When U.S. President Donald Trump took aim at Canada and called it the 51st state, little did he know he was also taking aim at Canadian musician Séan McCann’s livelihood.
For the longtime Great Big Sea co-founder turned solo troubadour, the United States had long been fertile touring ground – a place where fans packed small theatres from Vermont to the Carolinas.
But when border restrictions began disrupting cross-border travel, McCann made a decision: no more U.S. tours.
Instead, he’s launching The Great Big Canadian Road Trip, a cross-country tour that would take him through 25 cities and towns in an attempt to reconnect not only with his country, but with what he calls “the heart of what it means to be human.”
“I want to be in and of this country – really,” McCann told Monday Magazine, adding that it took a month for he and his wife to unbook his U.S. performance venues and establish the Canadian tour.
“I’m bringing my little PA, renting the rooms, plugging in and singing my heart out night after night. That’s what I used to do when I was 21, and I want to do it again.”
“I have a song for every room, I’m sure – and I always swing for the fences. What else am I here for?”
Touring Canada means drives – long drives – and as McCann wends his way through Ontario and Western Canada, he’s embracing both the intensity of nightly performances and the solitude between them.
“I come up with ideas for songs,” he says. “My mind starts to race as I’m just cruising down the highway…and I just have a little dictaphone and I record my ideas as I go.”
More than anything, though, McCann is looking forward to the connections.
“While I’m singing my songs, I’m also going to shake a lot of hands every night and talk to people and see where they’re at.”
Sobriety, too, is part of his journey. McCann has been sober for nearly 15 years, a decision that redefined his life and his songwriting. “The songs I write now help keep me sober,” he says. “They come from a deeper place. I write them to heal – and to help others heal.”
Being a solo act comes with its own challenges – you don’t, for example, have a road crew handling your setup and tear-down. But it also comes with immense artistic freedom, and the ability to read the room, assess the audience and deliver a performance tailor-made for each venue.
“I’ve got such a quiver of songs,” McCann says. “I have a song for every room, I’m sure – and I always swing for the fences. What else am I here for?”
It’s one of the reasons why he’s looking forward to playing at Hermann’s Jazz Club in downtown Victoria June 8.
“I’ve played there before, and it’s such a tight little room, it’s just perfect for an intimate, meaningful exchange with music.”
Vancouver Island dates for McCann include Parksville on June 7 at Knox United Church, and Victoria in June 8 at Hermann's. Lean more and find additional tour dates at seanmccannsings.com
