"MINING THE SOUL" with Rita
MacNeil
Released in 2000.
Features North America's only coal-miners choir, THE MEN OF THE DEEPS.
Track Listing
1. Working Man
2. Plain Ole Miner Boy
3. Emigrant Eyes
4. We Rise Again
5. In A Town This Size
6. Farewell To Nova Scotia
7. Working In A Coal Mine
8. Sweet Jesus
9. Dark As A Dungeon
10. Home I'll Be
11. I Shall Not Walk Alone
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Mining The Soul Story....
From Cape Breton Island, comes the magic of two internationally acclaimed
performers; multi-award winning singer-songwriter Rita MacNeil re-unites with
The Men of The Deeps, North America's only coal miners' chorus for a heart-felt
performance of MINING THE SOUL - an extensive Canadian tour and exclusive new
recording.
Far beneath the surface of the earth, some say the heart and soul of Cape Breton
beats. A tumultuous industry has given character to this part of the country,
character that is reflected in its people and their music. The island speaks of
working class values, strong friendships, unfailing courage and unwavering
faith. These emotions have found their voice in MINING THE SOUL.
The MINING THE SOUL tour, which features both MacNeil and the choir, promotes
the CD of the same name, and is MacNeil's first major tour with the Men, who
worked with her in 1989 on a song called Working Man. MacNeil got a glimpse of
what life underground is like when, just for fun, she toured the Princess mine.
"I was thinking it would be a fun thing to do - duh." Going down the mine shaft
did something to her. It was as if the spirit of the workers spoke to her
through the pitch blackness. The song Working Man came to her, practically
writing itself, she says.
Indeed, Working Man is one of MacNeil's most acclaimed recordings, and paved the
way for future appearances with The Men. "When I wrote the song, I was not
thinking of The Men of The Deeps at that time - I was thinking of the experience
I was having down underground. But someone had suggested 'If you get a chance in
some concert, you and The Men of The Deeps should do this song together.' And
that happened, and it sort of clicked, and they were on the Junos doing that
song..."
"...In her hymn to Nova Scotia's miners, Rita MacNeil was joined by The Men of
The Deeps...they filed onto the stage from the wings and auditorium to construct
a three-tiered wall of light and sound above MacNeil and beneath a glowering red
sky upstage. It was a brave and epic stunt, simple in its humanity and
emotionally overpowering, that brought the audience, awestruck, to its feet..."
(Toronto Star)
MacNeil and The Men entered the studio this spring and reunited with producer
Declan O'Doherty (Working Man), recording an album that brings the pride,
strength and resilience to life. The project was recorded entirely in Cape
Breton over a one-week time period; all band tracks were recorded in a studio in
Irish Cove, while vocals were recorded on the stage of the historic Savoy
Theatre in Glace Bay. Guest musicians include Lucy and Stewart MacNeil of The
Barra MacNeils, and multi instrumentalist virtuoso J.P. Cormier.
Along with the popular MacNeil anthems Home I'll Be and Working Man - featuring
Men of The Deeps soloist 'Nipper' MacLeod - MINING THE SOUL includes Leon
Dubinsky's now classic We Rise Again, and the poignant Emigrant Eyes (Stannah
and Clark) - a tribute to the emigrants everywhere who came to this country
looking for a better life. The song recounts the humble beginnings of many of
our ancestors and the priceless gift they gave the generations to come. In
contrast is the upbeat whimsy of the Lee Dorsey cover Working In A Coal Mine and
Plain Ole Miner Boy, with Rita trading-off vocals with choir member 'Yogi'
Muise. The album also delves into the spiritual, with MacNeil's Sweet Jesus, and
the closing track, Ben Harper's I Shall Not Walk Alone; a song of faith and
inspiration, Rita pairs with fellow maritimer Kim Dunn for this haunting ballad.
For MacNeil, this is a career milestone. She has long wanted to record an album
and go on tour with The Men of The Deeps. Now she is doing exactly that, MacNeil
is pleased to announce that the collaboration 'clicks, primarily through mutual
respect.' "I'm just learning the total history of The Men of The Deeps. They've
been together now, with members coming and going, for 35 or more years. And
their dedication to what they do - the music - is an inspiration to anybody in
the business. They love it, and they take it very seriously. A lot of them are
still active miners, and the rest retired. It is amazing - quite unique."
MINING THE SOUL is an emotionally uplifting marriage of two of Canada's most
unique and distinctive artists, a celebration of home, heritage and song - a
celebration of all.
"...Rita MacNeil and The Men of The Deeps gave a full house of flatlanders a
fine show at Centennial Auditorium. The Mining The Soul Tour worked a rich vein
of emotion throughout the night, from sad and nostalgic to joyful and
triumphant." ~ Saskatoon Star Phoenix
"The pairing of the lovable MacNeil and the gritty realism of The Men of The
Deeps was a satisfying mix, combining the eloquence of MacNeil's singing and the
powerful voices of the male chorus into something special. The performance was
part-concert, part revival meeting...and a musical tribute to the men who risked
their lives in the coal mines. It was a performance that rang strong and true."
~ Ottawa Citizen ~
