With fourteen albums to his credit, there’s no denying Dave Gunning’s impressive body of work. Fortunately, he’s just getting started…

The Nova Scotian folk musician has shared the stage with legends like Ron Hynes, Rita MacNeil, Stuart McLean, and Stompin’ Tom Connors, and has been recognized in his own right as a master of his craft, both as an award-winning singer-songwriter and a captivating performer.

Known for his abilities as a gracious storyteller, Gunning’s knack for connecting with audiences precedes the skills and experience he’s earned on the road—It is, for him, very much a way of life. Gunning shares the same sort of relationship with music as an eagle does with the sky. From a very young age, music has been Gunning’s way of interpreting the world around him, the lens through which he sees it, and the medium by which he engages with his community.

Dave has never needed to look far beyond his Pictou County, Nova Scotia backyard for inspiration. That’s where the characters live. That’s where the stories come from. Often shining a light on the well-deserving underdogs, he’s also never shied away from tougher topics, staying true to the folk music tradition. In recent years, those topics have tended to be more social and environmental in nature – causes that he holds near and dear. Nowhere has that been more evident, or public, than Dave’s strong stance against a local bleached kraft pulp mill – a proven polluter in the community.

Despite delivering some very important messages in his songs, audiences should also be prepared to laugh at a Dave Gunning show. His banter is perfectly timed, self-effacing, and very, very funny. It’s this finely-tuned balance of sincerity and impeccable performance that makes him one of the country’s most engaging entertainers.

“Once I’m out on stage and the audience has had their first couple of good laughs, it puts me at ease. I believe that’s why I lean toward stories with humour,” says Gunning. “It makes me less nervous. I love seeing people laugh, and I love knowing that there are moments when they are feeling emotional.”

2022 welcomed the release of Gunning’s latest recording, The Same Storm. Written and recorded mostly at home during the pandemic, the album continues along a similar path its predecessors walked – celebrating moments big and small, lending a voice to the folks that need it most, and indulging in a bit of nostalgia on the way. But always with an eye toward the future and the stories it will bring.