Songwriter behind iconic Cape Breton anthem passes away
It's a song that for years has been the unofficial anthem of Cape Breton Island.
Now, Kenzie MacNeil – who wrote and sang The Island back in the 1970s – has passed away.
"I was quite shocked," said Maynard Morrison, an actor and performer who worked with MacNeil on The Rise and Follies of Cape Breton Island – a successful and satirical comedic sketch in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The show was a precursor to the Cape Breton Summertime Revue.
"If it hadn't been for Kenzie, the Rise and Follies never would have happened … Kenzie really did bring it together into the Revue format that we still use today," Morrison told CTV Atlantic.
MacNeil's death was confirmed by one of his four daughters.The family says he died unexpectedly Saturday night.
Retired Liberal Member of Parliament Rodger Cuzner best knew MacNeil from his days in politics. "He was a natural orator. He had that deep, booming voice," Cuzner said.
MacNeil ran against Cuzner as a Conservative candidate in the Sydney-Victoria riding in the 2004 and 2006 federal elections, and ran again as an Independent in 2019.
"He believed in economic development, and really tried to push those areas there," Cuzner said. "But he was gracious in defeat too, and that's not something you always see in politics."
MacNeil was also editor and publisher of The Cape Bretoner news magazine for many years. He also worked as a development officer with the Nova Scotia Department of Economic Development, but he was best known for his song The Island. Those who knew him say his passion for Cape Breton shone through. "He loved the place and he had a working man's perspective," Morrison said.
There is no word yet on a cause of death. For now, many are remembering MacNeil for his influence on Cape Breton music, comedy and culture.
"He'll leave an impression. And he left us with a piece of music that Cape Bretoners embrace, and will continue for many years to come, said Cuzner.
Kenzie MacNeil was 68.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.