CARTHAGE – New England Celtic Arts in partnership with The Franco American Heritage Center will present Newfoundland duo Jim Payne and Fergus O’Byrne at the Franco American Heritage Center in Lewiston on Tuesday April 20th, at Skye Theatre Performing Arts Center in South Carthage, Maine on Wednesday April 21st, and at Unity College Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday April 23rd. Curtain is at 7:00 pm at FAHC and Skye and 7:30 pm in Unity. There is a pre-show jam session 45 minutes prior to curtain at all three venues. Audience members are encouraged to bring their instruments and jam with the artists for a few minutes.
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Jim Payne is from Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland and has been a professional performing artist and writer for over 20 years. Long known as a leading performer and collector of Newfoundland traditional music, he is also one of the province’s most prolific songwriters, working in several genres. Jim has directed, composed and performed music for some of the most popular theatre productions of the past two decades, as well as creating soundtracks for plays, documentaries and videos. He has performed extensively on radio and television in Canada and abroad, and has toured throughout Canada, the US, Europe, Japan and Australia. He plays guitar, accordion, mandolin, tin whistle and violin, and is a singer, storyteller, actor, writer, step dancer, and teacher of traditional Newfoundland set and square dances.
Born in Dublin, Ireland, Fergus O’Byrne emigrated to Canada in 1967. While living in Toronto he became a founding member of the Irish folk band Ryan’s Fancy. In 1971 the group moved to St. John’s, Newfoundland. During the next fourteen years, Fergus toured extensively throughout North America and Ireland as part of the trio. As a member of Ryan’s Fancy, Fergus has been featured on many television shows throughout his career including the very popular C.B.C. series Ryan’s Fancy, which ran as a national series for five years. Since pursuing a solo career he has continued to appear on both television and radio. He is featured in the CBC TV production of The Last Run, which is part of the Newfoundland curriculum for Music (Exploring Music) at the intermediate level. In 1987 Fergus graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland with a degree in Education. Since then he has had a concentrated interest in promoting folk music to children both as a classroom teacher and a performer.
Jim and Fergus are in Maine to be honored by the Maine Maritime Academy for their 2009 tour with the schooner “Bowdion” on it’s celebration cruise of Newfoundland and Labrador mark the 100th anniversary of Admiral Robert Peary’s expedition to the top of the world. The tour stopped at 12 ports with Jim and Fergus performing songs and stories of traditional maritime lore. Both men are noted for their ability as songsmiths and storytellers. They were featured artists at the American Folk Festival in 2008.
The Franco American Heritage Center is located on 46 Cedar Street in Lewiston. Skye Theater is located 3 miles West of East Dixfield village at 2 Highland Drive off Winter Hill Rd and US RT. 2 in South Carthage. UCCPA is at 42 Depot Street in Unity. For reservations at the theater you wish to attend call: FAHC at (207)-689-2000, Skye Theatre at (207) 562-4445, or UCCPA at (207) 948-7469. Tickets are $12.00 at FAHC and $10.00 at Skye and Unity. More information is available at: www.necelticarts.com
