Charlie-Rose Neis has been writing music since she could talk. Luckily for her, her best friend Sydney Oliver is able to help bring the dream to life. They started off as two friends just jamming with each other, and became an official duo a few months ago. They’re both headed to grade 10 this year, at Holy Heart of Mary and Holy Spirit High School.
For the past 36 years, Jean Hewson and Christina Smith have been ambassadors of Newfoundland culture, bringing the music and songs of their Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador to festival, concert and folk club audiences in North America and Europe. They are the recipients of the Ernie King Tradition Bearer award from the Celtic Roots Festival, Goderich, Ontario. Their music has been broadcast nationally by the Canadian Broadcasting Coorporation, and their CDS Like Ducks! and August Gale (Borealis) have received multiple nominations and awards.
Over the past 20 years, award winning singer-songwriter Chris Picco has established himself as one of Atlantic Canada’s most dynamic and diverse musicians both as a solo artist and as front man for St. John’s based rockers, The Long Distance Runners.
Since 2004 Chris has recorded and released eight critically acclaimed records. His most recent, Split Down The Middle (2023) has earned him a MusicNL nomination for Rock Artist of The Year. His most recent LDR record received several ECMA, Juno and MusicNL nominations in 2016/17 and in 2013 Chris’ solo record The Beach earned him a MusicNL Male Artist Of The Year Award. He has worked as both a session musician and producer and has shared the stage with artists ranging from Wintersleep, Said the Whale, Mother Mother and The Wooden Sky to Jim Cuddy, Bob Snider, Ron Sexsmith, Kyp Harness, and Ron Hynes.
Currently, Chris is busy songwriting, producing and performing material from his new record Split Down The Middle available everywhere you get your music.
Christian Dauble (they/them) is a trans-nonbinary craftsperson, scholar, and musician currently living in St. John’s, NL. Originally from Florida, they moved to NL in 2017 to pursue their graduate studies in music and folklore. Along the way, Christian became more enthralled with the world of textile crafts and participated in Heritage NL’s Craft-at-Risk program in 2023 as a weaving apprentice. They are committed to craft education and the promotion of craft as a tool for sustainability and community building.
Friends, there are artists, fiddlers, side musicians aplenty.
There is only one Carole.
Catherine Wright is a storyteller, multi-arts practitioner and arts educator who
divides her time between St John’s and Port Kirwan, Newfoundland.
A versatile performer, Catherine has presented folk and fairy tales, personal
narratives, ballads and recitations to a broad range of ages from preschoolers to
seniors; at schools, festivals, theatres, galleries, outdoor venues and online in her
over 30 years of performance experience. Her most recent show, Shrouds and
Stays: The Ballad of Jane Wright, is an ancestral tale of shipwreck interweaving
storytelling, songs and movement.
Catherine is past president of St John’s Storytelling and current provincial
representative for Storytellers of Canada (SC-CC).
Brian Cherwick’s Weirdo Show Brian Cherwick is a multi-instrumentalist and leader of the speed-folk band Kubasonics. His “Weirdo Show” combines quirky original songs about his weird family with a variety of weird instruments from his extensive collection.
BlueStar Juniper was formed by chance in September of 2022. While the days got shorter and the weather got colder, Craig Young (guitar) and Andrea Monro (banjo) met and realized that the music they could make together would be memorable and profound. They play Newfoundland influenced country folk music, sharing lead vocals and harmonies.
Craig Young hails from the southwest coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. Craig’s guitar playing career has spanned decades and countries. From the age of three, Craig was enthralled with the guitar, as he watched his dad play heartfelt music while gripping the leg of the table. Learning to play at the age of 7, Craig did his first gig at the age of ten in rural Newfoundland where he was born. A lifetime of guitar playing has created a story woven with lyrics and guitar as told in a simple baritone voice with dynamic flatpicking.
Andrea Monro comes from the rocky east coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. She was raised by music lovers, and grew up singing in choirs and hiding out under the piano while her father and brother played everything from Franz Liszt to Scott Joplin. Under the guidance and encouragement of Newfoundland’s legendary songwriter Ron Hynes, she learned to play guitar and started writing songs. She has performed all over Canada and in Europe, and can be heard singing and playing banjo on the albums of many local artists. Andrea’s ability to interpret a song and tell a story has made her a favourite among the St. John’s music scene.
A group of Christians from different countries and cultures with a unifying love for Jesus and culturally stimulating music. Our genre is gospel and black spirituals.
Our vision is that through our music,the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall fill our province; That whenever we minister in music, listeners leave with burdens lifted and hearts full of joy hence our use of the word “ministration” rather than “performance”.
