The Wakami Wailers, 2018
Come all ye lads who yearn to go on the Great Lakes for to sail…
It must be winter… White expanse reaching for the distance…
This is my country I know it well; Cape Breton Island where I do dwell…
My father settled in Quebec, from Ireland he had come…
As I walk amongst the ruins of this old town beneath the moon…
The Wakami Wailers, 1999
In cuttin' and haulin', in frost and in snow, we're up against trouble that few people know…
A is for axes, which all of you know, and B is for boys that can use them also…
One evening last June as I rambled o’re the hills and the valleys alone…
Ontario's provincial parks evoke memories and confide stories: the cry of the loon; glowing campfires; friendships; Algonquin settlers.
Recorded in 1993, the Wakami Wailers' second album is inspired by the natural beauty and stories of Ontario's provincial parks. It includes original songs featuring lots of fiddle, banjo, accordion, and three part harmonies.
Available on Spotify and iTunes.
"Solid playing and earthy vocals."
"The Wakami Wailers hold Ontario's parks and their beauty responsible for both inspiration and solace... this record celebrates Ontario."
The Wakami Wailers, 1993
A collection of traditional folk songs from the lumberjack winter camps of the late 19th and early 20th century. Lush three part harmonies, fiddle, acoustic guitars, and mandolin dominate the recording.
Available on Spotify and iTunes.
"14 tracks that define the heroic, lonely and frequently dangerous lifestyle of logging."
"With jaunty rhythms and excellent vocal harmony, the Wailers have dug out some treasures of Canadian folk music from the archives and brought them to life."
The Wakami Wailers, 1985
There's one class of men in this country who's names are not mentioned in song…
Come all you boys who wish to hear how we got up to the woods last year…
Come all you bold young shantyboys and hear as I relate…
When the Winter Comes at last, and the river freezes fast…
Away, hey, away we go, across the ice and through the snow…
This is a land of glaciers, snow and ice on rock…
Lyrics and Notes