“We knew we had something that was ours and unique and different, and we figured we better shout it out loud.” - Alan Doyle
For Alan Doyle, travelling the world has only strengthened the pull of home.
Along the way, he takes us back to his childhood in Petty Harbour, where music filled the family home, cutting cod tongues earned him spending money, and singing Anne Murray songs bought him a later bedtime.
Doyle reflects on Great Big Sea’s beginnings in the shadow of the cod moratorium, the band’s unexpected role as ambassadors for Newfoundland, and the resilience behind their enduring anthem, “Ordinary Day.” He also shares what decades of touring have taught him about Canada — and why St. John’s remains his favourite place to be.
Full of humour and affection, this conversation explores how the places we come from shape the stories we tell.
About our guest: Alan Doyle is a singer, songwriter, actor and author from Petty Harbour, N.L. Best known as a founding member of Great Big Sea, his books include Where I Belong, A Newfoundlander in Canada and The Smiling Land.
Check out: Our conversation with The Guess Who’s Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings, featuring more unforgettable stories from a life in Canadian music.
Explore: A Canadian Geographic Podcast is hosted by David McGuffin and produced by Explore Podcast Productions in partnership with Canadian Geographic.
Canadian Geographic:
Editor-in-chief: Alexandra Pope
Digital and travel editor: Madigan Cotterill
Digital marketing manager: Caroline Workman
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