Nova Scotia

Cape Breton’s Fertile Music Scene

Story by Nick Krewen | September 17, 2018 For SOCAN Words & Music On Cape Breton Island, the music flows like water. Despite its relatively modest population, at 132,000 residents, this Northeastern tip of Nova Scotia, spread over 10,311 square km, has launched a number of tuneful tributaries surnamed MacMaster, Rankin and Sampson: artists that have impacted lands and listeners far beyond its borders. The Island’s musicians are largely known…

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Jenson Vaughan: Just Getting Started

Story by Nick Krewen | March 16, 2017 Decades before Jenson Vaughan became known as a hit maker for Madonna, Britney Spears and currently, High Valley, the Dartmouth, NS, native was in the dark about the artistry it took to write a song. So he plucked one out of the air. “I formed a little a capella group,” says Vaughan, recalling his high-school years. “And because of my jazz background,…


Twitter-famous Matt Mays takes his seat at the Horseshoe Tavern

Matt Mays got plenty of blowback for accusing Rob Ford of taking his seat at an NFL game, but the Halifax musician won’t swear off social media. Matt Mays has enough new music, he says, to put together a new album next year. By: Nick Krewen Music Published on Sat Dec 07 2013 Rob Ford is the inescapable man, and no one knows this better than Matt Mays. The Halifax…