of the website.
Jan 6, 2010
Ottawa and Montréal
In January, Lennie will return to Ottawa to release his 2 new albums at the National Arts Centre and in Montréal at Place des Arts. Tickets are on sale now!
Jan 19 National
Arts Centre - Tickets: 613-755-1111 or ticketmaster.ca
or NAC Box Office - 53 Elgin Street. English
"If We Had A Fire"
Jan 20 National Arts Centre - Tickets: 613-755-1111 or
ticketmaster.ca
or NAC Box Office - 53 Elgin Street - French
"Le
coeur hanté"
Jan 22 Place des Arts - Tickets: 514-842-2112/1-866-842-2112.
Jan 23 Place des Arts - Tickets: 514-842-2112/1-866-842-2112.
Le coeur hanté and If We Had A Fire available in stores, through the website and iTunes.
December 22, 2009
Ring in the New Year with Lennie Gallant!
Lennie will headline the big outdoor New Year's Eve concert in Grand Parade Downtown Halifax. The show begins at 10:45 pm on December 31st. Broadcast on "A" Channel from 10:45pm to 12:10am.
Satellite - Bell TV Channel 202 and Shaw Direct Channel 340
Cable - Eastlink (Halifax) Channel 7
IPTV - Bell Aliant TV (Halifax) Channel 5
Join us downtown Halifax or tune in on Television to welcome in 2010!
December 22, 2009
Lennie Gallant on Canada AM Christmas Day
On Christmas day you can enjoy Lennie's timeless Christmas song "The Innkeeper" on CTV Canada AM.
The Innkeeper was performed as a play at a cathedral in Charlottetown with a cast of 200 on Christmas Eve and is available on the When We Get There CD, as well as available for downlowd at iTunes. It will warm your heart this season!
Website: www.ctv.ca/canadaam
November 3, 2009
New French Album Released Today!
Le coeur hanté
With the opening song, Une Tempete dans Mon Coeur, the album roars out of the starting gate and holds the listener hostage with a collection of songs that will not let you go until you surrender your heart to the passion and raw emotion displayed in the music it contains . The album is called Le couer hanté and it examines love and relationships from differing points of view and speaks with many voices while doing so. From the power of a dam bursting in ones heart and the ensuing flood of things previously unsaid in the opening number, to the tender and beautiful Tu ne sais pas comment jolie tu es, the suspicions of infidelity that live in L’histoire du phantom, to the blazing relationship questions in Si on passait au feu, these songs ask us what we would save if we suddenly had to really decide what was absolutely necessary in our lives.
While many of the numbers rock out with big questions of life and love Gallant does not omit the humorous side of it all with songs like J’adore ton chapeau, a comic bilingual number he wrote with award winning songwriter Gordie Sampson (Jesus Take the Wheel). He also touches on subjects not often approached in song with the aching power ballad Rien nest perdu, where the singer refuses to let regret destroy the beautiful memories of a love that has run it’s course, and from the other side of the street, the bounty of love one can discover after fighting to stay together through thick and thin in La vie de tous les jours extraordinaire. This is an album that is sure to involve anyone listening as the subject matter moves through topics that have touched us all in some form or other in our lives and does so in ways to make us laugh, dance and cry a little bit. Let this album into your heart and it will haunt you with it’s melodies that will not be easily left behind after the final song. Le coeur hanté wants to be the ghost you can’t escape, or resist returning to again and again!
Le coeur hanté available is available in Stores, Online and at iTunes.
August 9, 2009
Full House at Folk Harbour Roars It Up For Lennie
Posted by Stephen Pedersen
Lunenburg loves Lennie and Lennie loves Lunenburg. Repeated standing ovations at his outstanding set Friday night in the Tent on Blockhouse Hill, echoed the thunder but also completely wiped away the memory of the extraordinary cloudburst and lightning storm that swept over the site minutes before the show began.
Lennie Gallant’s genius at writing and singing his own songs has given us not only classics like Peter’s Dream, And The Band Played On, and Which Way Does The River Run, but new songs on their way to the Lennie Gallant Hall of Fame.
These would include Wounded, his compassionate tribute to broken soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome in an atmosphere of our collective silence and neglect. And the poignancy of Before You Sell This Car (from his latest album If We Had A Fire). An old car is full of memories from first kisses to coffee spills that often mark the landmarks of our lives.
There is an energy in Lennie’s singing, an inner fire of Acadian French rhythms performed at blazing speeds, and also an orchestral fullness to the fat chords he pulls or strikes from his guitar.
A further sign of Lennie’s musical taste is the musicians he chooses for his bands. It’s a highly refined taste, that penetrates more often than most singer-songwriters to the inner sanctum of music’s wizardry, of it’s ability when approached with utter honesty, to penetrate the cosmos, to rip away the veil of the familiar to reveal the fabled Music of the Spheres talked about in earlier centuries.
Anthony Rissessco on violin and Jamie Alcorn on acoustic electric guitar are two veteran practitioners who, like Lennie, are at the peak of their musicality having broken through to the glory of speaking it’s language with the ease and eloquence of great poets.
Both of them stunned the audience repeatedly with their improvised solo breaks and interior fills and ornaments. Brilliant as they were, they topped it all with the kind of professional confidence and support that cleared the path for Lennie and only surged in after he had passed, like the Red Sea after the Army of Jehovah reached the far shore dry-footed.
July 28/09
New CD "If We Had A Fire" Released!
Lennie
Gallant released his latest album If We Had A Fire and
he claims it is his best work yet. Recorded in beautiful St Cecilia Studios
on the outskirts of Halifax, the album holds 14 new Gallant songs, performed
by the artist and some of the best musicians the East Coast has to offer.
“It was a pretty magical place to make music. Saint Cecelia Studios
is a reconverted chapel turned studio owned by friends of mine and the welcoming
light that shone through the beautiful stained glass on many mornings made
it one of the most creative and relaxing venues I ever had the chance to
work in. Everyone that came to play on the project commented on the vibe
of the place and the positive energy they experienced during the sessions."
Gallant produced the album with Hayward Parrott, who over the years, has
worked with some of the most influential people in the Canadian music industry
including Gordon Lightfoot,and the great Quebecois band Harmonium. He was
also the engineer on the Tears Are Not Enough session, so the list of Canadian
artists he’s worked with is quite lengthy. Also on the production team was
Brad Davidge, who had been acting as guitarist in Gallant’s band for almost
a year, alternating with Jamie Alcorn, and has played with some of the hottest
players on the planet.
"This is the first project I’ve recorded so close to home since
my debut album, Breakwater," says Gallant. “It was great to be able
to use players with whom I had been on the road, or jammed with over the
years, especially my main road guys Sean Kemp, Brad Davidge, Jamie Alcorn,
Adam Dowling and Kim Dunn. There was a real sense of camaraderie and the
creation of something special going on in the studio environment. All the
songs’ basic tracks were recorded live off the floor and almost all the
vocals as well so we ended up with a real honest energy on the tracks and,
I think, some kind of magic that a more piece by piece structured recording
would probably miss."
Gallant says he is very happy with the way the songs turned out. "We had been playing some of these in our live show for a while and were eager to get them down. Songs like Tell Me A Ghost Story, Before We Sell This Car, If We Had A Fire, have been going over great in our concerts so we were really ready to commit them to disc.
As usual, I ended up writing like mad up until, and during the recording,
so some songs were practically born during the process as well. I think
it’s cool to have that blend of tried and true and fresh outta the oven
on the same album”
Those who have heard the new project say they are knocked out by the dynamic
energy of many of the songs and by the storytelling as well. Gallant has
long been known as a killer spinner of tales in his past work, and songs
like Emily’s Letters, (a song of unconditional love and
a shared secret), The Ringer (a mystical tale of recapturing
a lost soul), and Tonight I Drive You Home, (a heartrending
story that may find MADD wanting to embrace) will more than satisfy those
looking for that solid Gallant narrative and one- two punch knock out ending.
Extraordinary Ordinary Life, recorded with Symphony Nova
Scotia, is a song about couples who have stuck it out for the long hall
through thick and thin, and Gallant’s moving portrait of a seemingly ordinary
relationship is sure to make even the most jaded listener take a deep breath
or two. Count on this one being used at many an anniversary celebration
in the future.
There are lots of rockin tunes on this album as well with songs like Dance
The Dark Away and The Coldest Road lending some
heat and inspiration to the night.
His Song Be The Change was inspired by the words of both
Mia Farrow and Mahatma Gandhi and incorporates a choir of children including
Gallant’s own 5 year old daughter. The album also includes several co-writes
with some fairly prestigious writers including Gordie Sampson, Troy Verges,
Gerald O’Brien, and Carolyn Dawn Johnston, who also sings with Gallant on
the title song. Other guest vocalists include Rose Cousins and Coco Love
Alcorn. Guest musicians include Ray Legere, Dale Murray, and Isabelle Theriault
for the group Ode de L’Acadie.
There is one song though that Gallant says is his favorite co-write on the
album. “I was on the road for a couple weeks and talking to my five
year old daughter, Amelie, on the phone, telling her how much I missed her,
when she said, 'Daddy, you re like the flowers in my heart, and I go there
when you ‘re away' I said “What did you say?!! I couldn’t believe she made
that up and so had to incorporate it into a song and, of course, give credit
where it's due.” The song is called Flowers in My Heart,
and like so many other songs on this recording, it will surely find a place
in the heart of any listener wise enough to seek out this latest offering
from one of the country’s premiere songwriters.
If We Had A Fire is available in stores, through the webstore and at iTunes.
June 12/09
Gallant's Music Reaches New Heights
Lennie Gallant to release new album this summer, while his latest one is launched in space on July 15 at 6:03 pm (EDT)
Canadian Space Agency astronaut Julie Payette returns to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour in June and will be bringing along Lennie Gallant's latest album When We Get There. Ms Payette chose the album for the astronaut crew of Mission STS-127 to enjoy while on their 16 day mission, which will include five spacewalks. Gallant's music has been heard around the world and will now orbit the earth.
Mission STS-127 will attach a platform to the outside of the space station's
Japanese Laboratory Kibo. Science experiments will take place on this platform,
allowing them to remain exposed to the harsh environment of space.
Lennie Gallant's latest album, "When We Get There"
received a JUNO Award nomination. His new album "If We
Had A Fire" will be released this summer.
For more information on Julie Payette and Mission STS-127, please visit http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/missions/sts-127/.