I first met Allie Bennett in the fall of 1977, outside the Student Union Building at Acadia University. He was playing some folk tunes to a small crowd of people. I wondered why there weren’t more people listening; he was really good–a Cape Bretoner with that magic musical touch.
Fast forward to 1982. I was upstairs at Sam the Record Man on Yonge Street looking at blues albums, and there stood Allie Bennett. He was on tour with John Allan Cameron playing bass guitar; really starting to make it in the music business. We talked a bit about music and our days at Acadia.
Fast forward to 2009. I was at Stanfest in Canso, Nova Scotia. There were lots of amazing performers there that year–Don Maclean, Sarah Harmer, Matt Anderson, Lennie Gallant, Amelia Curran. I was backstage and ran into Allie. He was playing bass and fiddle for Bruce Guthro. It was great to catch up after all those years. He has had a long and prolific career as a performer, studio musician with artists such as Rita MacNeil, Stan Rogers, Murray McLauchlan, the Rankin Family, the Barra MacNeils, Mary Jane Lamond, Natalie MacMaster, Ron Hynes, Dave Gunning, and Ashley MacIsaac. Talent, dedication and the right choices will take you far.
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