Artists:Aengus Finnan

Aengus Finnan is a Canadian troubadour whose story-style songs have earned him international acclaim, numerous awards, and the honour of shared stages with the likes of Garnet Rogers, James Keelaghan, Stephen Fearing, Valdy, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Tish Hinojosa, Lennie Gallant, and John Renbourn. In the five short years since first singing on the street corners of his hometown he has been invited to perform on Baffin Island, at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, at music festivals across North America, and at clubs in Japan and Australia.

His songs paint dramatic pictures of real people and familiar places. Collected and written at truck-stops, graveyards, orchards, nursing homes, derelict barns, old railway lines, and a lover’s door, they reveal the gripping and tender observations of a young artist. In addition to original compositions Aengus also features traditional ballads in his repertoire, songs by contemporary roots performers, and several spoken word and radio drama pieces.

His first recording, Fool’s Gold (1999) was nominated “Folk Roots Album of the Year” at the Canada Music Week awards, while songs from his second album, North Wind (2002), were awarded the “New Folk Songwriting Award” from the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas. Most recently one of his original songs was selected for inclusion on a Canadian Artists’ Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot, featuring Blue Rodeo, Bruce Cockburn, and Quartette.

Throughout his travels Aengus presents school concerts and workshops, has worked with Elder Hostel programs and inmates in Federal Prisons, and leads public, artist, and industry seminars.

Last year he organized a series of Gordon Lightfoot tribute concerts, and is currently working on a recited collection of Robert Service poetry. His creative and humanitarian work, and commitment to communities beyond the stage earned him a National Decoration last year in the form of the “Medal in Honour of The Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II”.

Aengus’ family emigrated from Dublin, Ireland to Shelter Valley, Canada where he grew up. He worked as a research diver, an actor, an ornithologist, and a schoolteacher before writing songs..