Home > Music of Canada's Maritimes

By the late 1980sMillennia: 1st millennium 2nd millennium 3rd millennium Centuries: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s 2030s Years: 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 Events and trends, Cape Breton had produced two minor crossover acts in The Rankins and Barra MacNeils , setting the stage for the mainstream breakthrough of Ashley MacIsaacAshley MacIsaac born February 24, 1975 in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada, is a gay fiddler. Considered one of the best fiddlers in the world, and the cousin of Natalie MacMaster, MacIsaac is both an ardent traditionalist and a rebel. His playing is entir in the mid- 1990s. MacIsaac has incorporated a punk rock spirit into his traditional-style fiddling, and found a new legion of fans.

Other modern performers have continued to add new influences to traditional Maritime music, including hip hop beats and Gaelic lyrics in Mary Jane Lamond's Suas e! , Western classical music in Puirt a Baroque 's Bach Meets Cape Breton and Middle Eastern music al influences in Laurel MacDonald 's Chroma. Halifax has become a center for music in the Maritime provinces, and also has music arriving from African immigrants, as well as gospel music from a variety of backgrounds. Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick have seen a roots revival of their own Acadian traditions, dating back to before the French settlers of the area were expelled to Louisiana and became the Cajuns. Barachois is probably the leading band of this revival, while The Gallants and The Arsenaults are two of the most famous Acadien musical families of the East Coast.