Music has long been at the heart of Nova Scotia life. Over the past three hundred years a diverse blend of many cultures has settled here - Irish, Scottish, French, and many others - all bringing with them their va rious traditional styles, creating a unique musical blend equally diverse, complementing its heritage. International interest in Nova Scotia's sound is growing rapidly, and many of our artists are gaining popularity throughout the world. Below you will find a list of some of our finest artists and their recordings that we have chosen to feature.

Is it possible for a woman to reside in small town Nova Scotia in the 1990s, keep a home running smoothly, and along with her husband, raise a family? Of course it is. But what if she harbors a secret desire to be a recording artist. Even though everyone praises her singing and says she should do something, how can she pursue a career in the music business and stay at home while doing so? It's one thing to have a musical career going and then start a family, but quite another to have the large family first and then start a career! Wouldn't you have to sacrifice one for the other? If the opportunity to realize your dreams presented itself, what would you do? If you're Jeannie Beks, you would want both!

John Gracie A Gene MacLellan Tribute

Gene MacLellan had the ability to combine music and lyrics to form a third element that makes a song a classic. Although his songs sold over 70 million copies and were recorded by the world's music industry's superstars, he very rarely g ot recognition and his own recordings had been out of distribution for over twenty years. John Gracie felt it was now his mandate to bring Gene MacLellan's music back to the Canadian public.

Georges Hébert Up For Grabs; Salt In The Wind; Season of Joy

Georges began his musical career playing with the Bunkhouse Boys and the Brunswick Playboys in Moncton, and later in Halifax with CBC-TV Music Hop (Frank's Bandstand) and Sing-a-long Jubilee. In the mid seventies, he toured with Anne Murray and later with Ian Tyson's Great Specked Bird, returning to Halifax to perform on CBC shows such as Denny's Show, The Marg Osburne Show, The John Allan Cameron Show, Sunshine Hour and Coming Up Country. In 1979 he rejoined the Anne Murray show and has been with her ever since.

Dave MacIsaac Nimble Fingers

Dave is considered a master of stringed instruments and one of the finest Celtic guitarists in the world. Apart from providing stunning guitar accompaniment to fiddlers, he is a performer extraordinaire, adapting Cape Breton, Irish and S cottish tunes to his acoustic or electric guitar with the intricacies and dynamics that are the signature of a Celtic fiddler.

Bob Quinn & The Quincept Project Coast of Difference

This is one of the most finely crafted musical collections to come out of Nova Scotia in the past few years. Featuring many of the province's top talents such as John Gracie, Natalie MacMaster, Scott MacMillan, Evans & Doherty, Ian Macki nnon and a host of others. This beautiful album captures the heart of the Atlantic area in the compositions of one of its best song smiths - Bob Quinn. Featuring selections from the popular A/V production of the same name, it blends the musical flavors an d styles of traditional, pop, and classical in a diverse collection that will be treasured by all who have ever visited or dreamt about Nova Scotia.

Rita & Mary Rankin Lantern Burn

Rita and Mary Rankin are familiar names to many people on the beautiful island of Cape Breton. They both grew up in the picturesque and historical Mabou Coal Mines and have been singing since early childhood in kitchens, Church, festival s, ceilidhs, an all girl Gaelic group Cailleagan Mhabu (Girls of Mabou), and anywhere they were asked, whenever or wherever. Both continue to sing, study Gaelic, and learn new and old songs.

Starb'ard Side Starb'ard Side

Starb'ard Side presents a uniquely South Shore combination of country music, string band and traditional music. It's the milieu that produced Hank Snow in the '30's ..as you listen to Starb'ard Side's original love songs, country polkas, Don Messer reels and traditional folk songs, don't be surprised to hear the sound of Appalachian mountain music ..this is a group to keep your eye on.