Folk musician Dave Gunning will soon be on his way from Pictou County, Nova Scotia play some shows in B.C., including Parksville on Feb. 8.
He's known for being a great storyteller and connecting with audiences through his humour and music.
Staying true to the folk tradition, Gunning's music is often inspired by people and places he meets at home and on his travels.
His latest album Same Storm (2022) was mostly written and recorded at home, in the middle of the isolation of the pandemic. It's his "latest collection of stories and songs".
“That time was a reset I suppose, and like a time to reflect on just life in general and kind of figuring out where to go,” he said. “It was the most time I’d spent at home since before the kids were born, or before I had even met my wife.”
Gunning has 14 albums under his belt and has been able to travel the world playing concerts. He recently got back from short tour of Ireland and will return for some more dates in March.
“Didn’t get much sleep, it was full-on," he said. "But yeah we had a couple of good shows there and got to see lots of the country.”
This was his fifth trip to Ireland and Gunning enjoyed acquainting himself with new areas of the country such as West Kerry and Killarney. None of his concerts were in pubs, but when visiting them, it wasn't uncommon for someone to pull a guitar out from the back when they found out he is a musician.
“You’d end up with these sort of spontaneous little sessions that would happen,” he said.
Growing up Gunning was influenced by the likes of Bob Dylan and Gordon Lightfoot. His parents took him to see Canadian folk hero Stan Rogers when he was around eight years old.
“That pulled me into folk music at a young age."
At 15 years old, he started getting gigs to play music for tourists in a restaurant, but said he didn't think he would make a career for himself in music.
By his second year into a commerce degree, Gunning knew he wanted to be a musician full-time — and he was already paying his rent and tuition by playing in pubs. After he graduated he sat down with a friend who ran and entertainment venue and started writing and recording songs.
Gunning's first recording was nominated for an East Coast Music Award in 1997, which made him think "maybe I can do this".
Performing in front of an audience did not come naturally and to this day he experiences nerves before a show.
“I’m able to deal with it," Gunning said. "When I see the audience laughing and listening to the stories, that puts me at ease and I start to relax, and then I start to enjoy it.”
The concert starts at 7 p.m. at Knox United Church (345 Pym St.). Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $30 and are available online through Eventbrite and with cash at local retailers Close to You Boutique, Edge Outdoors and Fireside Books.
