The Citizen, 2005-04-07, Page 27THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005. PAGE 27.
Entertainment fa Leisure
Rita MacNeil performs at Memorial Hall
Songbird returns
Well-known Canadian singer/songwriter Rita MacNeil is
appearing at Blyth Memorial Hall this month. She will be
introducing her new CD Blue Roses, as well as performing
Old favourites. (Courtesyphoto)
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
One of Canada’s most beloved
musical treasures, Rita MacNeil is
coming to Blyth
As part of her spring tour, the
multi-award winning singer and
songwriter, is scheduled to appear at
Blyth Memorial Hall for show on
April 20 and April 21.
The tour is touted as one of
personal and professional milestones
as MacNeil celebrates her 60th
birthday and the 30th anniversary of
her first recording Born A Woman.
Having struggled to achieve success
in the music industry that album and
its title song launched MacNeil into
the folk music circuit. Key to the
women’s movement of the time, the
song also provided MacNeil, who
was stuck in a troublesome
marriage, strength. Music was, she
has said, “the best medicine for me.”
MacNeil was quite young when
she came to understand music’s
power. “It was always part of my
life, since I was about six. I loved
listening to the radio, to all types of
music.”
The decision to pursue it as a
career was challenged by her
inability to gain the deserved
recognition. Playing clubs and
festivals, MacNeil said her big
break came with the 1986 Expo in
Vancouver. “I played at Expo for six
weeks and it was incredibly great
exposure. A lot came to hear what
we were up to and it certainly got me
started. The press too was very
kind.”
In fact The Vancouver Sun raved,
“For God's sake you must hear Rita
MacNeil. See her at Expo this month
so you can talk knowledgeably when
she becomes a star.”
The next year, MacNeil released
Flying On Your Own, an album that
went gold and helped her earn her
for, Juno Award as most promising
female vocalist.
Much of MacNeil’s appeal besides
her lyrical voice are her lyrics. They
are familiar. “My songs come from
the everyday, from living. They are
such a big part of my life, snippets of
what I've been through, of
emotions.”
These emotions make the songs as
enjoyable for MacNeil to perform as
they are for her legions of fans to
hear. In addition to the original
material on her new CD Blue Roses,
fans will also hear their MacNeil
favourites. “It’s exciting to write a
new song, but because of what has
gone into them, it’s nice to revisit the
old as well. It’s kind of fun to go
back.”
MacNeil said it is gratifying as
well to perform the older ones for
the many people who have been
loyal to her. "But they have also
allowed me the chance to do what
comes next in my career. I’ve been
very blessed that way.”
Asked for her own favourite,
MacNeil mentions Working Man
about Cape Breton coalminers. “It
has been around a long time."
While MacNeil admits touring can
become a little wearying, “once it's
up and running it's great to be up
there performing. And though I'm
always happy to be home, when 1 get
there, it’s not long before I'm
thinking I’d love to get back on the
road,” she laughs.
Summer is the one lime of the year
MacNeil likes to stay close to home.
“My tea room is open then, so I like
to schedule more time there.”
and 1 hope we get some folks out to
the shows and that they have a good
time.”
Rita’s Tea Room, a former
schoolhouse turned into a restaurant
in 1982 is in Big Pond. Cape
Breton. From June to October
busloads of visitors visit to enjoy a
meal or buy souvenirs.
Until then, however, MacNeil is
on the road, “looking forward to all
the places in Ontario we are
stopping. It is a beautiful province
Students attending IMAGO
submit creations in advance
Continued from page 26
Ontario and this year there will be
close to 80 participants. Students
attending IMAGO submit their own
film creations in advance which will
be shared with thepublic at the Gala
screening event on the Saturday
evening, April 23 at 7:30 p.m.
The television commercials which
the students created while at
IMAGO will also be showcased for
the first time on the Saturday
evening. To the best of our
knowledge, there are no other
student film festivals of this kind in
Ontario, or possibly even the entire
country. Although still in its infancy,
IMAGO is already clearly creating a
pathway for Canadian students to
establish fulfilling careers in the film
industry.
Marie Hicknell & Bill Feeney
invite you to an open house
celebrating their marriage on
the sixteenth of April, 2005
2:30 * 5:00 p.m.
\ ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ A
ROOM :
I Buck & Doe -S
for
Amber Park &
Scott McCraney
Sat., April 23
9:00 to 1:00
► BM & G Community
► Centre, Brussels
Lunch provided
► D.J.
Age of majority
Tickets at Brussels Variety
< AAAAAAAAAAAAAA >
‘Uledding
dnniueiAa^ :
Jimmy & Irene Lamont
of Belgrave
on April 9 r
Seaforth Agriplex
130 Duke St., Seaforth
Donations to the Seaforth Food Bank
gratefully accepted, in lieu of gifts