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Michael Kelly - now musician Cavan - coming home to launch CD
Brandi Cramer/North Bay Nugget 
- Thursday, August 23, 2007 @ 08:00
Michael Kelly is coming back to North Bay. After spending nearly 18 years in the insurance business, the 55-year-old musician decided to step up his passion taking his role as a singer-songwriter to full-time status.
Kelly, who now performs under the stage name of Michael Cavan, will be at 100 Georges Sept. 14 to release his debut CD In A Hundred Years.
"Last time I performed in North Bay would be more than 25 years ago," said Kelly.
And returning to the Gateway of the North has made the musician nervous and excited.
"It's kind of cool to go back and do a gig there."
Kelly, born in Ireland, spent his formative years in North Bay attending St. Alexander Separate School then Scollard Hall.
He was a member of the band The Origin which often performed at functions, team events and teen dances.
The Sands Library Room offered repeat performances from Kelly when he ventured out as a solo artist.
"It was a cool little spot in the upstairs area. I played there for a year-and-a-half."
He left North Bay when he was 19, and now lives in Kitchener with his wife.
Though Kelly was always involved in the music scene with weekend performances and songwriting, he felt he needed to devote more time. When he left the insurance business to focus on music full-time he found it difficult to structure his day.
"I have to realize when I am writing songs I am at work, as opposed to something I am simply doing on the side," he said.
A pub musician for more than 30 years, Kelly has written hundreds of songs, many about his life in Northern Ontario.
His style of folk roots has come from influences including Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Rolling Stones, Eagles, Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Dylan and John Denver.
In the collection of original material that makes up In A Hundred Years, Cavan creates his own sound with a blend of Irish and Canadian folk music traditions.
"It was a long time coming so it was wonderful to finally get my CD out there and to be doing music full time again," he said.
The album was produced by Bill Garrett at Toronto-based Borealis Records, recorded by Paul Mills at the Millstream Studio, mixed by Rob Heany of Studio Fast Forward Montreal and mastered by Harris Newman at Grey Market Mastering in Montreal.
After two successful release parties in Toronto and Kitchener, Kelly looks forward to taking the stage at 100 Georges with fellow musician Tom Leighton on piano, accordion and percussion.
"I hope to set up a tour of Northern Ontario in the spring," he said.
The party starts at 8 p.m. at 100 Georges, Sept. 14. Tickets are $15 and CDs will be available for purchase during the show.
