FREE SHOW this Friday, May 18 at the Economy Shoeshop (Halifax):
Hello from Moose Jaw, SK!
I am writing from the Moose Jaw Public Library, in Saskatchewan. I lived with my parents in Calgary, Alberta until I was three years old. However, due to biology and the forces of nature, I don't remember a thing. I haven't been in Western Canada since. It has been a neat ride!
In case you're just catching up on current events, I am in the midst of the "Redhead Reunion Tour" (see previous post) with my ol' college classmate Megan Nash.
My first 24 hours in Saskatchewan were interesting. I arrived around 1am on the ViaRail train and surprisingly slept well despite the feeling that I was still in constant motion - following a 2.5 day train ride from Toronto. We played our first show at Mystic Java in Saskatoon. What a great reception for my first day in Western Canada. We proceeded to a bar on the other end of town to see some friends of Megan's play in a band called "Friend, Friend" - and they live up to their friendly name! Before the end of the evening, I had tried my first taste of "Saskatchewan water" (Pilsner ale), and even received an original poem, phone number, and name from a patron of the bar that was too scared to come say hello in person! Oh what an interesting first day we had!
JennyMacDonald at Mystic Java (Saskatoon). Photo by Rene Prefontaine.
Last night, we played a songwriters' circle at the Creative City Centre in Regina with the amazingly talented, hilarious, and fun Jeffery Straker. It was such a pleasure to share the stage with Jeffery and Megan, and entertain a full house in a new city! I have a feeling you will be seeing/hearing some collaborations from Jeffery and I in the future.
Up next, Megan and I will be performing a house concert at Last Resort House Concerts in Wolfville, and then headed west to Alberta for two shows (Calgary and Lethbridge), before I head back to Toronto on the train. Big thanks to VIARail for sponsoring my trip, and hello to all of those I met while entertaining on the journey! See you in Alberta!
Brodie Mohninger, Megan Nash, Jenny MacDonald (with imaginary ukelele), Jeffery Striker at the Creative City Centre (Regina, SK)
Update from the Road:
Oh Toronto - how I still suffer culture shock every time I come here! I had such a wonderful evening at the Relish Bar & Grill on Danforth Ave on Saturday. Fellow east-coasters-turned-torontonians Mary Stewart, Crissi Cochrane, Dave MacMichael and The Danger Bees were kind enough to make an appearance in the audience and be coerced onto the stage (with very little effort needed). I was also joined by a surprise audience (and later stage) harmonica player, and delighted to watch the post-show jam with the rapping dishwasher. You can take me out of the east coast, but it seems to follow me everywhere I go!
I am currently sitting in a Toronto hotel awaiting my travel partner for a day-off trip to Niagara Falls. Tomorrow evening, I will be hopping on the ViaRail train to Saskatoon with my guitar and a few CDs for 2 1/2 days of travel, singing on the train, and taking in the beauty of the country. Check out these upcoming shows in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, and of course ending in Nova Scotia:
Gordie Sampson Songcamp:
A small documentary on the Gordie Sampson Songcamp I attend each year. You can hear me singing Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Pride and Joy" around 3:15 or so, from a late night jam session!
2012 Update:
Hey folks,
What a blur of activity the past few months have been. From tours, to holidays with my family, to broken down cars, and beyond! 2012 is already bringing exciting news from my first Western Canadian tour with my former college mate Megan Nash - which I'm VERY excited for - to new songs, upcoming festivals, and LOTS of tour dates. Be sure to check the calendar section for updates on shows near you! Thanks to VIARail, I will be travelling to Saskatchewan in March to meet up with Megan for a few shows. Check out the dates below:
TOUR DATES:
MARCH 9 - SASKATOON - MYSTIC JAVA
MARCH 10 - YORKTON - 5TH CUP AND SAUCER
MARCH 11 - REGINA - CREATIVE CITY CENTRE
MARCH 13 - MOOSE JAW - LAST RESORT HOUSE CONCERT
MARCH 15 - LETHBRIDGE - OWL ACOUSTIC LOUNGE
MARCH 16 - CALGARY - THE HOUSE COFFEE SANCTUARY
Besides being a good friend, and a fellow redhead, Megan also performed and co-wrote the CFL Rough Riders' theme song. Check her out:
BLACKSHEEP INN TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Click the "BlackSheep Inn" Logo for ticket info!
Show info:
GORDIE SAMPSON SONGCAMP:
Here they are folks!
For those of you who are just joining us, in 2010 I was invited by Sheri Jones to the inaugural Gordie Sampson Songcamp in Ingonish - a week long co-writing session with Gordie Sampson, Steve MacDougall, and a talented group of songwriters like Carleton Stone, Molly Thomason, Mo Kenny, and more!
In addition to 5 days of co-writing, and a finale performance at the end of the week, we also get the opportunity to "demo" one of our songs in Gordie's cabin. This usually happens only hours (sometimes less) after completing the song, so they are fresh but not always polished.
This year, Breagh MacKinnon and I rose early for a 9am recording session (after a very late night of music and wine!) to record our song, "Warm Hands/Cold Heart) with Matt Sheppard. Here is our demo:
In the first season, 2010, Mark Boutilier and I were the very first duo chosen to record our demo with Gordie. This song was the very first song completed at the workshop! Here is our song, "The Last Mile's the Longest".
A BIG "thank you" to the folks at Music Nova Scotia for nominating me for TWO of their 2011 music awards. "Bye, Bye, Mr. Bluesman" has been nominated for 2011 Blues Album of the Year, and I've also been nominated for 2011 Digital Artist of the Year.
Voting is open to Music Nova Scotia members only, and the awards will be presented at the 2011 Awards Brunch at Nova Scotia Music Week in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia on November 6, 2011.
Thanks to all of you for your continued support! We did this together!
"Dancing with Me" featuring The Hupman Brothers: "Bye, Bye, Mr. Bluesman" on Eastlink Television:
SUMMER WRAP-UP!
August 21, 2011
Well, well, well, it has been one busy roller-coaster of a summer! My summer has been full of sun, rain, thunder and lightening, shows across four provinces, co-writing, music festivals, wild animal infestations, and lots of good memories!
Thanks to everyone who took part in the my CD release so far including friends, family, fans, music venue owners, people who let me sleep in their houses, eat from their cupboards, or bathe in their showers, radio folk, artists I've shared the stage with, people who put up posters, and the list goes on and on, and on!
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario have been so kind to me that I'm currently making plans to return to these places in November2011! Have a look at my CALENDAR for updated concerts and upcoming events!
I was very lucky to return to Ingonish this summer for the second year of Gordie Sampson's songwriting workshop. While there, I co-wrote songs with lots of great songwriters including Gordie Sampson, Slowcoaster's Steve MacDougall, and Carleton Stone. I previewed a new song that I wrote that week with Breagh MacKinnon when I performed at the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival. Here's what The Chronicle Herald had to say:
“Fresh from her stay at Gordie Sampson’s songwriting retreat in Ingonish, MacDonald sounded like the proverbial "old soul in a young body" on Bye Bye Mr. Bluesman, the title track to her new CD recorded with Wolfville’s Hupman Brothers. She even tried out a new tune written just the day before with Breagh MacKinnon. Warm Hands, Cold Heartis a bittersweet portrait of a lover who isn’t all he’s cracked up to be and proof thatMacDonald’s craft is developing in all the right ways.”
(Stephen Cooke – Chronicle Herald)
"BYE, BYE, MR. BLUESMAN" CD RELEASE TOUR!
May 14, 2011
Singing,"Bye, Bye, Mr. Bluesman"
May 3, 2011
Well,we did it! Thanks to your generous and overwhelming support, "Bye, Bye, Mr. Bluesman"is HERE!
Watch out for CD release concerts coming up in Wolfville,Halifax and Antigonish, and also a tour covering four of the Canadian provinces this June.
A BIG "thank you" to the folks at 
Well,we did it! Thanks to your generous and overwhelming support, "Bye, Bye, Mr. Bluesman"is HERE!