 | Jesse Ferguson is known as the Bard of Cornwall. A folk/celtic musician from Cornwall,
his love of Scottish and Irish traditional music was nurtured in the neighbourhood of Glengarry County, home of North America's largest Highland Games. | |
Cornwall - July 30, 2012 - Jesse Ferguson is known as the Bard of Cornwall. A folk/celtic musician from Cornwall,
his love of Scottish and Irish traditional music was nurtured in the neighbourhood of Glengarry County, home of North America's largest Highland Games. Today, Miramichi, Fredericton, New Brunswick, and Sydney, Nova Scotia, is where he currently resides, but he is back in this area for a number of shows.
Ferguson has always been a creative person, and his energies were first expressed through visual arts, then music, and most recently through poetry. "I still practice all of these arts, though I spend most time on music and poetry now” states Ferguson. “I’ve always been drawn to music simply because it can powerfully express my emotions and connect me with other people - with people of past generations in the case of Celtic/folk, and of course with my contemporary listeners. As I reflect, I hope to look back on my life and see that I’ve been a good husband and father, and that, regardless of the worth the world places on my poetry and my music, I put everything I could into my art.”
Ferguson's personal motto has always been his Scottish clan motto Dulcius Ex Asperis, which is Latin for 'Sweeter after difficulty.' "I like to keep it in mind when things in life don’t go easily. If I ever get a tattoo, it would likely incorporate that motto”
Ferguson started playing music when he was ten years old. He comes from a very musical family, where he states there have always been fiddlers on his mother’s side of the family. His biggest musical influence early on was his father, who taught him how to play guitar and who also sings and plays harmonica. Ferguson’s father bought him a mandolin, but he wasn’t much interested in learning music theory in lesson format. Ferguson mothballed the mandolin, and in his early teens he became interested in the guitar, since that’s what most of his favourite musicians played. “I sometimes refer to myself as self-taught, but my father can certainly take some of the credit (or blame)” quips Ferguson. “The biggest musical inspirations in my early years were the classic rock performers that my parents listened to: The Beatles, Tom Petty, Blue Rodeo, Neil Young, The Doors and The Rolling Stones. I still love their music and perform some of it myself. Since falling in love with Celtic music in my late teens, I took the mandolin out of the closet and now play it regularly in addition to my guitar and bodhran (drum).”
Living so far from home is hard for Ferguson, as he doesn’t get home as often as he would like. Being able to perform a show or two when he returns just makes the holiday that much more fun. “Cornwall has always had a vibrant music scene, and I’m happy to be a part of it when I head home.” Ferguson will be heading home to headline at this year’s Highland Games in Maxville, but will also be performing at a special Celtic night at East Side Mario’s in Cornwall on Thursday, August 2nd, along with special guest Rebecca Skye, on fiddle and vocals. As much as Ferguson likes the large concert stage, he is fond of the intimate setting that venues like East Side Mario’s have to offer. “It should be a great show” states Ferguson.
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