Yesterday I highlighted a song by Nanci Griffith. I was introduced to her at The Chieftans concert I went to with my Dad. The Chieftans, the wonderful Irish band, usually brings a few musicians with them on tour. The night I went with my Dad, Nanci Griffith and Ashley MacIsaac were playing with them. Nanci, is best known more in the folk music world and Ashley is a fiddler from Cape Breton Island in Canada. Cape Breton is known for producing fabulous musicians in traditional fiddle. This musical tradition was brought to North America by Scottish immigrants during the Highland Clearances (according to Wikipedia).

While I don’t have any of Ashley’s music, I do have music from another fiddler from that area, Natalie MacMaster, who happens to be his cousin. Natalie has toured with The Chieftans as well. She’s married to Donnell Leahy, of the group Leahy, and is as well, an accomplished fiddler. Just last month, they put out a CD together, “One”. My sister bought it for me for my birthday and I’m really enjoying it. While I don’t quite have it on my IPod yet, I’ll cheat today and still feature one of the songs.

The song below is a tribute to Natalie’s uncle Buddy MacMaster, who was one of the most renowned artists in the tradition of Cape Breton fiddle music and died last year.

I’m not sure I really have a bucket list (that requires actually making one), but if I did, Cape Breton would be on it. Would love to visit and take in its beauty and music.