Prince Edward Island songwriter Lennie Gallant will take the stage at the Mary Winspear Centre tomorrow night.
Gallant is on tour supporting his two most recent recordings: Live Acoustic at The Carleton and his new release Searching For Abegweit.
The latter is a double album that features 22 songs from his hit musical theatre production Searching For Abegweit — The Island Songs and Stories of Lennie Gallant.
Gallant was honoured with a Canadian Folk Music Award in 2015 for Live Acoustic at The Carleton, while his album, When We Get There was nominated for a Juno Award.
Searching For Abegweit has proven to be quite the show. Gallant wrote it as a theatre production that’s been running in PEI for the last two summers and will be again this year.
“That particular production is based around … 12 albums and various other projects and things I’ve been involved in,” he said.
And so, Gallant put together a theatre show that involves an album with songs making reference to PEI, a place in which he has deep roots.
“I ended up writing some new songs and grabbed the ones that I had written, put them together and made a two-and-a-half hour show that includes my sister’s art work.”
Karen Gallant’s paintings are paired with her brother’s 52 songs — all compiled in a book called Peter’s Dream
For his stop in Sidney this Saturday night, Gallant is touring with two other performers. His nephew, Jeremy Gallant, will be on keyboard while Shannon Quinn (new to his tour) will play the violin.
“And its a lot of fun, a lot of energy, all original songs,” he said.
Gallant is trying to get back into the studio and work on getting his summer production together. He’s also trying to fit in a few concerts here and there.
Gallant said he is hoping to put out a second book this year, a volume built around his song The Innkeeper. He said it’s more of a Christmas story.
Saturday’s show is presented by Deep Cove Folk Music Society. Ticket information is available through the Mary Winspear Centre at 250-656-0275.
