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Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥: Sean McCann is the Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥˜ShantymanÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™

TODAY IN B.C.: Former member of Great Big Sea is touring with stops in B.C.
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You will find Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥˜Today in B.C.Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™ podcasts on , , , , and podcasts.

Host Peter McCully chats with Sean McCann, the musician and singer-songwriter is best known as a member of the Newfoundland-based folk-rock band, Great Big Sea.

McCann began his music career in the many bars of St. JohnÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s before forming Great Big Sea in 1993 with bandmates Alan Doyle and Bob Hallett.

The members of the band were multi-instrumentalists.

Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥˜I think itÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s because none of us are trained, itÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s great to get into theory and stuff, but it tells you what the rules are,Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™ McCann says. Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥˜So having not been made aware of what the limitations on us would be, we had no fear in trying anything ever.Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™

In 2013, McCann announced his departure from Great Big Sea to focus on his solo career and personal life. Since then, he has continued to release music and tour extensively, drawing on his experiences of addiction and recovery as well as his Newfoundland roots to create poignant and heartfelt songs that resonate with audiences around the world.

McCann tells host Peter McCully, that now he is a solo act.

Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥˜The audience, whether they know it or not, they are the band, everyone is expected to sing. And even if you canÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t sing very well, it doesnÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t matter because if everyone sings, It always ends up being some kind of harmony.Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™

McCann and his wife Andrea wrote a memoire about addiction and recovery, called Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥˜One Good ReasonÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™.

Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥˜IÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™m a survivor of sexual abuse myself, people drink and use drugs for reasons. That was mine. I wasnÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t facing it for a long time. But IÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™ve been sober now 11 years, and IÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™ve tried to apply myself and share my story with people who are willing to listen,Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™ says McCann.

Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥˜ItÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s important that we do know itÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s there and a lot of people are afraid to talk about it. But I am doing my best to change that because one thing I believe is that a secret can kill you, and thereÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s only one way to defeat secrets, and thatÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s to share them.Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™

Sean McCann will be touring extensively in 2023 with stops in British Columbia.

The podcast includes Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥˜The ShantymanÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™ as performed by McCann.

If you have suggestions or comments, send a voice message to you may be part of our audio podcast mailbag segment.

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Peter McCully

About the Author: Peter McCully

Peter has been a broadcaster and publisher on both of CanadaÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s coasts and has owned a small newspaper and run an advertising agency along the way.
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