Two of Newfoundland’s most recognized voices have teamed up. Roots-rocker Sherman Downey and traditional singer Matthew Byrne, have combined their individual styles and repertoires to create an exciting fusion of traditional and modern sounds.

Since bursting on to the trad scene four years ago with his debut recording, Ballads, Matthew has swiftly earned his place as one of the East Coast’s most authentic and vital traditional voices. In that time, Matthew’s music has traveled well beyond the rugged shores of his homeland. His role as singer and song-finder in The Dardanelles has brought him to many major international festival stages including Winnipeg Folk Festival, Celtic Connections in Glasgow, UK, and The Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland, Australia.

Sherman Downey has been wowing critics and fans since his 2010 debut release Honey for Bees with a melodic roots-rock sound which embraces folk, pop and country. Their November 2013 sophomore effort, The Sun in Your Eyes, has been the best-selling album since its release at the legendary Fred’s Records in St. John’s, NL. The first single, Thick as Thieves, earned the boys the title of “Best New Act in Canada” in the CBC Searchlight Contest, beating out over 3000 acts across the country. Their highly energetic and entertaining live show has floored audiences all across Canada and as far away as the Woodford Folk Festival in Australia.

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World folk and fiddle music group Fiddlehead Soup is an energetic trio of musicians as engaging as they are talented—they start with a haunting Celtic, medieval groove based around native Scotsman Doug Hendry’s open tuned 12 string guitar and warm tenor voice, then they weave it into a gypsy tapestry with mother and daughter Glenna Hunter and Ursa Meyer’s twinned fiddles and voices.

Singing songs from the traditions of multiple countries and in multiple languages as well as their own artfully constructed material, Fiddlehead Soup does an incredible job of making the difficult look not only effortless, but fun!

Sherman Downey and Matthew Byrne will perform at Burritt’s Rapids Community Hall with Fiddlehead Soup on Sunday October 2nd at 3:00PM.