 |
Jan.2, 2005 - Jan.9, 2005 |
McDermott gets classic
Famed Toronto tenor finds inspiration in Frank Sinatra
By Kerry Doole
Originally Published: 2004-02-29
It's no wonder that acclaimed tenor John McDermott exudes an aura of happy confidence as he chats over pints of Smithwicks. The Toronto-based singer with a strong international fan base is in a career position likely the envy of many peers.
"I'm in one of those rare situations as an artist where I don't really depend on my recordings to make a living. I've had 10 good years of extensive touring and have established a following. The beauty of it is I now have my own record label, so it is just about me plus any other artists I want to sign to the label."
He describes the process of recording and releasing albums now as "a labour of love," and love is keeping McDermott very busy. Last year, he put out two records, Great Is Thy Faithfulness and Stories Of Love. The former comprises songs of faith, traditional and new, while the latter is John's homage to the melodic and romantic bossa nova style.
Stories Of Love received a belated release party at The Montreal Bistro earlier this month. It showed that McDermott's strong and pure voice also possesses the subtle touch needed for the Brazilian-rooted material.
Up until now, he has been linked primarily to Celtic music. Born in Scotland to Irish and Scottish parents (who emigrated to Toronto when John was young), McDermott burst onto the scene in the mid '90s, just as the Celtic music boom was sweeping the world.
His first album, Danny Boy, was intended as a private 50th anniversary tribute to his parents, but EMI Canada sensed its commercial potential. The result was an international hit album that actually went double platinum in New Zealand. "I copied and framed the Billboard chart that showed me at No. 1 there, ahead of the Beatles and Rolling Stones collections. My dad was very pleased at that," laughs John.
McDermott's career credits now include nine albums, three of which went platinum in Canada. He has a large audience in the U.S. now, thanks in part to his inclusion in the very popular The Irish Tenors project. In 2001 he filmed a solo TV special, John McDermott - A Time To Remember, and it has been widely aired on PBS affiliates in the States.
Page 1/...Page 2
|
| Home / Back to Top |
|
|
 |
|
|
</ td>
