Live at The Lakes Songwriters' Circle

The 2nd Live at The Lakes Songwriters’ Circle will take place on Saturday, August 3 2024 at The lakes Resort & Golf in Ben Eoin with gates opening at 5pm. Gordie Sampson returns home to Cape Breton to host the Songwriters’ Circle and will be joined by Jim Cuddy, Donovan Woods, and Jodi and Dylan Guthro. The Circle will be followed by a performance from Rankin & The Broken Reeds and The Town Heroes, Mike McKenna Jr and Backhouse Brass will be performing prior to the Songwriters’ Circle.

A brilliant songwriter and innovative producer, Gordie Sampson is no stranger to the music scene. Raised in the community of Big Pond, near the rugged, edge-of-the-world coastlines of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Sampson’s songwriting has taken him across the globe. But besides the island he hails from, there might be no place in his story more important than Nashville, Tennessee, where he lives now with his family. He moved to Music City in 2005, and in less than a year Carrie Underwood had recorded his own “Jesus, Take The Wheel,” which wound up at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for six weeks in a row and won Gordie a Grammy for Best Country Song of the Year. Since then, Sampson’s songs have been cut by a long list of established artists that includes Florida Georgia Line, Luke Bryan, Rascal Flatts, Hunter Hayes and Scott Helman and by young up-and-comers like Carly Pearce, Caylee Hammack and Tenille Townes.

As one half of one of Blue Rodeo’s songwriting partnership, Jim Cuddy has one of the most recognizable voices in Canadian music thanks to omnipresent hits such as “Try,” “5 Days In May,” and “Bad Timing.” As a group Blue Rodeo has sold over 5 million records world-wide, won countless JUNO Awards, been inducted in to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame and Jim (along with songwriting partner Greg Keelor) was invested as Officers of the Order of Canada.

As an in-demand songwriter whose work has been recorded by the likes of Tim McGraw (“Portland Maine”) and Lady A’s Charles Kelley (“Leaving Nashville”), Donovan Woods has been venturing beyond the singer-songwriter scene where he first cut his teeth. Equally at home in folk and country, he has worked with songwriters such as Lori McKenna, Noah Kahan, Madi Diaz, Ashley Monroe, Aoife O’Donovan and Ed Roberston (Barenaked Ladies).

The award-winning singer-songwriter has been amassing a catalogue of rousing and critically-acclaimed music of his own, taking the title of the 2019 Juno Award for Contemporary Roots Album and racking up global streams surpassing 322 million and multiple #1 radio hits to take home.

Jodi and Dylan Guthro are coming off of a week-long series of Songwriters’ Circles, following in their father’s footsteps, hosting the circles at the newly renamed, Bruce Guthro Theatre in the Casino Nova Scotia in Halifax. Dylan, who now lives in Nashville, had one of his new songs, “Missing Someone” recorded and released on Dan & Shay’s recent album, “Bigger Houses”.

Rankin MacInnes, who was named Entertainer of the Year by Music Nova Scotia, is bringing his lively band, The Broken Reeds, to get the dance party started and keep the party going after the Circle. Crowd favourite and always entertaining duo, The Town Heroes and Montreal-based, Cape Breton born, Mike McKenna Jr will be performing before the Circle. Backhouse Brass will kick off the evening at 5pm when the gates open to ticket holders.

Cape Breton’s favourite comedy duo, Tracy & Martina, are coming back to host the evening. A busy year for Tracy & Martina with the launch of their new Podcast, Shoot!n The Shit, the duo delivers nostalgic Cape Breton comedy with unexpected bits even bringing Gordie Sampson on stage to play a spoof of his Grammy-Award Winning song, “Jesus Take The Wheel”.

Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased on Event Brite and on site at the Mayflower Mall. Dates and times for on-site ticket sales will be posted on The Lakes social media accounts @thelakesresort.

The concert is outdoors at The Lakes Resort at Ben Eoin, rain or shine and is a 19+ event. General admission tickets are $89.00, VIP tickets with exclusive access to the VIP lounges, indoor washrooms and afterparty inside The Lakes Resort have a ticket price of $250.00. Cottage Experience Packages and VIP tables can be purchased by emailing VIP@lakesresort.ca

Saturday, August 3 2024

5:00PM Gates open to ticket holders with Backhouse Brass

6:00PM Mike McKenna Jr

7:00PM The Town Heroes

8:45PM The Songwriters’ Circle with Gordie Sampson, Jim Cuddy, Donovan Woods, Jodi and Dylan Guthro

10:30PM Rankin & The Broken Reeds

12:00AM VIP Afterparty indoors The Lakes Resort Lodge