Wake Up to Music Monday

Cape Breton Island is known for its rich culture and its deep roots in music, so every Monday I will feature videos showcasing Cape Breton Island's finest musicians from Fiddlers to Songwriters, to the Gaelic Song and the Rock n Roll!  

Brenda Stubbert

Brenda Stubbert is an extraordinary fiddler, pianist, and composer from Cape Breton, one of the very finest musicians the island has ever produced. Deeply rooted in the distinctive music of Cape Breton’s Northside, she grew up surrounded by wonderful musicians. Her father, Robert, is a highly respected fiddler and composer, strongly influenced by the Irish tradition.

The family home in Port Aconi, a small fishing community near Sydney Mines, was alive with music. Legendary fiddlers Winston Scotty Fitzgerald, Johnny Wilmot, Joe Confiant, and many others came by regularly, infusing the house with music. At five, Brenda was step dancing and playing the piano. At eight, she was playing the fiddle. After that, she never looked back; music was the center of her life. Brenda Stubbert is also one of Cape Breton’s leading composers.

Two books of her compositions are in print, and her tunes are in repertoires everywhere Celtic fiddle music can be heard. And she’s a great teacher of the music, having taught for twelve years at Cape Breton’s influential Ceilidh Trail School, as well as at the Gaelic College and other venues on and off the island. Brenda is in constant demand throughout Cape Breton. Her dances are lively and well attended.

Since 1986, Brenda has released six albums, the most recent being Endless Memories (2008) which won the East Coast Music Award for Traditional Recording of the Year. Her recordings have been well received, and many players have learned her compositions. Brenda’s music has taken her to Ireland, Scotland, Mexico and hundreds of places around Canada and the US. (http://feisaneilein.ca/artists/brenda-stubbert/)

Brenda Stubbert at ECMA 2010