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Gunning & Cormier are two of Canada’s greatest roots singer-songwriters. Their collaboration goes back 23 years, when Dave had a fiddle player drop out of a show at the last minute. “He hired me for a gig when I was just back from Nashville, nobody knew me here,” says Cormier.
“We were totally blown away by J.P.’s playing,” recalls Gunning. “I remember him saying if you ever do a CD, I want to play on it.” That happened, and much more. They played together and wrote together whenever they could, coming up with songs that graced both their projects, over the years showered with awards and nominations on the East Coast and nationally.
“Dave is such a part of my life,” says Cormier. “Dave is like my family, he’s like a blood relative to me, and he’s always been that way. ” Gunning feels the same way. “Absolutely, we just became fast friends, and we’ve been working together ever since.”
Dave Gunning, a celebrated Canadian folk musician, has earned ten East Coast Music Awards, two Canadian Folk Music Awards, and a Juno nomination. Known for his poignant storytelling and activism, Gunning’s music, including his most recent release The Same Storm, continues to captivate audiences with heartfelt and socially conscious themes. Over his career, Gunning has received ten East Coast Music Awards, two Canadian Folk Music Awards, four Music Nova Scotia Awards, and a Juno Award nomination. His ability to blend humor with poignancy makes his performances unforgettable, creating a warm and intimate atmosphere for his audience
J.P. Cormier has been successful in an astonishing variety of musical ventures. He played mandolin and banjo in a Grammy-nominated bluegrass gospel band. He exploded onto the Cape Breton music scene as a fiddler, performing some of the most difficult music ever produced with a facility that stunned audiences. He created a solo album called called Another Morning with songs that have become part of the East Coast musical vocabulary. He has recorded 15 more albums since, winning 13 ECMA’s, two Juno nomination, a Canadian Folk Music Award and five Music Nova Scotia Awards.
Here is a video of Dave and J.P. doing their own version of the country classic “I Never Picked Cotton” at the 2020 Celtic Colours International Festival:
