Ashley MacIsaac

East coast fiddling phenomenon Ashley MacIsaac makes his first appearance at ScotFestBC in 2024.  The Juno award winning fiddler, pianist, singer, and songwriter won two Juno’s in 1996 following the release of his double-platinum selling Canadian record “Hi How Are You Today?” and followed up with a 1997 Juno for Best Instrumental Artist. His hit single “Sleepy Maggie” with Scottish Gaelic vocals by Mary Jane Lamond peaked at number 13 on the RPM Top Singles chart in 1995 and number two on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.

MacIsaac toured as an opening act for The Chieftains in 1996; a tour that also included US folk-icon Nanci Griffith. He appeared on Late Night with Conan  O’Brien, generating buzz with his on-stage performance. He has toured and performed around Canada, including the opening ceremonies for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.  In 2016 he co-hosted the East Coast Music Awards with Rankin family alumni Heather Rankin.

He was born in Inverness Country, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.  His sister Lisa MacIsaac is also a fiddler with her band Madison Violet.  He is distantly related to White Stripes guitarist and lead vocalist Jack White along with Canadian fiddler Natalie MacMaster and Wendy MacIsaac, who performed at ScotFestBC in 2021 with the band Beòlach.