Music player on Dan's website ׀ Download photos ׀ A3 poster ׀ Brochure copy and short bios. ׀ Full Living Tradition review ׀ www.danmckinnon.ca
"Dan McKinnon is a brilliant Canadian folk musician with unparalleled song writing and interpreting skills and a voice that could in fact fill a castle! But what’s more…he connects so beautifully with his audiences. He engages, and respects them, and takes them on a wonderful storytelling journey from start to finish. Guaranteed! Dan tours throughout the UK each year in addition to a busy schedule across the Atlantic, and every show is a special treat. Songs from the heart, many maritime, many from the land, written with respect for the folk tradition(s), and every one of them stories you won’t forget." - Larry Kaplan
"Undoubtedly the hit of Cleckheaton Festival... "
Though he can trace his family back to the Skye McKinnons, only a few generations removed from Scotland, Dan himself hails from Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the Canadian Maritimes, an area rich in the musical and cultural traditions of the North Atlantic.
"A special night with Dan McKinnon. Marvelous powerful voice delivering many thought provoking original songs with great story telling to set the scene... Very accomplished guitar accompaniment using several different tunings to great advantage... Just lovely..."
- - Cramlington Folk 2022
Dan's warm baritone voice, superb guitar arrangements and original compositions have won him widespread praise. Dan's thoughtful songs and smooth melodies cover the entire folk spectrum, with themes traditional, historical, contemporary and universal.
A gentle unassuming man - one of nature's gentlemen, in fact - who travels around the UK by train and bus with a backpack and a guitar on his annual tours from Canada. Dan has tremendous stage charisma and engages an audience - both hearts and minds. He's equally happy on a large festival stage or a small venue or folk club, telling stories in song. And what stories... tales of the British war brides of Canadian servicemen in the 1940s... the story of how Canadian merchant navy sailors eventually got the recognition they deserved for their war service - sixty years late... tales of his own grandfather and learning about Aesop's fables as a child... the true tale of a bride who wanted the best wedding dress and lost her beau by chasing her dream...
Download the Living Tradition article about Dan (pdf)
or Read as a jpg
"An excellent night of music from Dan McKinnon at Catshill last night. Great songs sung with a truly awesome voice and introduced with interesting and entertaining chat. A true master of his craft."- Bob Bignell, Bromsgrove Folk Club and Festival
"One hell of a treat to see. He's a great singer, great songwriter, and a great performer." - Mick Peat, BBC Radio Derby
"Dan put down nothing short of a stunning night for us at the Old Oak. Warm, humorous, immensely talented guitarist and a splendid singer of his own songs. A very special performer indeed." - Keith Kendrick, Old Oak Mini-concerts.
Dan is picking up airplay from all over the world for tracks from his CDs, and he's received nominations for two MIANS Awards: Folk/Roots Recording of the Year & Male Artist Recording of the Year! People keep giving him other awards, too: As far back as 1998 he was given the AMTEC Award of Merit in the audio category for the album Between Wind and Water and he was the Nova Scotia winner in the tenth and final CBC Atlantic Song Contest for the song, "Lakes of Bras d'Or."
With TV and video credits, hundreds of airplays, and seven CDs, Dan is well established in his native Canada. He has an enthusiastc fan base in the UK and airplay across the world.
Tour booking now:
April/May 2026
APRIL 2026
We 8 April
Cottingham Live
The Back Room 173 Hallgate HU16 4BB
Th 9 April
Bromsgrove Folk Club, Catshill Social Club, 13 Meadow Road, Catshill, Bromsgrove B61 0JJ
Fri 10 Apr
Norwich Folk Club
Christ Church Centre, Magdalen Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR3 4LA
Sat 11 Apr
Taunton, Fivehead Folk, Fivehead Baptist Church, Butchers Hill, Fivehead, Taunton, TA3 6PD
Wed 22 Apr
Banbury Folk Club
Church House, 2/3 North Bar St, Banbury, OX16 0TB
Thu 23 Apr
Newport Lyceum Folk
Crindau Constitutional Club 45 Malpas Road Newport NP20 5 PJ
Sun 26 Apr
Guisborough Folk Club -
Clubhouse, Rugby Club, Belmangate, Guisborough, TS14 7BB
Mon 27 Apr
Glenfarg Folk Club
Gateside Memorial Hall, Main Road, Gateside KY14 7SY
Wed 29 Apr
Irvine Folk Club
Vineburgh Community Centre, Quarry Road, Irvine KA12 0PS
MAY 2026
Mon 4 May
Stirling Folk Club
Stirling Rugby Club, Bridgehaugh Park, Causewayhead Road, Stirling, FK9 5AP
Thur 7 May
Nitten Folk Club
The Dean Tavern. 80 Main St, Newtongrange, Dalkeith EH22 4NA
Fri 8 May
Lake District Folk Club, The Pavilion, 77, Main Street, Staveley LA8 9LN
Mon 11 May
Boston Folk Club, The Eagle, 144 West St, Boston PE21 8RE
Tue 12 May
Dartford Folk Club
Dartford Working Mens Club, 40 Essex Rd, Dartford DA1 2AU,
Wed 13 May
Dorking Folk Club
Dorking Golf Club, Deepdene Avenue, Dorking, RH5 4BX
Thu 14 May
Islington Folk Club
Brewhouse & Kitchen - Highbury, 2A Corsica St, London N5 1JJ