Sunday Sessions: Snowbird and Raven
You may have heard the song Snowbird before. It became a career breakthrough hit for Anne Murray. Other artists have recorded it too.
Snowbird was written by Gene MacLellan, who was from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada.
Murray recorded a number of his songs in addition to Snowbird. Artists in folk, country, gospel, pop, and other genres have recorded MacLellan’s work. His gift for creating memorable images and relationships works in all these sorts of music.
Gene preferred writing songs to performing them. His daughter Catherine MacLellan thinks Gene, who died when she was a teenager, would be happy to know his songs live on.
Catherine is herself a songwriter and singer. As she worked on her own career and art, she knew it was important to create an artistic practice and presence outside the shadow of her dad’s work and reputation.
...which she did, building her own catalogue of songs, touring across Canada and beyond, and winning recognition and awards for her own work.
At times she’d include a song or two of Gene’s in her own shows. One of those was Snowbird, in a rather quieter and more reflective arrangement than more widely known versions.
Several years back, Catherine decided she’d come far enough in her own career to record an album of her father’s songs. Among other things, she’d won a Juno for her album The Raven’s Sun.
"The Juno made me feel as though people know me and appreciate my music,” Catherine said. “Now I wanted to share my dad's music.”
That album is called If It’s Alright With You: The Songs of Gene MacLellan.
Catherine MacLellan continues to write, record, and tour with her music from her base in PEI.
Do you have a favourite song from Gene MacLellan or Catherine MacLellan? Or a favourite artist from Canada?
Let us know in the comments...
Also…
About the album If It’s Alright With You
About The Raven’s Sun
A song from Anne Murray (a different one) in Sunday Sessions
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