Natalie MacMaster
Natalie MacMaster is one of the best-known fiddlers of the Cape Breton tradition, the Scottish-rooted dance music of Nova Scotia. She grew up surrounded by it, played her first square dance at nine, and has taken it to stages with The Chieftains, Alison Krauss and Yo-Yo Ma.
- Born
- 13 June 1972, Troy, Nova Scotia
- Plays
- Fiddle, piano
- Family
- Niece of fiddler Buddy MacMaster; cousin of Ashley MacIsaac
- Honours
- Member of the Order of Canada (2006), Order of Nova Scotia (2020)
Life and family
MacMaster comes from a family steeped in Cape Breton music: the celebrated fiddler Buddy MacMaster was her uncle, and fiddlers Ashley MacIsaac and Andrea Beaton are her cousins. She began playing at nine and released her first album, Four on the Floor, at sixteen. In 2002 she married fiddler Donnell Leahy of the family band Leahy, and the two perform together.
Career
She signed to Rounder Records in 1993. No Boundaries (1997) and In My Hands (1999) both went gold in Canada, and her honours include two Juno Awards for best instrumental album, East Coast Music Association awards and the Canadian Country Music Association's Fiddler of the Year award. She was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 2006 and entered the Canadian Fiddle Hall of Honour in 2023.
Selected albums
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1993 | Fit as a Fiddle |
| 1997 | No Boundaries |
| 1999 | In My Hands |
| 2006 | Yours Truly |
| 2015 | One, with Donnell Leahy |
Want to try Cape Breton tunes yourself? Start with our fiddle guide.