Fiddlers’ Sons played the Tignish Irish Festival last weekend and I was happy that my parents wanted to come along for the drive.
My mom, Edna Maye - the famous fudge maker, told me how she and Dad had not been “ up west “ since the seventies.

They had made the trip back then to attend the wedding of one of the Pitre boys who worked in the woods with Dad.

As Mom recounted her memories of her trip up west, little landmarks along the Western Road were triggering some of my own memories from the many times I had trekked west in different bands over the years. I had two thoughts about that.

The first was that were many trips back home down the Western Road that I had no recollection of what so ever. Lucky for me, one of the “ Outlaws “ crew, either “Bent” Kent Dunville or Jody “The Roady”“ VanDerAa, would have been driving while I flaked out.

The second thought I had was that there were a good few stories I could tell about the many adventures we had in the west, but there were precious few that I could tell Mom without worrying her sick all over again!

As we passed the turn off to Tyne Valley, I remembered playing a double header dance at the Tyne Valley Oyster Festival with the Ellis Family Band. The “Outlaws” and I were traveling in three cars that night so we agreed to follow one another home so we wouldn’t get lost leaving the dance.

The plan worked well until we got to the first intersection and each car took a different road.

When we passed through Elmsdale, I noticed a carpentry business had moved into the site of the former Dooley’s Pool Hall and Bar. I had played there a few years back with The Johnny Ross Band It was a great night right up until last call and that’s when a huge brawl broke out. The violence spilled out into the parking lot and the mounties were called to restore peace. It was about 4 am before we felt safe to go outside to load the band van.

That little fray made news in The Journal Pioneer Monday morning because a couple of guys got tazered and charges were laid over the whole thing. Didn’t figure Mom would want to hear about that one.

I did point out Cousin’s Restaurant in Tignish to Mom and told her about the many dances we played there. I told her about the delicious seafood chowder the folks had made for us when we played a concert at the Tignish Parish Center.

We took the western shore on the way home to see the windmills and I was able to tell her about the homemade soup and fresh bread they served us at the Lot 7 Ceilidhs in Burton. As we passed the West Point Wharf, I told her about the wedding we played there one Christmas.

It was for a young girl from up there and her groom who was an American soldier about to be sent on mission to Iraq. I wonder if he made it back home safe.

If I put aside the few scrapes and near misses I had playing music across the whole of PEI, I can tell you about the memories I treasure most. I have been to places playing music that I never would have got to in the garbage truck and I have seen almost every beautiful nook and cranny of the Island over the years. I have met scores of wonderful and hospitable folks that along the way that I never would have met only for music.

And I have tasted all the good food that those people have shared at the many celebrations where we were invited to entertain. But through all those good times, at all those great meals, and in all my travels, I have yet to taste fudge that compares to my mom’s.

Our guests at the Close to the Ground concert series this week have logged their share of miles on the music trail. This Thursday August 10 8pm at Kaylee Hall Pooles Corner, Fiddlers’ Sons are proud to welcome special guests Janet McGarry, Serge Bernard and Emma Gallant.

Janet McGarry is an award winning bluegrass vocalist and recording artist. After winning top honors for female vocalist at the Eastern Canadian Bluegrass Awards five years in a row, she decided to retire from the category.

She is a crowd favorite at home and all across North America where she plays the Bluegrass festival Circuit. She will be accompanied Thursday night by her musical partner and husband Serge Bernard. Serge is a talented vocalist, multi - instrumentalist, and record producer.

He recorded albums for many popular Island artists namely Lester MacPherson and Frank Whitty. He recorded Fiddlers’ Sons double album called “This Is My Island ‘ last year, Janet and Serge are always fan favorites at Close to the Ground not only because they are fine musicians but because they are also fine people.

Young Emma Gallant from Morell has also made folks sit up straight in their chairs at Kaylee Hall. Her rendition of a Leonard Cohen song left the hair on the back of my neck standing up last summer.

She has recorded a CD with Gordon Belsher at his Guernsey Cove Parlour Recording Studio and will have copies on hand Thursday night. Emma is still only young and has plenty of miles ahead of her, but she is well on her way down the road to success.

All roads lead to Kaylee Hall at Pooles Corner on Thursday nights at 8pm. So keep it between the ditches and under the speed limit and you won’t get side tracked along the way!