After more than 25 years of touring, John McDermott says he has no intentions of slowing down.
Currently on a cross-country tour that will see the Glasgow-born, Toronto-raised singer make his first stop ever in Maple Ridge on Sunday, Oct. 15 at the ACT, McDermott says he’s having too much fun performing live to think about stopping.
“Once it gets old, I’m just hanging it up,” he laughed. “I’m very blessed to have such a loyal fan base. They’re also very honest. If the effort wasn’t there, they’d be the first to let me know.”
McDermott’s recording career wasn’t a typical start. While he loved to perform, he never really contemplated a career in music. He had a steady job working in the circulation department of a daily paper in Toronto.
But to celebrate his parent’s 50th wedding anniversary, he recorded an album of Irish and Scottish ballads in 1992. The record included 12 tracks, one for each of the 12 McDermott children, as well as his father’s favourite a cappella version of Danny Boy.
From there, it grew. First he printed out 2,000 copies through EMI Records. Those sold out almost as quick as they were printed. Then some recognition from renowned broadcasters Peter Gzowski and Peter Mansbridge helped bump record sales to more than 50,000.
He soon found himself touring as an opening act for the Chieftains. The rest, they say, is history. He’s been touring across the globe, bringing to life the music his father taught him so dearly to love.
Now he’s going to be in Maple Ridge promoting his latest album, Raised on Songs and Stories.
“It’s always nice to play out west, and especially somewhere I’ve never performed, so I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.
Like any musician who’s been touring for the past two-and-a-half decades, he said one of the joys of performing is seeing a second generation of fans taking to his music. He also said he enjoys the musical freedom he used to make the album. Instead of 12 three-minute tracks, McDermott reached back to his story telling roots and recorded what he says is a tribute to his Scottish heritage.
“There are no breaks on the album, it’s just one continual track, so each song is connected to a musical interlude,” he said. “I wanted to try and see if it worked, and I loved it. I really like that addition to the album, and to be able to hear what a difference that it makes.”
The storytelling he attributes to his father, Peter, who he calls one of the greatest tenors he’s ever heard.
He said it was his father who ingrained the storytelling aspect to his performances. McDermott said before his dad would sing he would always tell you where the song came from, who wrote it, and what it was about.
“I really, really latched on to that, subconsciously, I think. But as my career progressed, I got more into telling the stories behind the songs and it’s just become a part of the show now.”
He said he believes it’s the storytelling that keeps his fans coming back for more.
“It’s always a new show. You learn something new about the history of these songs, or what they meant and you can pass it on to the audience.”
But it’s also the fans who are passing on the information to him. He said friends, family and fans are always finding out new little interesting facts about some of the classic Scottish and Irish tunes he plays, and happily pass on.
“It’s really nice to get a new piece of information, some history that you can attach to it,” said McDermott.
“It makes the shows that much more intimate.”
McDermott has also used his musical success to open the McDermott House Canada, dedicated to improving care in the final stages of terminal illness and providing a place to stay for Canada’s veterans, military, first responders and their families.
• For more information or for tickets call 604-476-2787 or visit theactmapleridge.org
