“I believe God wants us to live a joyful life, so we’re not sitting here praying all the time, but when we pray, they never say, ‘Do we have to?’ They all seem to have their own personalized version of their faith.”Įven when they’re on the road, church attendance is a priority. “We want our kids to have fun,” Natalie smiles. Of course, that doesn’t mean their life is all solemn and serious. “There are decisions to be made every day, and God is involved in all of them.” Throughout her career, Natalie has collaborated with many musicians, including Alison Krauss, Yo-Yo Ma and Bobby McFerrinNatalie agrees. “It’s the base of everything we do,” says Donnell. Now parents themselves, Natalie and Donnell are passing on their faith to their seven children. “As a family growing up, going to church was the most important thing-and it still is for us.” “Mom and Dad were full of faith and loved God, and my uncle, Father Leo Leahy, was the parish priest in Lakefield,” he says. “It transitioned from me being obedient to me seeing the value in loving it and wanting to nurture it.”Īs with Natalie, Donnell’s faith was deeply influenced by his family. “And then at some point in my late teens, early 20s, I really became on fire with my own faith,” she continues. I think that’s what kept me on a good path, because Lord knows there were lots of side roads I could have taken! “So even when I was travelling, I never missed a service. “There are decisions to be made every day, and God is involved in all of them.”-Natalie MacMasterĪt the same time, Natalie’s father impressed upon her the importance of attending church regularly. “Mom always involved me in that-baking the food and bringing it to them-and I always remember those things,” Natalie says. Her parents’ example of faith in action included preparing meals for people in need on special occasions, such as Christmas and Easter. “They were naturally giving of themselves, at any time of day, for anyone.” “My parents had charitable hearts,” says Natalie, who was raised in a Catholic home. While music was central to family life for both Natalie and Donnell, the only thing that was even more important was their Christian faith. Before Donnell realized it, fiddling had become a career. In the early 1980s, the children formed a band, aptly called The Leahy Family, and started touring across Canada and internationally. “Over time, we got to be a bigger part of what Mom and Dad did,” Donnell says, “to the point where they stopped coming with us.” I suppose I just wanted to be like them.”Īs Donnell and his siblings learned to fiddle, they started playing at their parents’ gigs. “Mom and Dad had a band, so they would work all week on the farm, and on weekends, they’d play at weddings and dances. “That’s what got me started and it just took off from there,” says Natalie, who released her first album, Four on the Floor, when she was 16.ĭonnell had a similar experience growing up in Lakefield. Her first violin was a gift from a relative. ![]() “Most of these tapes were from house parties, recorded on the spot with a home recorder, and then the tapes would circulate Cape Breton. “It’s not just two fiddlers going it’s arranged so that you hear the separate personalities” (Photos: Rebekah Littlejohn)“We went to many local events that featured the traditional music, such as square dances and concerts, and my mother was always playing records and cassette tapes,” Natalie says. Natalie and Donnell often write and arrange their own music. If you follow your dreams too much, you might miss out on what the Lord has planned for you.”īorn and raised on Cape Breton Island, N.S., Natalie’s love of fiddle music began with her parents, Alex and Minnie, who introduced her to the island’s signature Celtic style. “I never set out to become a fiddler,” says Natalie, “but I think you have to be flexible. Not bad for a small-town girl who originally planned to become a teacher. Today, they are Celtic music’s power couple with dozens of awards, top-selling albums and accolades between them-including an Order of Canada membership for Natalie. Natalie learned to step dance at five and started fiddle lessons at nine, while her husband, Donnell Leahy, was fiddling at just three years old. ![]() ![]() Music touches every part of her family’s life, and it always has. “The kids were practising their music just a moment ago.” “I think Donnell’s let the lions out of their cages,” she says with a laugh. When world-renowned fiddler Natalie MacMaster picks up the phone at her home in Lakefield, Ont., there’s a gentle roar in the background-the sounds of a busy family having a typical Monday morning on the farm. Building Blocks of Spiritual Leadership.Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking Response.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |