Blessed with a glorious baritone voice, a graceful mastery on guitar, and a hearty laugh that delights any room, Dan McKinnon has carved out his own unique, musical path. From early beginnings in the coffee houses, pubs and bars of Atlantic Canada, to yearly tours throughout the UK, Dan’s performances reveal an enduring respect for the past, tempered by a profound attachment to the
present. His keenly observed stories and passionately delivered songs convey a deep inquisitiveness into the human condition combined with the rich heritage of the Maritimes.

With six solo recordings to his credit, Dan McKinnon is a seasoned musician who has accumulated a wide-ranging ensemble of stage appearances: performing as a featured soloist with Symphony Nova Scotia; opening for pre-eminent folksingers such as Eric Bogle, Garnet Rogers, Archie Fisher, and Andy Irvine; as well as performances on stages at Folk Festivals and in folk clubs, throughout Atlantic Canada, the USA, Great Britain, and Southeastern Australia.

Regarding his Gallagher guitar, Dan shares: “A little history about my possession of the guitar. It is a Doc Watson custom model and I bought the guitar at the Halifax Folklore Centre here in Halifax back in 1986. This guitar has been my main instrument now for 35 years this August. In that time it has been my constant companion and has made many treks with me on my yearly UK tours that began twenty-five years ago, (sadly postponed until the current pandemic has been dealt with), several ventures south of the border (including a live-to-air show on WFMT’s ‘Folkstage’ in Chicago a few years back) as well as performances in Australia, Ireland, France, Iceland, The Netherlands, and also throughout my own area of the world.”

You can learn more about his music through his website at danmckinnon.ca/

You can sample a lovely song, Simple Things, by clicking HERE.  Dan praises his Gallagher Doc Watson custom (which he plays on this song along with every song he has recorded). 

The video below is a wonderful example of his story telling through song talents.