past presence

is a collection of favourite songs from my

past & present

  1. Music for a Found Harmonium was included in my 2001 CD "Reel in the Flickering Light".  This reworked version features Richard Wood on piano, and is close to how we perform it live.

  2. Banks of the Roses is a favourite Irish lilting song.  It's wonderful to have both Richard Wood and Cynthia MacLeod, two of my favourite Island musicians, on this version.

  3. Eddy Quinn, one of PEI's best songwriters, captures the essence of living on the Island with his song Summer Months.

  4. Sir Paul McCartney, now in his 70's, is still working hard at making music.  He's always been one of my heroes, and I love how happy Dance Tonight makes everyone feel.

  5. Mary Ellen Carter is truly a Canadian classic.  I once had the privilege of singing this with Connie Kaldor and J.P. Cormier on the Stan Rogers stage at Alberta's Canmore Folk Festival.  My cousin Jodi Proznick is featured on bass here.  Pretty cool!

  6. O'Carolan's Draught is a favourite in my live shows, and is included here for the first time since my debut album in 1993.  Margie Carmichael's guitar work is brilliant!

  7. Cynthia MacLeod recorded her fiddle track for Dirty Old Town awhile ago, but the song didn't make it to an album until now.  I love it!

  8. "The Proclaimers" song I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) came out in 1988, and I've been playing this ultimate love song ever since!

  9. Everyone's favourite sing-along Black Velvet Band keeps getting better with age, don't you think?

10. That goes for Ron Hynes' Sonny's Dream too.  I got to sing backup for Ron on this song in Australia... two things ticked off my bucket list there!

11. Danny Boy is the ultimate Irish American classic.  Very powerful and emotional.  Fantastic to have my son-in-law Todd MacLean on saxophone here.

12. Bruce Cockburn was one of my first inspirations to get into folk music.  Nice to rediscover Together Alone, a gem from his debut album, and nice way to finish this set.

Gordon Belsher - Guitars, Vocals, Bodhrán, Mandola, Hofner bass, Programming

Richard Wood - Piano 1,2,3,4,8,9,10 - Fiddle 3,12

Cynthia MacLeod - Fiddle 2,7

Jodi Proznick - Bass 5

Margie Carmichael-Scotto - Guitar 6

Charlene Belsher - Vocals 9,10

Todd MacLean - Saxophone 11

Recording Produced by Gordon Belsher

Graphic Artwork:  Charlene Belsher

Photos: front & back - Laura-Jane Koers

  inside - Katelyn Fraser