Russells in the Corner
The family group Russells in the Corner come from Bell Island, Newfoundland. Featuring Dad - Kelly Russell, Mom - Tonya Kearley Russell, and daughters Naomi age 12 and Tamsyn age 9. Collectively they are skilled in Newfoundland fiddle and accordion music, folk song, storytelling and traditional dance.
Kelly Russell was an original member of landmark Newfoundland bands Figgy Duff and The Wonderful Grand Band during the 1970s and more

As well as furthering Newfoundland traditional music, Kelly has also been active in preserving another important Newfoundland tradition - the art of storytelling and recitation, as inspired by his late father, Ted Russell (creator of The Chronicles of Uncle Mose - Tales from Pigeon Inlet).
With wife and partner Tonya Kearley, Kelly runs music and dance events in Trinity. With the expert guidance of Tonya calling the dances, participants quickly and easily learn the basic moves for Newfoundland Set Dancing. She also plays bass guitar in the group. Kelly & Tonya's daughters are talented and seasoned performers in their own right. Both sing, Naomi plays fiddle and guitar, Tamsyn accordion and piano.
Encompassing many facets of Newfoundland's cultural heritage, having Russells in the Corner at Summerfolk will showcase time honoured traditions passed down through generations of Newfoundlanders and onto the next.
The Dardanelles
With a love of Newfoundland music and an energy found more often in punk rock bands than in 5-piece folk acts, The Dardanelles have become one of the hottest acts to come out of the province in years. They pack clubs in their native St. John's and their debut self-titled CD became one of the top 3 sellers on the 'Rock'.
The band members, all in their twenties, firmly believe Newfoundland traditional music doesn’t have to be limited to either loud, boisterous bar

Founding band member Tom Power, who hosts the CBC Radio 2 program Deep Roots, was asked about the philosophy behind the band. "I think the whole goal is to make traditional music 'cooler'. It’s really wicked, fun, dance music. Traditional music and folk music in general are becoming more accessible - I notice in St. John’s, trios of guitars and banjos and mandolins starting to play around. I don’t think that would have happened a few years ago. It’s nice to see."
Last summer, The Dardanelles played the Mariposa Folk Festival - their first gig off the island. "We got a really good reception, which gave us even more confidence to do what we do. When we went to Mariposa we were like, 'Let's see how this goes,' and we got a tremendous ovation. We got off stage and we said, 'We can't let this die. This is obviously something more powerful than the sum of our parts.'"
Nominated for a 2010 East Coast Music Award, the rest of the world is about to catch on to what Newfoundland has known for years - The Dardanelles will change the way you think about folk music.
Chuck & Albert
Chuck and Albert Arsenault are remarkable showmen in both of Canada’s official languages: French and English - and both of Canada’s un-official languages: comedy and music.

As the duo’s bass player, Albert (say Albert in French) Arsenault comes by his talent naturally and continues the fiddling legacy of his father Eddy Arsenault. A talented singer, Albert’s vocal interpretations are one of a kind. His other musical roles are as a percussionist - that is to say an Acadian percussionist: spoons, guimbarde (jaw harp), knives and forks, saw and the rhythm bones.
Chuck Arsenault plays the acoustic guitar and vocals. Chuck’s vocal abilities are well suited to handling ballads and harmonies as well as anchoring acapella arrangements. Unlike Albert, Chuck grew up in Eastern PEI where his grandparent’s language and much of their Acadian heritage had been assimilated into the larger surrounding English speaking community.
Fluently bilingual, the two offer up clever banter in English or French by way of explaining the unique charm inherent to their performance. Laughter after all 'is the best medicine'. As a natural extension of their Acadian background, Chuck & Albert skillfully and tastefully carry their penchant for humour to the concert stage with vibrant characters, stories, songs, physical comedy and one-of-a-kind dance choreographies.
Lennie Gallant
At last fall's Summerfolk Volunteer Appreciation party, I asked for suggestions of whom we should invite to perform at our 35th anniversary Festival. Lennie Gallant was hand's down, the most requested artist.

Over 30 artists have recorded his songs, including Jimmy Buffett, who invited Gallant to perform it onstage with him. His songs have also appeared in feature films, television series, and in numerous theatrical productions.
As a performer, Gallant’s intense delivery reaches down to touch the very souls of his audience. "Like many Canadian songwriters, my music crosses boundaries and encompasses my musical history which includes folk, rock, Celtic and a touch of Cajun and country." says Lennie of his music.
He was inducted into the Order of Canada where it was said, “Gallant has garnered much respect for his hard hitting songs chronicling the lives of people dealing with tremendous adversity and serious issues. Songs like Peter’s Dream, Island Clay, Man of Steel and The Hope for Next Year, articulate the feelings of many caught up in desperate situations beyond their control, and at the same time celebrate the beauty of lifestyle and landscape with their strong poetry and stirring narratives."
Born in Rustico, PEI, he received his first guitar for Christmas when he was 13. He has come a long way since then. He has just released two new albums, one in English If We Had A Fire and one in French Le coeur hante.