Séan McCann is a family man.
His wife and boys — aged 13 and nine — keep him grounded in their home near Ottawa, Ont.
But they also understand the stage for him, these days, is a place of healing — a kind of sanctuary where the founder of the now-defunct Great Big Sea band can sing his songs and tell his story.
And his story is one that he needs to share: Not only to communicate through music and words but also to come to peace with fellow former substance abusers.
In 2015 — three years after leaving the highly successful Newfoundland folk group — McCann made public his dark secret. A Catholic priest sexually abused him as a teenager, an offence that resulted in a long addiction to alcohol to hide the emotional pain.
Sober for six-and-a-half years, McCann now works with charities to heal their woes and fundraise (Canadian Red Cross for the Fort McMurray wildfire victims, Veterans’ Affairs to assist soldiers with PTSD) and to speak out about mental health issues he’s faced.
His fifth solo album, There’s a Place, came out last year and included a companion colouring book to help adults ease their problems while listening to his CD.
Next week, the 50-year-old embarks on a new journey: He begins a West Coast tour of the USA and Canada, stopping in at Coquitlam’s Evergreen Cultural Centre on March 2 for a raw, acoustic performance.
“This is not a typical show,” McCann told The Tri-City News last Friday. “I’ve broken from the standard in almost every way. I don’t even adhere to a set list.”
In between his catalogue of 200-plus songs he’ll pluck from for the evening gig, McCann said he’ll talk about his sobriety: How hard it was, how hard it is and what can be done.
It’s his form of therapy, he said, in a pursuit for a deeper meaning. “It’s a hopeful message because I’m still sober, I’m happy and I survived,” he said. “I keep that to the forefront and I try to engage audiences and teach them what I’ve learned.”
He continued, “What I’ve learned is, a) I’m not alone and when we gather in groups, we’re certainly not and, b) music worked for me and it will probably work for you, too, so what I try to do is to get people to sing.”
After his short tour rounds, McCann flies home to be with his family. He doesn’t want to miss out on their sons growing up but they, too, understand that dad’s creative and yearns to perform to keep the juices flowing, he said.
“They know that I need to do this... because when I’m in front of an audience I’m at my best version of myself. That is where I feel my truth… and I want to keep going. This is a good place for me.”
jcleugh@tricitynews.com
