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The Great Big Sea

The band Great Big Sea is a band which was composed in Newfoundland in a fishing village known as Petty Harbour. They played energetic rock interpretations of Newfoundland folk songs. The band plays with a great blend of different instruments.

The band was composed of Alan Doyle (mandolin/bouzouki/guitar), Sean McCann (tin whistle/bodhran), Darrell Power (bass) and Bob Hallett(accordion/mandolin/fid dle). Each band member also played several other instruments for certain songs.

Sean McCann, Darrell Power and Bob Hallett originally played in their own Celtic rock band Rankin Street.

in 1992 The Great Big Sea signed with Warner Brothers Canada.

From 1996-2000,5 consecutive years the Great Big Sea won the Entertainer of the Year award. The following year(2001) They didn't put their name in because they thought that other bands should have the chance to win.

For their first years, the band did many tours, they travelled up too 300 days a year at some times. However in 2002 Power retired from the band and supporting band members, Kris MacFarlane(drums) and Moxy Fruvous(bass) joined the band.

In 2002, their hit album Sea of No Cares hit #1 in the top Canadian albums and #7 in the world. Their albums Something Beautiful and The Hard and The Easy also ranked 3rd and 2nd for the top world music albums.

The Great Big Sea produced a DVD, the Great Big DVD which was released in Canada in 2003.

in 1998 and 2005, The band was nominated in the Juno awards for group of the year. Later in 2005 the band released a hit album The Hard and The Easy. The album was composed of their favourite Newfoundland party songs.

On February 9, 2006 a tragic event occurred. Their tour bus tipped over into a ditch on the trans Canada highway. Luckily the band was unhurt though their professional driver guy did suffer minor head injuries.

In 2006, The Great Big Sea released their second DVD, Courage & Patience & Grit.

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