Kevin Evans & Brian Doherty have been an integral part of the East Coast music scene for thirty four years. They have been together as Evans & Doherty for Thirty years. To capture the essence of an Evans & Doherty performance, take a lively blend of traditional, original and contemporary songs, add a liberal sprinkling of stories and humour, then sit back and enjoy these fine entertainers.
As well as performing front and center on stage, Evans & Doherty are involved with many aspects of the music industry. Brian owns and operates Eastern Entertainment Agency, a booking agency and production company which co-ordinates tours of Atlantic Canada for many Canadian and international acts. Kevin owns and operates Modtrad Music, a publishing company, through which much of the material performed by Evans & Doherty is published and licensed. Through Eastern Entertainment Agency, Evans & Doherty have produced recordings for a number of East coast groups, as well as three compilation recordings (A Taste Of The Maritimes, A Taste Of Atlantic Canada and An East Coast Christmas) for national labels.
As a songwriter and producer, Kevin has enjoyed success; his song “Christmas Memories” recently achieved platinum status in Canada for John McDermott. Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy recorded “The Orchard”, another of Kevin’s songs. Stompin’ Tom Connors has recently recorded Kevin’s “Silver Sea”, a great compliment considering Stompin’ Tom doesn’t usually record other people’s material.
Evans & Doherty along with Jimmy Sweeney, have a recording titled “Sailing Ships & Sailing Men”, the musical companion to a one-hour radio program written by the trio and broadcast on CBC’s Atlantic Airwaves. The program deals with life at sea and the songs used by sailors while they worked.
Equally at home in a pub-setting, concert hall, festival or convention, Evans & Doherty are first-rate musicians, singers, songwriters, promoters and producers. They also possess the ability to entertain any audience, any place, any time.
Kelsey Arsenault (she/her) is a singer-songwriter and certified music therapist. From the small town of Ferryland at the edge of the ocean, she grew up steeped in stories and songs. For the last number of years, she has been crafting a songbook of original music; sketching scenes of contentment, indecision, love, and overcast weather. Kelsey’s output is carved both by the waves of contemporary pop harmony, and tides of Newfoundland folk. A 2023 MusicNL “Rising Star of the Year” nominee, her debut album “Gallery Walls” was released this past October. She’s the first woman of her hometown to release an album of originals, and she hopes that something in her music connects with something in you.
KILAUTIUP SONGUNINGA (“Strength of the Drum,” in Inuktitut) started in 2006 @the corporation of St. John’s The Rooms. Kilautiup Songuninga comprises three of the first Founding Members, Sophie Angnatok, originally from Nain, Nunatsiavut, NL, who is the first female, Inuit Throat-Singer, Singer, also a Speaker. Solomon Semigak, originally from Makkovik, Nunatsiavut, NL, also a Drum Dancer Inuit Drum Maker, Singer and Speaker. And Stan Nochasak, originally from Nain, Nunatsiavut, NL, also leading Inuit Drum Dancer, Storyteller, Invocative Singer, and Speaker. KS has publicly performed in over hundred of places, has taken trips to Ottawa, throughout the island of Newfoundland, Saglek Bay Labrador. KS has performed in the corporation of the St. John’s The Rooms; and practically all the hotels in the Capital City of NL. Has performed @the Confederation Building of St. John’s, Memorial University of NL; St. John’s City Hall; for cruise ships @the St. John’s Water front; Marine Institute; St. John’s Convention Centre; Belle Island, NL, for Canada Day for consecutive years; various public Festivals both in St. John’s and Mount Pearl; St. John’s Christmas Parade for three (3) consecutive years; St. John’s First Light Friendship Centre Association; at Vigils, Memorial Services, Caul’s Funeral Home, also at public rallies and protests. KS will also be performing for the 2025 Canada Summer Games in St. John’s, NL. KS also, for past two (2) years, has agreed contract with the corporation of the St. John’s The Rooms to use room, practice space in exchange for public performances, visitors, tourists & groups, if requested. We are proud Inuit, helping to keep the Spirit of Inuit Culture alive, indefinitely. NAKUMMEK!
Graham Wells
Graham Wells is an Newfoundland and Irish traditional multi-instrumentalist and singer from St. John’s, NL. He completed an MA in Traditional Irish Music Performance at the University of Limerick in 2013. He first learned the accordion from his grandfather, Edward Walsh at the age of 6. In 1998, Graham introduced the C#/D tuned, two row button accordion to Newfoundland traditional music. This system has since been adopted by many notable Newfoundland accordion players including Aaron Collis, Billy Sutton, Fergus Brown-O’Byrne, Stan Pickett.
Graham was a founding member of the acclaimed traditional group “A Crowd of Bold Sharemen,” recording and arranging a seminal album of Newfoundland traditional music. Shortly thereafter in 2004, Graham joined the Juno award winning band, The Irish Descendants. He performed with the Descendants for the next 7 years. Graham embarked solo with the release of his first album in 2008. In 2010, Graham founded and organized the first Féile Seamus Creagh – a festival of traditional Irish and Newfoundland song, music and dance, which is now running in it’s 13th year.
Jason Normore is a poet, songwriter and creator that is anchored on the east coast of Canada, St. John’s, Newfoundland.
His debut album Suburban Sublime is set to be released in summer 2022. Jason began writing this project while living in Toronto, ON and moved back to Newfoundland to partner with an ever growing group of creative friends that he calls
“The Wildflowers”.
Suburban Sublime is nothing if not hopeful and in pursuit of life; it’s a revolutionist cry. Thematically it explores embracing being queer, religious trauma, addiction, mental health, the role of hope of in everyday life, falling in love, the ever changing shape of culture, light and the lack there of, and the political facades of the modern age.
Jason is consumed by metaphor and its ability to articulate the seen and the unseen. He is frequently performing and releasing spoken word poetry under the title
Words For People.
Multi-award winning singer/songwriter Jackie Sullivan was named Music NL’s Female Artist of the Year & CBC Galaxie Rising Star for her debut album. Sullivan also recieved the honour of Folk/Roots Album of the Year Nominee for her sophomore album.
Featuring: Jenny Gear, Sandy Morris, Darren Browne & Erin Best
Heather Patey is a fiddler, singer and dancer in St, John’s, having spent 15 years focusing on the musical traditions of Newfoundland and Labrador. She especially enjoys passing on the fun of Newfoundland music to young people, and has taught and performed at the Suzuki Talent Education Program, STEP Fiddlers, Young Folk at the Hall, the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival, and schools and youth groups in the St. John’s area. Often in company of her duet partner, accordionist Terry Goldie, she can lead a group of kids through the Lancers, share a beautiful ballad or a chorus shanty for everyone to sing, add traditional dance-music to the repertoire of student musicians, or join in any size of group for a rousing set of tunes. Always happy to bring authentic Newfoundland and Labrador material to ears and feet of all ages!
Heather Patey has been dancing in squares, lines, and circles, and amassing dance tunes for her fiddle, for nigh on twenty years now. She has led Newfoundland music- and dance-workshops and classes for children with the Suzuki Talent Education Program (“STEP”), Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival, Young Folk at the Hall, and Soundbone Traditional Arts Foundation; and at schools and youth groups around the province. Sharing the fun of Newfoundland musical traditions with young folks is what makes her happy!
Harry Ingram was born and raised in Arnold’s Cove Placentia Bay, or as Ray Guy would call it, “That far greater bay”. Recitations have always been a core element of Harry’s upbringing, which he now performs in various venues. He’s a part of the popular “Stage to Stage” group and also a comedy recitation duo known as “The Liar’s Bench Show” with his cohort Ken Parsons. Harry writes his own original material with a published book titled “Don’t be Talkin’, however, he also enjoys keeping alive the works of greats such as John Joe English, Baxter Wareham and others.
