Dave Gunning

“Nova Scotian Gunning’s tenth song collection sparkles from beginning to end”. - Maverick Magazine - UK

“Nova Scotian Gunning’s tenth song collection sparkles from beginning to end”. - Maverick Magazine - UK

“Dave Gunning’s songs give voice to the downtrodden and salute the pride and values of hard working people. Gunning has emerged over the last 15 years as one of the defining voices of East Coast songwriting, joining the forces of Stan Rogers and John Allan Cameron as chroniclers of life on the right coast. He writes poignantly of the simple joys and common struggles many face in Atlantic Canada.“The project is his strongest and most consistent collection of songs yet, pulling together a dozen beautifully crafted tunes, mostly co-writes with other prominent Canadian songwriters including David Francey, George Canyon, Lennie Gallant, Bruce Guthro, Jamie Robinson, Scottish musician Karine Polwart and Pictou County’s Jim Dorie”. - Penguin Eggs

“Dave Gunning’s songs give voice to the downtrodden and salute the pride and values of hard working people. Gunning has emerged over the last 15 years as one of the defining voices of East Coast songwriting, joining the forces of Stan Rogers and John Allan Cameron as chroniclers of life on the right coast. He writes poignantly of the simple joys and common struggles many face in Atlantic Canada.“The project is his strongest and most consistent collection of songs yet, pulling together a dozen beautifully crafted tunes, mostly co-writes with other prominent Canadian songwriters including David Francey, George Canyon, Lennie Gallant, Bruce Guthro, Jamie Robinson, Scottish musician Karine Polwart and Pictou County’s Jim Dorie”. - Penguin Eggs

“Dave Gunning's at it again. Defining our lives, baring our souls, telling what it's like on the East Coast these days, or for people from the East Coast. From retired railway men to hard-core hockey fans to those who've had to pack up and go to Alberta, Gunning's speaking for them, telling their tales.
They're rich in detail too. The old coal man in Coal From The Train is a rough sort of course, and don't cross him when he's drinking, but the song is really about helping out in a poor community. He knows poverty, has seen every inch of it passing by on the train his whole life, and is the first to dig deep when it comes to giving. It seems he always tossed coal from the pile when the train passed by the poor shacks on the line. Juno-winner David Francey, who has been spending a lot of time in the East the last year or so, co-writes and duets on A Game Goin' On, the hockey number. For those who think the national game exists on Sports Desk and in hockey pools and sitting in $150 seats, the pair take us down to the pond in small town Canada, where the goal is a pair of frozen boots, and everybody brings a shovel to clear the ice. If the players stay locked out all year, it’s this type of thinking that will save the sport.

Today I think of all I know who have moved to Alberta or points west. We miss them, they miss us, and the ones I know still describe themselves as Maritimers or Newfoundlanders, even those whose left three or four decades ago. Gunning's Living In Alberta explains the dilemma; working in the oil sands isn't like walking through the ocean sand. There's money and new friends out west, but there's the feeling he doesn't belong: "I'm living in Alberta, dying to get back home. You wanna know what it's like to be from the Maritimes? Buy a Dave Gunning album".
- CBC New Brunswick, Bob Merserseau

“Dave Gunning's at it again. Defining our lives, baring our souls, telling what it's like on the East Coast these days, or for people from the East Coast. From retired railway men to hard-core hockey fans to those who've had to pack up and go to Alberta, Gunning's speaking for them, telling their tales.
They're rich in detail too. The old coal man in Coal From The Train is a rough sort of course, and don't cross him when he's drinking, but the song is really about helping out in a poor community. He knows poverty, has seen every inch of it passing by on the train his whole life, and is the first to dig deep when it comes to giving. It seems he always tossed coal from the pile when the train passed by the poor shacks on the line. Juno-winner David Francey, who has been spending a lot of time in the East the last year or so, co-writes and duets on A Game Goin' On, the hockey number. For those who think the national game exists on Sports Desk and in hockey pools and sitting in $150 seats, the pair take us down to the pond in small town Canada, where the goal is a pair of frozen boots, and everybody brings a shovel to clear the ice. If the players stay locked out all year, it’s this type of thinking that will save the sport.

Today I think of all I know who have moved to Alberta or points west. We miss them, they miss us, and the ones I know still describe themselves as Maritimers or Newfoundlanders, even those whose left three or four decades ago. Gunning's Living In Alberta explains the dilemma; working in the oil sands isn't like walking through the ocean sand. There's money and new friends out west, but there's the feeling he doesn't belong: "I'm living in Alberta, dying to get back home. You wanna know what it's like to be from the Maritimes? Buy a Dave Gunning album".
- CBC New Brunswick, Bob Merserseau

“Truly, what makes Gunning so remarkable as an entertainer is his rare gift to be able to befriend the audience as a whole from the stage throughout the course of the concert. And, indeed, you do feel as though he’s as good of a friend as any after a night of songs, stories and lighthearted laughs”. - The Guardian, Todd MacLean

“Truly, what makes Gunning so remarkable as an entertainer is his rare gift to be able to befriend the audience as a whole from the stage throughout the course of the concert. And, indeed, you do feel as though he’s as good of a friend as any after a night of songs, stories and lighthearted laughs”. - The Guardian, Todd MacLean

“Gunning writes like a dream, grabbing the listener with a foolscap of lines that are as tight as the planks on a fisherman’s dory and as colourful as a Newfoundland outport. True, he has co-written a number of the songs with a literary club that includes George Canyon, David Francey, Bruce Guthro and Lennie Gallant, but make no mistake it’s Gunning’s album all the way. A gentle reflectiveness pervades throughout … Pennies with the Maritimer spinning stories that are delivered with a voice dripping melancholy, remorse, ardor and empathy”. - newcanadianmusic.ca

“Gunning writes like a dream, grabbing the listener with a foolscap of lines that are as tight as the planks on a fisherman’s dory and as colourful as a Newfoundland outport. True, he has co-written a number of the songs with a literary club that includes George Canyon, David Francey, Bruce Guthro and Lennie Gallant, but make no mistake it’s Gunning’s album all the way. A gentle reflectiveness pervades throughout … Pennies with the Maritimer spinning stories that are delivered with a voice dripping melancholy, remorse, ardor and empathy”. - newcanadianmusic.ca

“Dave Gunning is a rising star in Canadian acoustic music. He’s the full package”. - thespec.com

“Dave Gunning is a rising star in Canadian acoustic music. He’s the full package”. - thespec.com

“Move ahead to present day. John Allan has passed on (always remembered and always missed), and the student takes the opportunity to create a tribute to his hero. It’s a CD of some of John Allan’s best know work, lovingly recorded by Dave and his friends, many of whom were also friends with John Allan.

Sound The Pibroch, Freeborn Man, The Four Marys, Butterfingers Medley and so on, most carefully recreated but some with newer arrangements, and a few others that may not seem connected until you dig deeper. Dave does the vocals, backed up by friends of John Allan’s like Allie Bennett, JP Cormier, Pee Wee Charles and John Allan’s son Stuart, along with a host of other guests along to pay tribute in their own way. Dave Gunning’s A Tribute to John Allan Cameron, is a complete package. If you’re either a fan of John Allan’s or a fan of Dave’s, this CD should be in your collection”.
- The Cape Breton Post

“Move ahead to present day. John Allan has passed on (always remembered and always missed), and the student takes the opportunity to create a tribute to his hero. It’s a CD of some of John Allan’s best know work, lovingly recorded by Dave and his friends, many of whom were also friends with John Allan.

Sound The Pibroch, Freeborn Man, The Four Marys, Butterfingers Medley and so on, most carefully recreated but some with newer arrangements, and a few others that may not seem connected until you dig deeper. Dave does the vocals, backed up by friends of John Allan’s like Allie Bennett, JP Cormier, Pee Wee Charles and John Allan’s son Stuart, along with a host of other guests along to pay tribute in their own way. Dave Gunning’s A Tribute to John Allan Cameron, is a complete package. If you’re either a fan of John Allan’s or a fan of Dave’s, this CD should be in your collection”.
- The Cape Breton Post

“The Galaxie Folk/Roots Channel’s most-played, high-rotation album releases for December 2009 - January 2010 “We’re All Leaving”: - Galaxie, The Continuous Music Network

“It’s a star-studded affair, but at the centre of it all is Gunning with his sparse folk sound and crystal clear lyrics that have made him a popular name along the east coast and into the U.S. and Europe over the last few years”. - eastcoastnoise.com

“It’s a star-studded affair, but at the centre of it all is Gunning with his sparse folk sound and crystal clear lyrics that have made him a popular name along the east coast and into the U.S. and Europe over the last few years”. - eastcoastnoise.com

“Dave Gunning delivers a winner….We’re All Leaving is a memorable almost thematic collection of songs, one that will undoubtedly see Gunning reap further Canadian folk music awards”. - UK Country Music People ****

“Truly, Dave Gunning’s great track record remains unbroken and unsullied with this recording. It’s a great collection from a musician who continues to grow and thrive”. - Penguin Eggs

“Truly, Dave Gunning’s great track record remains unbroken and unsullied with this recording. It’s a great collection from a musician who continues to grow and thrive”. - Penguin Eggs

"... a richly crafted work of the highest musical and lyrical substance. He confirms predictions that he is the next big thing in the True North of Song, an artist as compelling, as assured and as attentive to every nuance of the writing and performing processes as Lightfoot, Cockburn and Stan Rogers before him, and as gifted as these great composers with a potent sense of place and time, and wisdom beyond his years. 4 Stars. Greg Quill - Toronto Star

While Nova Scotia based singer/songwriter Dave Gunning has been picking up great press in Canada for his consistently excellent writing and performing, this new album ‘House for Sale’ looks like it will bring him much wider recognition – it’s full of well crafted songs and has an effortless folk/country feel that will engage listeners the world over.

Like many Canadian singer/songwriters, his work is a mixture of various North American styles, the intelligent lyrics and stories of the East Coast, mix with memorable melodies and there’s a subtle Country twang evident in places, it’s a strong mix that makes the album immediately accessible without sounding derivative.

Most of the 11 songs are based around Gunning’s acoustic guitar, and there’s a tight and compact band that provide the backing which includes bass, percussion, mandolin, dobro and Hammond.

Where the disc excels is in the quality of the writing – he paints pictures both with his lyrics and the arrangements, the title track is full of strong imagery that really adds to the feel of the song, ‘Hard Workin’ Hands’ has a genuine gritty and proud feel that shines through, and ‘These Roads’ is a classic singer/songwriter ‘road song’ that explores the writers’ relationship with constant travelling.

‘House for Sale’ is a really strong contemporary singer/songwriter album full of well crafted songs and instant melodies, and is an album that with the right breaks, and word of mouth will gain much wider recognition. Highly recommended.

http://www.fishrecords1.co.uk/reviews/houseforsale.htm
- CD Review

“House For Sale, continues to impress with its honesty and his gently enthralling no-nonsense tales of local legends and historical events as well as his directly-expressed relationship songs”.

- Net Rhythms, UK

“Gunning’s musicality shone in the same way right from the first to the end of the show — always innovative guitar chording to accompany a voice that stood out like a finely-tuned old piano, perfect in pitch, delicate and weathered when called for, but strong and pure, refined in its years of melody flowing through it”.
- The Guardian