One of the sub-themes of Kings of Friday Night: The Lincolns (Nimbus Publishing, 2020) is the degree to which the legendary Nova Scotia band was influenced by Black musicians and by R&B and Soul. And moreover, how The Lincolns themselves were a force for change in 1960s Nova Scotia, breaking down racial barriers.

To mark 2021 African Heritage Month, here is a photo of some of the Black musicians who played roles in shaping the musical choices of The Lincolns.

Left to right, we see Wilfrid Connors, Goby Chase and Murray Dorrington. Thanks to Helen Dorrington-Price for sharing the photo with me.

Many other Black musicians were also huge influences, and I hope to say something about them in the month ahead.

“This was me in Grade 9, Baby” is an oft-repeated line in a song by the Barenaked Ladies.

Well, these two photos are also me (and others) in Grade 9, baby.

Thanks to Diane (Webster) Kennedy who found them in a photo album. Apparently, she and I were king and queen of the Grade 9 prom. I don’t remember that title, or indeed the rest of the evening, but here’s the photographic proof.

One of my kids commented that we all look like we stepped off the set of Mad Men. I guess that’s true.

The second photo was taken the same evening before the dance, with me, Craig Stanfield, and Peter Cox.

Grade 9, baby.

Here is a link to the publisher’s description of the new book that Jesse Francis and I have been preparing. Publication will be in a few months.

Ancient Land, New Land – Nimbus Publishing and Vagrant Press

The cover may change when we get into final design, but as of right now this is what the temporary cover for my next book looks like.

As with the earlier Ni’n na L’nu: The Mi’kmaq of Prince Edward Island (2013), this new book will once again be co-authored with Jesse Francis and be published by PEI’s Acorn Press. Our previous book won three awards, including the prestigious best-Atlantic-published book for the year it appeared. (The book was later published in French as well.) This time, the focus is on the multiple histories—Mi’kmaq, French, Acadian and British—of a fascinating place: Skmaqn—Port-la-Joye—Fort Amherst National Historic Site of Canada.

Jesse and I had hoped Ancient Land, New Land would have come out in 2020, but the coming of COVID-19 thwarted that plan.

And maybe that was fortunate. The delay meant we have added much more material, including some specially commissioned artwork the world has never seen before.

When the cover—and publication details—are finalized I will post something on this site.

Over the years, I’ve written quite a few books. Some won awards, some didn’t.

Some earned glowing reviews, some didn’t.

One never knows.

One thing I do know is that I have never before been thanked for writing a book the way I have been thanked over and again for writing “Kings of Friday Night: The Lincolns.”

The book has connected with a great many people, and many have taken the trouble to get in touch with me to let me know. In most cases, I believe, that’s because the true-life story I tell in the book was also in some part their own story. That is, they too lived through that time and were big fans of The Lincolns.

But then, I have also been thanked for writing the book by some who grew up far from Nova Scotia and never heard of the band. Nonetheless, they too connected with the story.

Clearly, there is something universal in the story of The Lincolns and their fans, something that resonates with lovers of live music everywhere.

I want to thank those many fans of the book who have let me know of their affection for “Kings of Friday Night: The Lincolns.” It is greatly appreciated.

And, I like to think, the companion video on YouTube opens the door to reaching even more people through that medium. Next, we have to find a way to turn the story into a TV mini-series.