'We have so many great musicians': N.B. writer highlights top East Coast artists in new book

A music writer in Fredericton is highlighting East Coast artists in his latest novel.

In his new book, "East Coast Music Hall of Fame: Top 50," Bob Mersereau shares his personal list of top 50 artists from Atlantic Canada.

Mersereau says the hardest part was narrowing the list down to 50, with an abundance of artists from Atlantic Canada to choose from.

"Because, of course, you could have written the top 100, the top 200," he said. "But the way we narrowed it down was to choose the 50 acts and artists that are known outside of Atlantic Canada, outside of Canada, that have taken the music from here and made it world-famous."

The book is Mersereau's fourth novel about Canadian music. However, this is the first one focused completely on the East Coast.

"We have so many great musicians here and we just don't celebrate them enough," he said.

Mersereau spoke to most of the artists featured in his book before publishing. He says, while living through a pandemic, it seems artists are more willing to look back and reflect on their careers.

"I talked to them in interviews that told their story," he said. "Because it was in the pandemic, everybody was kind of in a reflective mood and they were happy to look back on their origin, so you get the real East Coast story of how they started out."

Mersereau says the book provides a snapshot of each artist's life in Atlantic Canada.

"For instance, two different artists, completely different artists, wouldn't be where they are today if it weren't for the janitor of their high schools," explained Mersereau. "One of them is Lisa LeBlanc and the other one is Ashley MacIsaac, and their janitors, of all people, at their schools were the ones that really became focal points in their careers."

According to Mersereau, it was a game of ping-pong that led to the collaboration between Classified and David Myles – another story told in his book.

Mersereau hopes the book will shed light on how Atlantic Canada got to where it is today in the music world.

"And I hope everybody, too, takes away with the fact that these are world–class artists, no question," he said.

"East Coast Music Hall of Fame: Top 50" is now available in bookstores.