From the opening strains of "Home I'll Be," played as a haunting slow air by Ashley MacIsaac, to the final chords of the same Rita MacNeil tune sung by the large ensemble of musicians  who gathered last night in her honor, the tribute concert organized by Joella Foulds and Max MacDonald was magnificent. A few highlights: No one plays Cape Breton fiddle better than Ashley MacIsaac, and the slow air displays the instrument's greatest emotive power. One tends to think first of Rita's lyrics, but the concert brought home the power and grace of her melodies. Bette MacDonald was hilarious as always, but Maynard Morrison's...

07 May, 2013

The late Janet Moore, the founder of l'Arche Cape Breton who was profiled here on her death in 2010, was a huge fan of Rita MacNeil. Janet's friend Mary MacDougall arranged for the two to meet at Rita's Tea Room on her 60th birthday, in 2007. Jenn Power, Atlantic Regional Co-ordinator for l'Arche (and my daughter-in-law) described the event on her blog. Those of us who love Janet were more than a little apprehensive as we prepared for the celebration. Janet is getting old, and showing her age. As with so many people with Down Syndrome, dementia is slowly creeping in and stealing...

17 April, 2013