Cape Breton mourns loss of fiddler, composer Dougie MacDonald
John Gillis

Dougie MacDonald playing at The Normaway

Douglas Ian “Dougie” MacDonald, 41, was the lone occupant of an SUV when he lost control of the vehicle while traveling southbound on the Cabot Trail at Cap Lemoine, Cape Breton on Boxing Day evening. MacDonald was pronounced dead at the scene according to Cheticamp RCMP who responded to the accident at approximately 7:30 p.m that evening. The cause of the collision is still under investigation by the Cheticamp RCMP and Cape Breton Traffic Services.

A member of the musical MacDonalds of Queensville, Cape Breton, Dougie often appeared in concert or on recordings with his musical first cousins, fiddler and comedian Howie MacDonald, guitarist Sandy MacDonald and singer Jeff MacDonald.

He is survived by his loving wife, Laureen, and son, Liam; brother Randy (Susan), Port Hastings; sisters Cathy (Dana), Antigonish; Maureen (Dean), St. Thomas, Ont.; Lorrie, Halifax; and nephews and nieces. Dougie was predeceased by his parents, Francis H. and Mary A. MacDonald, Queensville, Cape Breton, and aunts and uncles.

Dougie was employed as a safety superintendent at the Diavik Mine site, NWT and had been employed as a miner at several sites across Ontario and the NWT throughout his life.

The Cape Breton artist had performed throughout Canada, the United States and Europe and was known for composing numerous fiddle tunes and several albums including: Staying In Tune, Fiddle Tunes and A Miner. His influences included such fiddle greats as Dan Hughie MacEachern, Winston “Scotty” Fitzgerald, Jerry Holland and, as Dougie himself said, “many others too numerous to mention.”

The care and dedication, humour and honesty he brought to his music was evident in his work and the tunes he composed and dedicated to family, friends and fellow musicians.

Citing influences such as Dan Hughie MacEachern, Dan R. MacDonald and Jerry Holland in his introduction to his book of fiddle tunes in 1993, Dougie recalled as a young boy meeting Dan R. one day at his uncle Donnie’s house and playing for the noted composer.

“I don’t know how I stopped shaking long enough to struggle through the Glencoe March, but I did! When I finished, I heard Dan R. Say: `He’ll make a good fiddler some day.’ At that time I didn’t know if he meant that I was no good now, or if I had a career in music,” said Dougie, who later acknowledged that he almost gave up the instrument in his teens when it wasn’t “cool.”

MacDonald credited Jerry Holland with giving him a renewed interest in the music and for becoming a mentor to him, saying he basically wore out a copy of Jerry’s Master Cape Breton Fiddler.

MacDonald had the pleasure later of writing tunes with Jerry Holland, and over this past year he had been one of the driving forces behind a Celtic Colours Festival tribute for Holland, who also passed away earlier this year after a prolonged battle with cancer.

Dougie was also the author of a book of fiddle compositions, was active in organizing and promoting and participating in Celtic events throughout Cape Breton, Canada, United States and Europe.

A former member of the Inverness Volunteer Fire Department and vice-president of the Inverness Home and School Association, MacDonald was a dedicated student and proponent of Cape Breton fiddling and often played a key role in promoting and performing in the annual Broad Cove concert near his Inverside home as well as other charitable and fund-raising events.

Visitation will be held in Inverness Funeral Home on Wednesday, December 30th, from 2:00-4:00 and 7:00-9:00 p.m. A funeral mass will be held in St. Margaret's Church, Broad Cove at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 31st with Rev. Duncan MacIsaac officiating. Interment will follow in the parish cemetery. Family flowers only. Donations can be made to any East Coast Credit Union for his son Liam's educational fund. On-line condolences can be sent to: www.mem.com