This is the first Christmas CD for the talented fiddler and step/tap dancer Natalie MacMaster, and the first Christmas CD for her husband Donnell Leahy since he recorded one with his family at age 14. The whole CD is a delight - eleven Christmas standards blended with Celtic jigs, skillfully arranged by Natalie and Donnell. Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy joined Cheryl Weber to chat about their upcoming Celtic Family Christmas Tour and they share some personal struggles they. Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy: Visions from Cape Breton and Beyond at the Ogle Center at IU Southeast in New Albany, Indiana on Sunday, March 10, 2019 at. 6,446 Followers, 28 Following, 181 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Macmaster & Leahy (@nataliemacmasterdonnellleahy).
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A Fairytale Wedding in Creignish, Nova Scotia
By Patrick Healy/Stephen Cooke, Monday, October 7, 2002 By Pat Healey with 
The Herald's Stephen Cooke / Entertainment Reporter Cape Breton's most eligible bacherlette wedded her Prince Charming in a beautiful wedding in Creignish Saturday... For a fiddler known for playing up a storm, it was an appropriately blustery day in Creignish on Saturday as Natalie MacMaster married fellow musician Donnell Leahy. While a strong gale blew in off the Strait of Canso, over 300 family members, friends and fans gathered at the modest Stella Maris Catholic Church, which sits high on a hill overlooking the water. Some arrived hours beforehand, from as far away as Alberta and Seattle, to get a good vantage point outside the 103-year-old chapel before the 2 p.m. ceremony.
Vacationing Millbrook, Ont., couple Nancy and Allan Olan, who are big fans of the Leahy musical clan, were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. We've been following them ever since they were children, said Mrs. Olan. We never ever dreamt that we'd be here for this. I think they'll make a good match.
As rain drizzled down, participants trickled in, including Ontario native Leahy and his groomsmen brothers Frank, Doug and Angus and performing sisters Maria, Jennifer and Erin, who was also one of MacMaster's bridesmaids. The Troy fiddler's bandmate Matt MacIsaac played the bagpipes on the grass outside until the wind and water sent him back into the church. As the rain backed off, just after two, the bride and her parents, Alex and Minnie MacMaster, arrived in a sleek black Lincoln Town Car. Grinning from ear to ear, as photographers and TV cameras closed in for that crucial shot, MacMaster smiled and waved to assembled press and fans on her way into the church. Sister-in-law and matron of honour Tina MacMaster followed, ensuring the gusting winds didn't catch hold of the train to the bride's strapless gown, from Winchester's in Halifax.
The simple candlelit ceremony, inside the church that the international fiddling star attended as a child, was conducted by Father Hughie D. MacDonald with the homily read by family friend and Saint John Bishop Faber MacDonald. When two people of this stature join together, they represent themselves to hundreds of thousands of fans, said the bishop. There are hidden dimensions to what is taking place, joining two families, two musical traditions, two sets of fans. We are witnessing the foundation of reality at work today as they enter the mystery of love, the feeling and expression of it.
Of course, music played a large role in the hour-and-a-half-long ceremony, with featured musicians including the bride's uncle Buddy MacMaster on violin - along with Kinnon, Andrea, Dawn and Margie Beaton - and acclaimed Tennessee fiddler Mark O'Connor, her longtime friend and mentor. Keyboard duties were shared by Bob Quinn and Betty Beaton as well as Erin Leahey, who also joined her sisters as vocalists. Also performing vocal pieces were Christine Quigley, Denise Flack, Agnes Enright, Paul Eisan and Kate Quinn. Although reporters and photographers were asked to stay outside of the church, which was bursting with attendees beyond its 250 person capacity, the bride and groom met with the media after the service, in the vestry, for a quick question and answer session.
Overcome with emotion, Leahy said he was speechless while MacMaster responded that her immediate plans were to be happily married. When asked about children Leahy joked, There were lots of them there tonight. We'll keep it in the lower 10, added his new wife with a knowing smile. Although the couple plans to settle down in Lakefield, Ont., near Peterborough, after a Barbados honeymoon, both expressed a strong desire to maintain their Cape Breton roots with a second home there further down the road. I love Cape Breton, said Leahy, who was also joined by his parents Frank and Julie Leahy at the ceremony. My mom's from Inverness - Deepdale, Broad Cove - and it's just a great thing to be able to bring my whole family back and reunite. My mom's been living in Ontario for 40 years and it's just a dream of mine to bring them back and do it up right. When asked how marriage will affect their musical lives, Leahy responded that they were both very committed to their individual careers, but we hope to play together in the near future.
A request for an on-camera kiss caused Leahy to blush, I'm shy! But he obliged with a quick peck on his new wife's cheek before the couple returned to the chapel for photos of the wedding party. It was a great honour to play today, I'm very pleased, said Order of Canada member Buddy MacMaster, the dean of Cape Breton fiddling, after the ceremony. I played a dance last night in P.E.I. and caught the first ferry over this morning to be here. I think I got about an hour of sleep, but it was worth it. On Saturday night, the wedding reception was held at the Judique Community Hall just a few kilometres up the Ceilidh Trail from Creignish. At the reception, rock and roll favourites from Tribute were mixed with traditional Celtic dance sets played by the legion of talented musicians attending the ceremony. And as MacMaster hinted after the wedding, the bride and groom likely wouldn't be able to ,b>resist the temptation to play a tune or two themselves. It's a perfect rehearsal for a future of living in harmony.
NOTE: Above photos taken By Tim Krochak/Herald Phot. of the Halifax Herald.
www.AtlanticSeabreeze.com
MacMaster performing in Centralville, Massachusetts, 2007 | |
| Background information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Natalie Ann MacMaster |
| Born | June 13, 1972 (age 48) Troy, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Genres | Cape Breton fiddle music |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Fiddle, Piano, Vocals |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Labels | Rounder Records |
| Associated acts | Buddy MacMaster Donnell Leahy |
| Website | NatalieMacMaster.com |
Natalie MacMasterCMONS (born June 13, 1972) is a Canadian fiddler from the rural community of Troy in Inverness County, Nova Scotia who plays Cape Breton fiddle music. MacMaster has toured with the Chieftains, Faith Hill, Carlos Santana and Alison Krauss, and has recorded with Yo-Yo Ma. She has appeared at the Celtic Colours festival in Cape Breton, Celtic Connections in Scotland, and MerleFest in the United States.
Background[edit]
Natalie Macmaster And Donnell Leahy
MacMaster is the daughter of Alex and Minnie (née Beaton) MacMaster and the sister of Kevin and David MacMaster. She is the niece of the late renowned Cape Breton fiddler Buddy MacMaster and the cousin of two other fiddlers, Ashley MacIsaac and Andrea Beaton. She is also distantly related to Jack White.[1]
In 2002, she married fiddler Donnell Leahy of the Leahy family band, and moved to Lakefield, Ontario. Leahy and MacMaster have seven children, and have performed and recorded together as a duo, and occasionally include their children, who also play fiddles, in their performances.[2][3]
Musical career[edit]
MacMaster began playing the fiddle at the age of nine,[4] and made her performing debut the same year at a square dance in Glencoe Mills, Nova Scotia.[citation needed] When she was sixteen she released her first album, Four on the Floor, and a second album, Road to the Isle, followed in 1991. Her first album was self-produced,[4] while her second was co-produced by John Morris Rankin (The Rankin Family) and Tom O'Keefe (as per original cassette jacket). Both albums were initially released only on cassette, but Rounder Records omitted a few tracks and re-released as A Compilation in 1998. In 1999, she performed at the Juno Awards show in Hamilton.[5]
In recent years she has expanded her musical repertoire, mixing her Cape Breton roots with music from Scotland and Ireland, as well as American bluegrass.[6]
In 2004, MacMaster appeared on Sharon, Lois & Bram's 25th Anniversary Concert special titled '25 Years of Skinnamarink' that aired on CBC on January 1, 2004 at 7:00pm. She performed two songs with the trio: 'C-H-I-C-K-E-N' and 'Grandpa's Farm'.
Donnell Leahy Children
Awards[edit]
She has received a number of Canadian music awards, including several 'Artist of the Year' awards from the East Coast Music Association, two Juno Awards for best instrumental album, and 'Fiddler of the Year' from the Canadian Country Music Association. MacMaster was also awarded an honorary doctorate from Niagara University in New York in 2006. In 2006, she was made a member of the Order of Canada, and in 2020, she was made a member of the Order of Nova Scotia.[7][8]
Discography[edit]
Albums[edit]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales thresholds) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | US Heat | US Indie | US Folk | US Grass | |||
| Four on the Floor |
| — | — | — | — | — | |
| Road to the Isle |
| — | — | — | — | — | |
| Fit as a Fiddle |
| — | — | — | — | — |
|
| A Compilation |
| — | — | — | — | — | |
| No Boundaries |
| — | — | — | — | — |
|
| In My Hands |
| 32 | — | — | — | — |
|
| My Roots Are Showing |
| — | — | — | — | — | |
| Live |
| — | — | — | — | — | |
| Blueprint |
| — | — | — | — | 6 | |
| Natalie & Buddy MacMaster: Traditional Music from Cape Breton Island |
| — | — | — | — | — | |
| Yours Truly |
| — | — | — | — | — | |
| Cape Breton Girl |
| — | — | — | — | — | |
| One(with Donnell Leahy) |
| 23 | 4 | 15 | 6 | — | |
| A Celtic Family Christmas(with Donnell Leahy) |
| — | — | — | — | — | |
| Sketches |
| — | — | — | — | — | |
Singles[edit]
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAN AC | |||
| 1996 | 'Catharsis' | — | No Boundaries |
| 1997 | 'Fiddle and Bow' (with Bruce Guthro) | — | |
| 'The Drunken Piper' (with Cookie Rankin) | — | ||
| 1999 | 'In My Hands' | 18 | In My Hands |
| 'Get Me Through December' (with Alison Krauss) | 40 | ||
| 2004 | 'Appropriate Dipstick' | — | Blueprint |
| '—' denotes releases that did not chart | |||
Music videos[edit]
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 'Catharsis' | |
| 1997 | 'Fiddle and Bow' (with Bruce Guthro) | Andrew MacNaughtan |
| 'The Drunken Piper' (with Cookie Rankin) | ||
| 1999 | 'In My Hands' | Christopher Mills |
| 'Get Me Through December' (with Alison Krauss) | Mark Hesselink | |
| 2004 | 'Appropriate Dipstick' | |
| 2014 | 'Go Tell It on the Mountain' (with Johnny Reid and The Rankins) | Margaret Malandrucco |
Other appearances[edit]
Natalie Macmaster And Donnell Leahy Youtube
- Traditional Music From Cape Breton Island, Nimbus NI5383, 1993 (two tracks)
- Celtic Colours – The Road Home, 1997 (one track)
- Celtic Colours – The Second Wave, 1998 (one track)
- Celtic Colours – Forgotten Roots, 1999 (one track)
- Roots Music: An American Journey, Rounder 0501, 2001 (one track)
- Songs for the Savoy, 2001 (one track)
- Celtic Colours — The Colours of Cape Breton, 2002 (one track)
- Celtic Colours — Volume VII, 2003 (one track)
- The Rough Guide to the Music of Canada, 2005 (one track)
- Yo-Yo Ma & Friends: Songs of Joy and Peace; Songs:A Christmas Jig/Mouth of the Tobique Reel; 2008 (Sony BMG)
- Thomas Dolby: Amerikana EP, Songs:Toad Lickers and 17 Hills, 2010 (Lost Toy People, Inc)
References[edit]
- ^'White Stripes Gear up for Canada, Find Family Along the Way', SoulShine, June 19, 2007.
- ^Institute, Courtesy of the Park City. 'MacMaster and Leahy have combined their love of music with their love of family'. www.parkrecord.com. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- ^Sisneros, Johnna. 'REVIEW: Step-dancing violinists earn standing ovation in A Celtic Celebration at Lied Center'. The Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- ^ ab'Natalie MacMaster'. Canadian Encyclopedia.
- ^'Live Reviews: The 1999 Juno Awards March 7, 1999 Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, ON'. Chart Attack, — Mike McCann
- ^'A Celtic Celebration with Natalie MacMaster'. National Arts Centre, Ottawa.
- ^'Governor General to invest 41 recipients into the Order of Canada'. The Governor General of Canada web site. May 2, 2007. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ^'Order of Nova Scotia recipients-2020'. Government of Nova Scotia. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
External links[edit]
- Natalie MacMaster at TED