Wae Yer Family

As many of you know, Johnny Reid and I have been best friends and business partners since our days at Bishops University.  Since that time, Johnny has built an incredibly successful career as a multiple platinum-selling, and juno award-winning recording artist.  It wasn’t until 2016 that he was finally able to fit the Lobster Boil into his busy touring, writing, and recording schedule.  Knowing he had just recovered from a stroke, Johnny reached out to good friend, and fellow "Scotsman turned Canadian Music Superstar", Alan Frew, to join us on this inconspicuous golf trip to Cape Breton.  When Alan accepted the invitation, it set the stage for the Battle at Inverness - pitting Johnny and Alan as captains of their respective Ryder Cup squads.

When the matches were complete on Sunday afternoon, the two squads assembled on the Cabot deck to enjoy a pint with their captains.  The magic that happened over the next 45 minutes was unforgettable.  A keyboard, fiddle, and a couple of guitars craftily appeared.  Johnny, Alan, Ben Rutz, and Michael Shand broke into an impromptu jam session outside on the deck as a couple of Rockefeller foursomes putted out behind them on 18.  Within minutes, dozens of resort guests and townsfolk gathered to see what the commotion was all about.  That afternoon of fun led Johnny and Alan to start collaborating creatively and resulted in Johnny producing Glass Tiger’s 30-year anniversary album titled simply “31”.  The band recorded the album in Johnny’s studio in Nashville and it was released this February.  The album reimagines all of Glass Tigers hit songs with a celtic production treatment.  

This winter, Alan and Glass Tiger joined Johnny on his Canadian tour where they performed 45 shows in 36 cities from Victoria, BC to St John’s, Nfld.  Hanging with Johnny and Alan for two months as we crossed the country in tour buses was a momentous experience.  Living the joy that the fans experienced each night as they danced and sang to Johnny and Glass Tiger’s music was awe-inspiring.  I particularly loved the moment in the show where Johnny joined Alan on stage to perform the one original tune on the album …a duet they wrote together titled “Wae Yer Family”.  It embodies everything that the Lobster Boil stands for …"the way life should be”.  I think it is the perfect soundtrack to present the memories of the past five years of the Lobster Boil.