Canadian singer-songwriter Alan Doyle found himself stranded at Toronto's Pearson Airport, trying desperately to get home to Newfoundland. The irony wasn't lost on him - here he was, touring to promote a travel book about discovering his home province, yet unable to actually reach it.
Travel Troubles for a Travel Writer
Doyle was in the midst of a busy promotional tour for his new book, "The Smiling Land: All Around the Circle in My Newfoundland and Labrador," when travel plans went awry. During what was supposed to be a brief interview with Postmedia, the musician revealed his flight had been cancelled, delaying his return home by at least a day. "I got here, I checked my bags, and my flight got cancelled," Doyle explained. "I've been running around for an hour ever since trying to get my bags. Anyway, I'm not getting home tonight."
Despite the frustration, Doyle maintained his characteristic friendly demeanor, quickly shifting focus with a cheerful "So, anyway, how are you doing?" The situation highlighted the constant travel that has defined much of his career.
A Lifelong Love of Travel and Music
Doyle's wanderlust began in his teenage years and has never diminished. "When I was 15 or 16 or whatever, I wanted to do two things more than anything else: I wanted to play music and I wanted to travel," said the 56-year-old artist, who will be appearing in Calgary on November 19 for a Wordfest event. "I'm 56 and the two things I want to do more than anything else are play music and travel. It's never left me. I've always been drawn to that. I don't ever see that changing."
This passion for exploration took him around the world as frontman of the folk-rock band Great Big Sea, which spent twenty years serving as Newfoundland's musical ambassadors. The band's energetic take on traditional Newfoundland music introduced international audiences to the province's rich cultural heritage.
Rediscovering Home Through Writing
"The Smiling Land" represents something of a homecoming for Doyle, both literally and figuratively. Despite his extensive travels, he has lived his entire 56 years in Newfoundland, a fact he notes near the beginning of his book: "I have never actually lived anywhere else. And what's even more notable is that it has never even occurred to me to do so."
His philosophy has always been "Always going somewhere. Always coming home" - a mantra that perfectly captures his relationship with travel and his native province.
The new book blends Newfoundland history with autobiographical stories from Doyle's life, including his childhood in the coastal community of Petty Harbour and the early days of his music career. While his 2014 memoir "Where I Belong" focused on his youth and rise to fame, "The Smiling Land" takes a different approach as a hybrid travel narrative.
Having lived in St. John's for three decades, Doyle felt reluctant to write about the city "like he was visiting it." Instead, he explores his younger relationship with the provincial capital, recalling the 15-kilometre hitchhiking trips he made as a teenager to experience its nightlife and reach his part-time job at the provincial museum. It was this museum job that first sparked the 16-year-old's fascination with Newfoundland's history and landscape.
Doyle's enthusiasm for his home province shines throughout the book, offering readers both an intimate portrait of the artist and a unique perspective on one of Canada's most distinctive regions. As he continues to balance music with writing - with a new solo album scheduled for release later this year - Doyle's connection to Newfoundland remains the constant thread running through all his creative endeavors.
