Sponsored by Atlantic Lottery
Sunday 1:40 pm, Festival Theatre
Hailing from Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, the Spinney Brothers have carved out an unmistakable place in North American bluegrass, becoming Canada’s most celebrated ambassadors of the genre. Their music has found its way onto US bluegrass charts repeatedly, earning them devoted listeners across radio waves and festival stages alike.
What began three and a half decades ago as brothers Allan and Rick Spinney’s musical partnership has evolved into something deeper than entertainment – it’s become a bridge between worlds. Their vocal harmonies carry the weight of Maritime tradition while embracing the driving rhythms of Appalachian bluegrass, creating a sound that feels both timeless and immediate.
The brothers don’t simply perform bluegrass; they inhabit it. Their approach weaves together carefully chosen covers with original compositions, each song filtered through their unique perspective as Canadian musicians honoring an American art form. This isn’t imitation – it’s translation, taking the emotional core of traditional bluegrass and expressing it through their own experiences and heritage.
On stage, the Spinney Brothers create an atmosphere where the boundary between performer and audience dissolves. Allan’s guitar work and Rick’s banjo provide the rhythmic foundation, while their alternating lead vocals tell stories that resonate across cultural and geographic lines. Supported by the nuanced mandolin of Gary Dalrymple and the steady pulse of Terry Mumford’s bass, the quartet delivers performances that feel both polished and spontaneous.
Their return to Deep Roots represents more than nostalgia – it’s a reminder that authentic music transcends borders. The Spinney Brothers continue to demonstrate that bluegrass, at its heart, is about connection: between past and present, between musician and listener, between the stories we tell and the lives we live.
The Spinney Brothers are:
Allan Spinney (guitar, lead vocals)
Rick Spinney (banjo, lead vocals)
Gary Dalrymple (mandolin)
Terry Mumford (bass)
The Spinney Brothers – I Want My Dog Back
