2018 Solo Instrumental Artist of the Year Nominee (CMFA) Dan MacDonald, is originally from Ironville, Cape Breton. He began playing the fiddle at a young age, under the instruction of his father, Lloyd MacDonald, a respected Cape Breton fiddler. His early immersion in the strong musical culture of Cape Breton Island informs his now diverse musical voice, which has grown in strength and scope as he has travelled the globe and worked with a myriad of musicians of all styles. Currently residing in Toronto, Ontario, Dan is in demand as a solo fiddler, a session musician, and on recordings spanning many genres.

He is a member of acclaimed trio North Atlantic Drift, with whom he has performed at countless festivals throughout Ontario and the United States. His first solo album, Rural/Urban, was released to a sold out audience in Toronto in 2018, and has been described as “vivid, superb” and “intriguing.” A true “unifying force” for audiences and musicians alike, Dan is an artist who continues to bridge musical genres and push the boundaries of traditional music.