Get out your dancing shoes as an iconic Canadian singer most known for his success with the Newfoundland-based group Great Big Sea is coming to our region for two performances. Alan Doyle, lead singer of Great Big Sea, is making two stops in Simcoe County next March as he embarks on a cross-Ontario tour in support of his latest EP Already Dancing. “Barrie is a serious stop on the touring world,” Doyle tells CTV News. Doyle tells says Barrie is where he met and performed with some of the country’s most iconic bands for the first time. He recalls performing with the Tragically Hip and Blue Rodeo at Molson Park back in 2005. “All the Canadian heroes, we met a lot of them in Barrie oddly enough,” Doyle says. Great Big Sea went on its final tour in 2013 and ever since, Doyle has been working on his own projects, whether it’s going solo or diving headfirst into musical theatre. Doyle says he’s most proud of the title track, an homage to the choreographer for the musical, Tell Tale Harbour, he stars in and co-wrote. While having a hard time with the dancing aspect of the musical, he spoke with her about the struggles. “‘We might need to rearrange this because I can’t dance,’” he recalls telling her. “She held my hand and said, ‘Alan, dear, you’re already dancing.’” He says that sentiment is the basis of the EP and his tour, which is all about singing and dancing along to the music, optimism, taking chances and letting things go. “I’m proud that we captured that message in a song: The thing that you probably think is impossible for you is probably way more possible than you could have ever imagined,” he says. He says the song is a “bit of a leap” for him since it’s a slower-paced one and he’s more known for the upbeat, anthemic songs. On the tour, he’ll be joined by world renowned fiddler, pianist and dancer Mary Frances. While Doyle’s catalogue of music and work through the arts community is so versatile, there’s one thing that remains a constant: Newfoundland traditional music. His musical tastes are varying, having a passion for artists like Van Halen, Def Leppard, Spirit of the West, Johnny Cash and Chris Christopherson. In fact, Doyle’s version of the 1986 Spirit of the West classic “The Crawl” is on his EP, with the band’s co-founder Geoffrey Kelly on whistle and vocals. His love for musical theatre translated into a musical of his own, which has been so successful, it’s heading back to Toronto for another run. “There’s always been this like constant pursuit, I suppose, to just satisfy my own hunger to participate in all the kinds of music that I love,” Doyle says. He says he doesn’t spend a lot of time thinking what category his songs should fall into. Doyle says he loves the concept of being a part of the entertainment slated for a night in a particular town or city, no matter the scale. “You’re on the docket tonight,” he says. “It might be big, it might be small, but you’re what’s going on.” After all these years of performing, Doyle’s passion for music and performing remains. “It’s magical. It’s one of the only things where you can make something out of nothing,” Doyle says. “A minute ago, there was nothing and now there’s something.” So what’s next for Doyle? Well, there’s a fellow Canadian musician he has in mind he’d like to collaborate with. “Who doesn’t want to sing a song with Jann Arden?” Doyle says. “I’d love to sing a song with Jann Arden.” Doyle will perform at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville on March 11. “Alan always delivers an incredible live performance, and Deerhurst provides the perfect setting for a memorable night out,” says Dan Watson, artistic director for Huntsville Festival of the Arts. “What makes these shows so special is that audiences can turn a fantastic concert into a full winter getaway—enjoying Alan’s music, staying overnight at the resort, dining, and discovering all the wonderful experiences Huntsville and Muskoka have to offer during the winter season.” Doyle is set to perform at the Orillia Opera House on March 15. “Alan last played our festival in 2018, so there is lots of pent-up excitement in his enthusiastic fan base,” says Pam Carter, President of Mariposa Folk Festival. Tickets are on sale now through Doyle’s website. Doyle’s musical Tell Tale Harbour returns to the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto from Dec. 22 to Jan. 24.
