Halifax based singer David Myles will be making his way to Sidney to perform some of his Christmas hits off his album It’s Christmas.
Myles will be accompanied by an upright bass player and bluegrass guitar player, so there will be lots of harmonies and acoustic pieces.
“I was really influenced by Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby, and that kind of early Christmas stuff. So that’s kind of what we draw from,” Myles told the PNR.
Myles has been doing the Christmas tour for the last three years, his first one being out west.
The idea came out of the tour he does every year in New Brunswick where he raises money for food banks.
“I do a tour called Singing for Supper where I do three shows and people bring food and money for the food bank at each of the towns that I play in,” he said, adding that they’ve done that for the last six years.
Last year they raised around $13,000 in three days.
Every year, Myles had to learn another Christmas song, and each year of learning more and more songs, he got really into the music.
“I thought ‘wow, these are fun to sing and I love singing songs that people are familiar with,’” he said.
He said it’s also a reminder of why Christmas is important.
“It helps you slow down and think about things that you really value and I love that kind of thing.”
His latest album, released this year is titled Here Now, a more contemporary album, much different than his Christmas record.
It’s an album he made with popular singer and recording artist Classified.
“I love working with Classified because you get so much energy, and he adds a lot of energy to the music so it’s very fun, upbeat music …” said Myles, adding that he will perform a few of those songs as well.
Growing up with three older brothers and a father that directed musicals at their local high school, Myles and his brothers played instruments and were later forced into playing the piano.
“I started playing trumpet when I was a kid, about 10, 11 and I got really into it … I was a band guy.”
He’s also always collected records and loved all sorts of different kinds of music.
“And then when I got to university, I started singing secretly, singing along to records.”
In his early 20s he bought a guitar and then started singing songs, and the rest was history.
Myles will be performing at the Mary Winspear Centre on Dec. 11.
For tickets people can call 250-656-0275.
