The Johnny McCuaig Band is set to take the stage in Sturgis Community Hall as part of the second concert in the series for Whitehawk Arts Council in Stars for Saskatchewan on November 27.
The Johnny McCuaig Band is a Canadian band that draws on Canada’s rich, cultural mosaic to create an original mix of musical genres that stands out in the crowd. They blend hard rock, pop, new wave, folk, and blues music combined with bagpipes, according to the band’s website.
Johnny McCuaig and his musical cohorts exemplify the honest, hard working, and proud (yet humble) spirit of Canada. According to Johnny, “I look back at what Canadians have accomplished over the past 100 years and I keep seeing that we are known for our politeness, our hard working groups of immigrants that really had nothing and were able to accomplish everything. There is a real sense of pride when you are able to show something from all of your hard work.”
After spending a few years recording and performing under the moniker ‘McCuaig,’ Johnny decided to take a hiatus from the music scene in order to devote more time to his family. Eventually, the itch to dust off the bagpipes and get back onstage to do what he does best was too much to ignore, so in 2013 he started rounding up some old friends and began playing shows across Canada as The Johnny McCuaig Band.
With a renewed drive and determination, TJMB released its stunning 2015 album Hold Fast, produced by Juno Award winner Jason Plumb (The Waltons) at Studio One Recording in their home base of Regina. Johnny is still ecstatic about the recording sessions. He says, “What an eye opener. To work with a guy of that calibre was truly amazing from start to finish. I learned a lot about putting songs together and flowing lyrical content. Getting to know him as a musician and a person was very cool. Definitely a learning experience.”
