The Soundtrack of Progress: Lisa MacIsaac's 'Small of My Heart' Songwriter Circles

Lisa MacIsaac, a Juno-nominated Nova Scotia musician and member of Madison Violet is about to embark on the 'Small of My Heart' songwriter circle tour. This series of shows, spanning from February to May 2024, is more than just a concert—it's a movement celebrating award-winning women and non-binary artists and advancing their place within the Canadian music industry. Lisa shares her experiences in songwriter circles, both as a participant and now as a host. She describes these gatherings as magical events where artists share songs and stories, drawing inspiration from one another in a live, dynamic environment. This is all about the unique energy of these circles, and how each show is different, influenced by the artists' interactions and the audience's feedback.

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Episode Transcript

(00:03):
Small of My Heart. Songwriter Circleto tour Nova Scotia February till May of
twenty twenty fours. It says here, celebrating award winning women and non binary
artists advancing their place and position withinthe Canadian music industry. This is what
we're all about here today, andit says here. All five shows are
produced by Banshee Events Co, anot for profit organization co founded and led

(00:29):
by JUNO nominated Nova Scotian musician Lisamckaac and Nova Scotia music enthusiast James Whitty.
And let's talk a little bit aboutthis here with said Lisa and Lisa
mckaiaac. How are you doing.I am well, thank you. I'm
surrounded by the forest and trees andnature, so I'm very happy. I'm

(00:50):
just looking here at the lineup andthere's one consistent through each of these songwriter
Circles, and that's Lisa mcaac.It says, you're the host. Tell
me about your experiences in the pastin songwriters circles, Maybe not so much
as a host, but as aparticipant. Well, I would say most
of the time it's at a folkfestival and a side stage when these songwriter

(01:11):
circles happen, and I just feellike there is something magical about them because
you never really know what's going tohappen. You may be inspired by the
artist in for anybody who doesn't know, a songwriter circle is when you've got
several songwriters sitting together on a stageand there could be a theme to the
event, and you just tell songsand stories and sometimes it's it's you diverge

(01:37):
into something different that you weren't goingto do because you were inspired by the
artists prior. And it's really it'sreally a glimpse into artists' personalities and our
dynamics. This is sort of howyou how artists hang out backstage, which
we don't get an opportunity to doa lot of. And I always hate

(01:57):
to bring this up, but wehad a time where the industry was what
we're doing right now, which issitting in front of a screen, in
front of a camera and trying tofind that energy, find that connection and
how is it for you getting tothe point where well, maybe the best
question was how did this project getits legs? Well, my band,

(02:21):
Mattison Vallet have been on the roadfor almost twenty five years, and we
realized we needed especially after the pandemic. The pandemic didn't really feel like a
break because nobody got to really resttheir minds, at least artists. Because
we lost akin to a lot ofother industries, we were unable to tour
and have that connection this I thinkyour question was how did this come about?

(02:49):
While I had toured maybe three orfour years ago. I toured with
my brother and Jamie Whitty was actuallyfacilitating that and booked and tore managed it,
and we got to talking about thestate of the industry and seeing rosters
festivals, theaters, concert series,clubs, and seeing the scales are very

(03:15):
much tipped in one way where there'sa lot a lot more mail artists headlining
than women in non binary And sowe my band decided to take this year
off and aside from one tour inGermany, we couldn't we couldn't not go
because you know, we missed theGerman fans. But I sent a note
to Jamie and just he happened tohave a chunk of time off, and

(03:38):
I asked if he was, youknow, serious about this, and he
was, and our vision and ourmotivation were aligned so we you know,
created this not for profit and juststarted working on on the series. We
did one show in November as asort of a proof proof of concept show
just to see, you know,test out the industry, and we did

(03:58):
it in Halifax with Aaron Costello andcatherineccollin, and we realized there is a
great need for this and I feellike promoters and artistic directors at venues,
you know, we brought this conceptto them and they almost immediately opt on
board. And it was a reallypositive response because I think that maybe we

(04:20):
were remitting an issue, a problemthat they may not even have noticed.
So and now here we are.This was something a proof of concept in
November. I see there's a showcoming up in February twenty fourth that first
United Church in Truro, a showApril sixth and Lunenburg at the Opera House

(04:45):
there great Venue Astor Theater in Liverpool. You're really pulling out all the stops
to spend some time and giving peoplethe opportunity to see artists in I guess
their natural environment in a lot ofways, we don't normally see people creating
music on st age in that way. What's that like for you in that
moment when you get to a differentvenue or a different spot with a different
crowd and you know it's the sameprinciple, same idea, but a different

(05:11):
group is watching what's happening. I'msure it's different every time. Yeah,
And that's I think that's what's specialabout Songwriter Circle is that even if it
was the same artists on stage everysingle night, no show will be the
same because environmental somebody had experienced thatday, and it's all about communications between
artists and that's that's why I thinkit's so much more special than just going

(05:32):
on and watching a ninety minute showof one artist or individual. It's something
that I'm always very inspired, especiallywatching I mean, I love being on
them and this will be new forme because I'm hosting. It's a little
upside of my wheelhouse, but it'sI never failed to leave a Songwriter Circle

(06:00):
inspired to write, to create,and also to co write with some of
these artists because you you see howthey tell their stories and you find sort
of common ground between one another.There is there a common theme. Do
you throw out an idea, howdoes it kick start? What's the what's

(06:21):
the spark on that night? Youknow what, we just sort of pick
one of us to start and wego from there and and that's that's why
the shows are different because somebody,you know, we started in Halifax and
I think Eric Costello started and shesang, she sang a song, and
Catsine was like, Oh, I'mcompletely going to change what I'm going to

(06:43):
do because I feel like I havesomething that relates to your story and your
song. So there's no theme forthese, which is different from the folk
festival scene. And as far aspoint, are you taking a song that
you had partially written? Are youtrying to take an eye idea that you
had and crystallize it into something withthe help of the others in the circle.

(07:05):
So the songwriter circle is more aboutperformance and storytelling and singing and less
about writing. On stage, thereis interaction and we will obviously perform on
each other's songs, but it's lessabout writing and more about showcasing the stories
that have already been written. Thatsaid, I can guarantee you that there
will be some songwriting backstage in thegreen room on some of these nights.

(07:27):
Fair enough, Small of my Heart, what does that mean? Well,
that is a song that my bandmateand I wrote many years ago. Her
hometown, Kincardon, was having itsI believe it's one hundred and fiftieth anniversary,
and they asked us if we wouldwrite a song for the town,
and it's really about the chorus goes, whenever I'm away, I keep you

(07:53):
in the small of my heart.And I believe that we do that every
time we leave a situation, beat a place, a loved one,
someone passes away, you always leavea little bit of yourself there and you
take a little bit with you.And I think that is the nature of
songwriters as well, that they're alwaysdrawing from experiences and relationships and heartache and

(08:16):
they put that into their creativity andit turns into a song, and then
the rest of the world gets totake a little piece of that with them.
You find that energy, that transferof energy, so to speak.
And we touched on the pandemic insome ways. I think that will be
a great reset for a lot ofreasons. Just prior to our conversation,

(08:39):
major broadcaster in this country announced itwas divesting itself of radio stations, a
massive layoffs. Radio and its connectionto listeners and musicians has changed and evolved
streaming is now something that's totally newand a game changer. What is it
about live performance and that exchange ofenergy that speaks to you and still motivates

(09:03):
people to pull money out of theirpockets in spite of the price of gas,
inspite of the price of groceries,to sit in a room with someone
and listen to them and their thoughtsand feelings and emotions. I mean,
for me, I'm fueled by liveperformances. And that was something I really

(09:24):
realized during the pandemic and during thelockdown, was that I missed that connection
and I felt like I had losta part of myself, and I realized
how much of that is that makesup a huge part of my personality and
my dynamic in life. There isa real reciprocation of energy from audience member
to performer, and I feel likeas an artist on stage we give back

(09:52):
to whatever is given to us,we get back and it's this cyclical thing
on stage. I don't know.I think music is the gift that keeps
on giving, and I think thatlive performance is I can put on a
CD or or stick on Spotify andfeel something, but it's getting to know

(10:16):
the artists getting to see their expressions, see them emote the words that they
wrote about these things that have happenedin their lives. I think that for
me, that is where the poweris in music. And I have to
think people coming to a songwriter circlewill have an idea of what to expect

(10:39):
and thank you for clarifying and makingsure we're all on the same page as
that, and that they'll be respectfulbecause it is about the story and the
song and the evolution. I wasat an event at a show a few
weeks ago where it was probably thewrong venue for that type of artist,
and people were chattering and talking tothe point where the artist had to say

(11:00):
something and is there a change haveyou seen a change in audiences? Is
or is that just a reflection ofmaybe a one off venue ors certain circumstances
that had somebody maybe in the wrongplace at the wrong time. I mean,
there there are some environments and venuesthat cater to more intimate songwriting shows.

(11:26):
There are some rooms where people justwant to go and party and drink
and hang with their friends, andthat's also great, but this specific show
is not catered to that. Andwe have had we've had situations where we
were probably put in the wrong room, and it's it can be hard on
the heart, but then you haveto realize that there are some people in

(11:48):
there that that are there and they'regetting something that they're picking up what you're
putting down. Yeah, it's environmental. I think. I think if we
were to go into a big rockand roll club, this show is more
catered to theaters and churches and moreintimate settings. And I do feel like

(12:11):
post pandemic, that there seems tobe at events more of a craving and
more of I don't say more attentive, because we've always had really beautiful loyal
fans listening fans, but you canfeel that that need, there was a
craving for that connection. Again,you mentioned twenty five years of performance,

(12:35):
quarter century, more than half yourlife. What lessons do you have to
share with others? Get lots ofsleep. The road is hard, but
I love it. I can't imaginemyself doing anything else aside from putting on
a tour like this where now I'mbehind the scenes support each other. That

(13:00):
is one thing that I think Ihate to keep reiterating and bring up the
pandemic, but a group of musicians, women and non binary musicians got together
over the pandemic and we started havingthese zoom these zoom sessions, checking in
with each other about how people weredoing personally and professionally, and we really

(13:22):
I realized how important it is tohave a strong group of friends and peers
that can lift you up and youcan lift them up in particular times of
need. So surround yourself with goodpeople. Listen well, sleep well,
drink lots of water. That's aboutall. And what inspires you every morning

(13:46):
as you get up, What isit that makes for a day that you
know is going to be a goodday. Well, first of all,
it's got to be good coffee.I think getting outside, getting vitamin D
and just appreciating the fact that I'mstill here, I'm healthy and I get

(14:07):
to do it is a gift forme that I actually get to create art
and travel the world and explore andmeet new people and share my stories.
I will be on tour, ona five week tour in the van,
and every once in a while we'lljust kind of look at each other and
go, look what we do fora living. This is bunkers and it's

(14:31):
amazing and it's exhausted, crueling,and I love every bit of it.
Forgive me that this might be alittle out of left field, But I
just recently spoke with a playwright,Robert Ulrich, who has authored a one
person play that's brook Brooks Diamond ispresenting in Halifax and it's called The Gift.
And your comment about that made methink of it, and that plays

(14:56):
the crux of the play. Islife about destiny or fate? What does
Lisa Kasac say? Oh, mygoodness, that you did go left field
with that, didn't you? Gosh? With regards to the fact that my
life and the places has taken me, are you asking if I feel like

(15:18):
it's destiny or fate? Or amI just are we talking about just in
general life? There's just so manyquestions about is this a predetermined path or
is it all on chance? Idon't know. I think there might be
a path that's laid out for you, But I think I think you know
nature versus nature. I think Ithink you can make decisions that can alter

(15:39):
alter the path that you were maybemeant to go on. Hopefully you make
the right decisions. And that,obviously is it touches on spirituality. It
touches a little bit on religion,belief systems, and clearly, to be
an artist you have to have faithin this country. And I think not
necessarily the huge God faith, butjust the faith in yourself, the faith

(16:00):
in your abilities, the faith inthe people supporting you. I think you've
touched on that a little bit.Is that fair? Yeah? Yeah,
for sure. All of this tosay, there's a series of shows coming
up. We're going to invite peopleto get their tickets to smaller my heart.
The Songwriter's Circle not just a concert. It's a movement, clearly it
is, and it puts you onthe spot. If I ask you which

(16:23):
one you're most looking forward to otherthan the first one in Truro, that's
like picking your favorite child. OhI've got a favorite child. I tell
them both they're my favorites. Butthat's there. You go. No,
you know what, Because I don'tknow what to expect, I have surrounded
myself. I'm very lucky to havea really really talented group of friends and

(16:48):
peers. Every show is going tobe different. I'm sure there are some
that are going to make you cry, some that are going to make you
laugh. No, there's not aspecific show, because I feel like every
one of them is going to bringsomething unique to the table and I won't
know it till we're on stage andwe see how we interact in the dynamic.
So that's what makes it really special. So maybe people need to go

(17:12):
to all of them to find outwhich is their favorite. I think you
are bang on with that. Anythingelse you want to add, Lisa,
I think just the fact that youknow we're not looking at Banshee events co
in this series, We're not lookingto take away opportunities from our counterparts.

(17:33):
We're just really looking to even theplaying field and give more opportunity to women
and non binary artists where opportunities doLisa Isaac, thank you, Thank you so much