A career songwriter/recording artist residing in British Columbia, Bruce Coughlan is a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and composer with over three decades of professional experience to draw from.
Bruce has been touring throughout Western Canada/USA since his teens, obtaining a keen knowledge of the people and history of the Pacific region, while obtaining a solid background in performing and music. A true bard, (a collector of songs) he possesses an impressive repertoire with literally thousands of popular songs, in addition to hundreds of original compositions.
His musical journey has included forays into a variety of musical styles including; Country, Folk, Bluegrass, Celtic, Rhythm & Blues, Roots Music and Adult Alternative. As instrumentalist (guitar, bodhran, tenor banjo, flute and whistles), Bruce is a solid, articulate player. As vocalist, he's a soulful interpreter who's performed thousands of songs at thousands of gigs in styles too varied to mention. As an artist, he's recorded over a dozen records, and been involved in dozens more. As songwriter, Bruce is devoted to crafting songs with substance and quality. His current catalogue contains hundreds of songs, many of which are complete masters, available for license.
Bruce is an undisputed king of the commemorative ballad and has composed an entire collection (30 songs to date) chronicling historic characters and events that have shaped Pacific Canadian culture. Bruce is comfortable writing, arranging, and adapting all styles of music. With a growing list of commissioned works and soundtrack credits, this composer/lyricist/adapter/interpreter is a creative force of rare ability. Bruce Coughlan is a multifaceted talent and will undoubtedly be recognized as a great Canadian songwriter.
A Minstrel in Moray is inspired primarily by Scots music, culture and people (both present and past) and of course, the breath-taking Scottish landscape.
The album was recorded in Victoria, BC with Juno Award-winning producer Joby Baker. Tracks vary from the somewhat traditional, to quite progressive.
A Minstrel in Moray features a special guest appearance by Gaelic singer Mary Ann Turner (Kennedy).
* see sample section
On February 23rd, 1909, a team of aviation pioneers known as the Aerial Experiment Association, led by Alexander Graham Bell, gather to test an aeroplane that can "carry the weight of a motor and a man". Piloted by John Alexander Douglas McCurdy, the 'Silver Dart' is flown for ¾ of a mile over the surface of Bras d'Or Lake: the first powered heavier-than-air flight in Canada.
I’ve just completed a commemorative song entitled Over Northern Skies. I’ll be recording the song with my Tiller’s Folly band mates, Laurence Knight (bass), Nolan Murray (fiddle & mandolin), and Chris Nordquist (drums). We’ll be recording the song on Monday, June 22nd at Turtle Recorders in White Rock, BC.
Lyrics as follows:
OVER NORTHERN SKIES
music and lyrics by Bruce Coughlan
They’d never seen the likes before, than that cold winter morn
On the ice of Bras d'Or
That “Silver Dart” coursed through the air and the crowd assembled there
They all let out a cheer
McCurdy’s biplane hurdles by
He set his sites upon the Nova Scotia sky
Were there grace to grant my dreams
I would ride the wind, like a bird on high
And if I had wings to fly
I would sail away, over northern skies
Alexander Graham Bell, who we all know so well
Of telephone fame
Gathered the thinkers of the day, oh the tinkers of the trade
To build his flying machine
And the mandate he declared
Do what it takes to put a man into the air
Were there grace to grant my dreams
I would ride the wind, like a bird on high
And if I had wings to fly
I would sail away, over northern skies
At thirty-seven thousand feet, it’s hard to believe
It’s only been a hundred years
That silver biplane caught the air, on a wing and a prayer
And the crowd all cheered
The world advances stride by stride
So never fear to set your sites into the sky
Where there’s grace to grant our dreams
We can ride the wind, like a bird on high
And given wings, we can fly
We can sail away, over northern skies