November 24, 2006
Family steps to the music for 20 years
By Kristin Froneman, Morning Star

The Barra MacNeils welcome all to their Cape Breton Christmas

When it comes to musical families, the Osmonds, Partridges and Jackson Five come to mind. But up here in Canada, the families that stand out are Leahy, the Rankins and the Barra MacNeils, all of whom are considered some of the finest Celtic-influenced bands in the country.

It was 20 years ago when the MacNeil siblings - Sheumas, Kyle, Stewart and sister Lucy - first step-danced and played their way into the hearts of Canadians, and the world.

The offspring of one of Canada's breeding grounds for musical proclivity, Cape Breton Island, the MacNeils came to prominence after performing at the World Exposition fair in Vancouver.

"Lucy had joined the band in '86 just before we did the Vancouver Expo," said Stewart. "We've been at it full-time since. We keep answering the phone, and are getting more gigs... Music has been good to us."

With best-selling records and performances around the globe, the Barra MacNeils continue to perform the music of their Scottish/Cape Breton heritage to adoring fans. The band, which now includes brothers Ryan and Boyd, just wrapped up playing at the Nova Scotia Music Week in Liverpool, and is returning west as part of its Christmas tour, which will end in Glace Bay, N.S. Dec. 23.

A fundraiser for the Family Resource Centre, the Barra MacNeils will play at the Vernon Performing Arts Centre Wednesday.

The tour comes on the heels of the band's second Christmas CD, The Christmas Album II, which was recorded at Kyle and Anita MacNeils' home on the Mira and Soundpark Studio, Sydney, Cape Breton. It was released in stores nationally Nov. 14.

The first Christmas album, released in '99, generated the 2001 DVD, Cape Breton Christmas, incorporating music from the Barra MacNeil's live Christmas Concert Special (as seen on TV), and interviews with band members at home in Cape Breton for the holidays.

"Ten years ago, if anyone had said we would record two Christmas albums, I wouldn't have believed them," said Stewart. "The initial response has been nice, and to tour with both CDs now is great. It's a great tour, but it's nice to get home and enjoy a relaxing Christmas."

The Barra MacNeils will harmonize their voices to perform all the traditional Christmas tunes with a Gaelic edge, and the music they grew up with - jigs and reels - on fiddle, guitar, bodhran, mandolin, accordion and tin whistle, just some of the instruments the family members, all multi-instrumentalists, play.

And don't forget the step dancing...

"Lucy is the real dancer. I put my two steps in. All of us have learned to dance," said Stewart.

Raised by their parents, Jean and Columba, in Sydney Mines, N.S., the MacNeils can trace their heritage back to the island of Barra, Scotland. In the early-1800s, a few members of the clan crossed the Atlantic to settle in the Iona- Washabuck region of Nova Scotia, where Jean and Columba grew up.

"My father joined the air force, and after, he got a job with Eastern Tel in Sydney Mines, which is within an hour of where they grew up," said Stewart. "We were exposed to music growing up in Cape Breton - the traditional music and step dancing. When we were young we were encouraged to sing at a party, or get up and do a few steps."

While Columba was the band's first soundman, it was Jean, a well-known step dancing teacher in Cape Breton, who really got the family started in music.

"My mom got Kyle and Sheumas started playing the fiddle and piano. I⠠came along playing the accordion," said Stewart. "She still makes her way to our shows. She certainly is one of the main reasons we do what we do. She is still active as a step dancer... She's also a great teacher - a natural. Step dancing is quite a workout."

The MacNeils decision to keep their music in the family also came naturally, adds Stewart.

"Music holds us together... It enables us to do this. When you have a flare for something, you go on with it."

The Barra MacNeils are putting the finishing touches on their next project, which will celebrate their two decades in the business. The special 20th anniversary CD, to be released in early 2007, will span the band's entire career, and will feature recordings from various releases over the years.

"It was a feat to pick the highlights," said Stewart. "It has been a great 20 years. There's been a lot of music in that period. We want to thank our fans for their support. We plan to continue."

The Barra MacNeils take the stage at the Vernon Performing Arts Centre Wednesday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $32.50, available at the Ticket Seller box office, 549-7469, www.ticketseller.ca.

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