Get There By Dawn

I had never heard of John Allan Cameron before I bought this album, and it is was some surprise to me that he is known as the "Godfather of Celtic Music" in Canada, and is sited as a major influence for other Eastern Canadian acts playing traditional celtic and folk songs.

Mr. Cameron had a very interesting life. He trained as a priest, and left to become a performer in the mid 60s. From there, he entertained on TV and in concert halls across Canada.

That's right. Such was his popularity in the 1970s, he had his own TV shows on both CTV and CBC. It is with sadness that I must say that Mr. Cameron passed away in 2006, from bone cancer.

After much searching, it seems that all of his albums are out-of-print, and I can't even find a website where you can legitimately purchase his songs. You can find many performances on YouTube, including this 4 minute biographical piece. It gives a wonderful insight into who he was, and where he came from.

I found this copy of 1972's Get There By Dawn in a local Value Village store, and it still has the cellophane on it! It's a pristine copy of the record, and the variety of songs and styles makes the whole album a lot of fun. I was immediately drawn to the first song (the title track). It's as melancholy as anything I've ever heard. Picture Nick Drake , if he had come from the East coast of Canada.I'm a Rover Seldom Sober is the exact opposite. A John Allan Cameron original, it will get you dancing by your computer.
-Kevin McGowan