By Laura MacLean
For the first time ever, the Huntsville Festival of the Arts has teamed up with The Hideaway Pub for a show featuring local singing sensation Linda McLean.
On Thursday, June 28, McLean, backed by her three-piece band, All the Hanks, will take the stage at The Hideaway. Showcasing some of her newest tunes from her CD due to be released this fall, the event is one not to miss.
SHE’S GOT TUNES: Port Sydney resident Linda McLean is set to take the stage at The Hideaway Pub on Thursday, June 28. The show is a must-see, as McLean will be playing new tunes from her CD to be released this fall.“She’s just an amazing performer,” said Jenny Cressman, a board member for the festival. “She just returned from a solo tour in the United Kingdom, where she got rave reviews. It will be a very exciting show because she’ll be playing some of her newest songs from her CD.”
According to McLean’s website, she was the youngest of four children and grew up listening to her parents’ record collection of European folk music, American jazz and Hollywood musicals. She would beg her sisters to bring back their records when they returned home for holidays. Every Saturday, McLean would go with friends to Sam the Record Man and would agree on the 45s they were going to buy, go to someone’s home and listen to the songs over and over again. At age 12 she formed her first band, which consisted of four singers and two acoustic guitars and together, they played folk covers at schools and churches. When she was 14 years old, she started going solo. Although too young for the bars, she played wherever anyone would listen. She also grew interested in the theatre, since performing came naturally to her.
When McLean was in her 20s, she turned off popular music and tuned in to classical works, listening to everything from JS Bach to Mahler. Music lived deeply in McLean, but it didn’t become clear until she was in her 30s that she was ready, and willing, to write her own songs.
In 2003, she released her debut album Betty’s Room, with songs that were comparable to Joni Mitchell’s work in the 1970s. In 2005, No Language was released and her tunes and overall sound showed that McLean had become a committed and focused musician.
Building a solid following of fans around the world, she tours solo or with her band in Canada and the U.K., often showcasing at international festivals. She has opened for Chris Whitely, Tim Booth, Ron Sexsmith and Stephen Fearing, among others, and shared songs, stories and stages with Stacey Earle, Jenny Whitely, Bob Egan, Katherine Wheatley, David Celia, Jian Ghomeshi and many others.
Cressman indicated that McLean held her first CD launch party at The Hideaway over three years ago. Prior to recording and releasing her material, she was somewhat of a closet musician. Her husband, Andy, had been an avid musician for many years and, perhaps influenced by his talents, McLean started to secretly write her own songs.
“We’re hoping that in the future, we’ll have more fringe festival shows at The Hideaway,” stated Cressman, adding that in the past festival shows have been held at the Algonquin Theatre. “We think this is just wonderful because sometimes we need an alternative venue.”
The show begins at 8 p.m. and tickets are $10 at the door.
[Please note: Doors open at 7 p.m. on June 28 but, if you wish to pay for admission in advance, stop by The Hideaway to do so; your name will be put on the pre-paid list, assuring you of prompt entry on the night of the show.]
