Post by Joe on Jan 22, 2006 21:57:32 GMT -5
COTTARS YEAR END REVIEW, 2002
It was an INCREDIBLE 2002 for The Cottars: a new CD, 7 trips to the USA, huge receptions at prestigious festivals, a CBC-TV Special, national radio & TV appearances, US radio appearances, the taping of a US TV Special, working with Senator Kennedy, fundraisers & telethons, touring with John McDermott, being acknowledged in The Nova Scotia Parliament, ECMA Award nominations, and much, much more.
Here are some of the details...
The year began with the preparation and recording of the band’s first CD, “Made In Cape Breton”. This was followed by a St. Patrick’s Day tour of the Boston and New York areas, which included—among other things—a) a visit to Sleepy Hollow in Peekskill, b) a tribute-night for Mick McCarthy (coach of Ireland’s World Cup Soccer team), c) “The Ray Flynn Radio Show”, and d) performances for Senator Ted Kennedy.
Back at home, it was “The Ceilidh For The Kids” in Glace Bay, “Singing For Wellness” in the Valley, “The IWK Grace Telethon” and the CD launches in Iona and Halifax.
Following CBC radio and TV appearances, it was back to the US for the great Irish Stonehill Festival, where the group met Irish folk-legend Andy Irvine, formerly of Planxty.
More concerts in Nova Scotia, and then a string of terrific folk festivals (where The Cottars consistently received standing ovations during both workshops and mainstage appearances): The Stan Rogers, The Big Pond, Iona, Yarmouth, The Lunenburg Folk Harbour, The Hector, The Ottawa, and THE NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL (the same afternoon as Bob Dylan’s concert). The next evening after Newport, members of the band saw Peter, Paul & Mary in concert.
July & August brought the Borders Book & Music tour of New England and Rhode Island, then back to the Maritimes for concerts with The Men Of The Deeps and The Barra MacNeils. In Toronto, The Cottars had a wonderful evening at Hugh’s Room, and then went “live” across the nation on CTV’s “Canada AM”.
It was back to Rhode Island then for The Waterfront Festival, in the company of PEI’s great group, Barachois.
The fall brought the John McDermott PBS tour: Massachusetts (Symphony Hall), New York, Pennsylvania, and Maritime Canada, and then appearances for The Christmas Daddies and the IWK Hospital “Great Big Gig”. More radio, then back to the US for a Christmas tour: Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Finally, back to Toronto for concerts with John McDermott and Murray McLauchlin at Toronto’s Convocation Hall. In December, The Cottars became one of the youngest groups ever to receive ECMA nominations, including one in the elite category of “Group Of The Year”.
Besides performing, The Cottars had the opportunity to do major sightseeing: The JFK Library (MA), The Canadian Parliament Buildings (ON), Sleepy Hollow (NY), The CN Tower (ON), The Hockey Hall of Fame (ON), Niagara Falls (ON), Fenway Park (MA), The Fleet Center (MA), The Air Canada Centre (ON), Ground Zero (NY), Times Square (NY), Harlem (NY), The Dakota (where John Lennon was shot, NY), Washington DC, Arlington Cemetery (JFK’s grave, DC) , The Smithsonian Institute (DC), Gettysburg National Historic Site (PA), northern Virginia, Old Deerfield (MA), deep-sea fishing at Cape Cod, and too much more to mention.
The band also saw stage versions of “Fiddler On The Roof”, “The Lion King” (wow!), a Leafs-Bruins game, a Raptors-Lakers game, “live” performances by Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul & Mary, Buffy Sainte-Maire, Andy Irvine & Patrick Street, Richard Thompson, Seven Nations, Robbie O’Connell, and dozens of other brilliant entertainers from around the world.
And so, THE COTTARS would like to thank John McDermott, McDermott Entertainment, Bob Jensen International, Pat Garrett Agency, Warner Canada, the publicists, the media, the stage crews, Lakewind Studios, all contributors to “Made In Cape Breton”, the venues, fellow musicians, friends, family and fans for making 2002 something very unforgettable!
It was an INCREDIBLE 2002 for The Cottars: a new CD, 7 trips to the USA, huge receptions at prestigious festivals, a CBC-TV Special, national radio & TV appearances, US radio appearances, the taping of a US TV Special, working with Senator Kennedy, fundraisers & telethons, touring with John McDermott, being acknowledged in The Nova Scotia Parliament, ECMA Award nominations, and much, much more.
Here are some of the details...
The year began with the preparation and recording of the band’s first CD, “Made In Cape Breton”. This was followed by a St. Patrick’s Day tour of the Boston and New York areas, which included—among other things—a) a visit to Sleepy Hollow in Peekskill, b) a tribute-night for Mick McCarthy (coach of Ireland’s World Cup Soccer team), c) “The Ray Flynn Radio Show”, and d) performances for Senator Ted Kennedy.
Back at home, it was “The Ceilidh For The Kids” in Glace Bay, “Singing For Wellness” in the Valley, “The IWK Grace Telethon” and the CD launches in Iona and Halifax.
Following CBC radio and TV appearances, it was back to the US for the great Irish Stonehill Festival, where the group met Irish folk-legend Andy Irvine, formerly of Planxty.
More concerts in Nova Scotia, and then a string of terrific folk festivals (where The Cottars consistently received standing ovations during both workshops and mainstage appearances): The Stan Rogers, The Big Pond, Iona, Yarmouth, The Lunenburg Folk Harbour, The Hector, The Ottawa, and THE NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL (the same afternoon as Bob Dylan’s concert). The next evening after Newport, members of the band saw Peter, Paul & Mary in concert.
July & August brought the Borders Book & Music tour of New England and Rhode Island, then back to the Maritimes for concerts with The Men Of The Deeps and The Barra MacNeils. In Toronto, The Cottars had a wonderful evening at Hugh’s Room, and then went “live” across the nation on CTV’s “Canada AM”.
It was back to Rhode Island then for The Waterfront Festival, in the company of PEI’s great group, Barachois.
The fall brought the John McDermott PBS tour: Massachusetts (Symphony Hall), New York, Pennsylvania, and Maritime Canada, and then appearances for The Christmas Daddies and the IWK Hospital “Great Big Gig”. More radio, then back to the US for a Christmas tour: Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Finally, back to Toronto for concerts with John McDermott and Murray McLauchlin at Toronto’s Convocation Hall. In December, The Cottars became one of the youngest groups ever to receive ECMA nominations, including one in the elite category of “Group Of The Year”.
Besides performing, The Cottars had the opportunity to do major sightseeing: The JFK Library (MA), The Canadian Parliament Buildings (ON), Sleepy Hollow (NY), The CN Tower (ON), The Hockey Hall of Fame (ON), Niagara Falls (ON), Fenway Park (MA), The Fleet Center (MA), The Air Canada Centre (ON), Ground Zero (NY), Times Square (NY), Harlem (NY), The Dakota (where John Lennon was shot, NY), Washington DC, Arlington Cemetery (JFK’s grave, DC) , The Smithsonian Institute (DC), Gettysburg National Historic Site (PA), northern Virginia, Old Deerfield (MA), deep-sea fishing at Cape Cod, and too much more to mention.
The band also saw stage versions of “Fiddler On The Roof”, “The Lion King” (wow!), a Leafs-Bruins game, a Raptors-Lakers game, “live” performances by Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul & Mary, Buffy Sainte-Maire, Andy Irvine & Patrick Street, Richard Thompson, Seven Nations, Robbie O’Connell, and dozens of other brilliant entertainers from around the world.
And so, THE COTTARS would like to thank John McDermott, McDermott Entertainment, Bob Jensen International, Pat Garrett Agency, Warner Canada, the publicists, the media, the stage crews, Lakewind Studios, all contributors to “Made In Cape Breton”, the venues, fellow musicians, friends, family and fans for making 2002 something very unforgettable!