Alan Doyle
Alan Doyle is one of the lead singers of Canadian folk-rock band Great Big Sea.
Born Alan Thomas Doyle, to Thomas and Regina Doyle in Petty Harbour, Newfoundland, Canada, on May 17th of 1969, Doyle grew up surrounded by music. His mother, who was a piano teacher, tought him his way around the ivories at a young age, along with his brother Bernie, and his sisters, Michelle and Kim. Doyle is also a fanatic of hockey, playing goalie every chance he gets. He is a true fan of the Montreal Canadians, but has been known to support the vast bulk of Canada's teams. He found his way to St. John's, attending MUN where he recieved a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. It is also there that he met Séan McCann, Bob Hallett and Darrell Power, with which he helped to form Great Big Sea. He primarily plays electric and acoustic guitars, and the bouzouki for live performances, but he's been knwon to play mandolin and banjo.
Before Great Big Sea, Doyle played in a duo with John Brenton called Staggering Home. As a teen, he played in his uncle's band, the New Sandells.
Doyle has also been involved with a handful of stage, television and film productions. As a child, he appeared as an extra in the movie A Whale for the Killing, which was filmed in his hometown. He has also hosted regional arts awards shows in Atlantic Canada, appeared as a presenter on the Juno Awards, and done a turn onstage in his hometown's "24-Hour Musical" performance of Grease. In 2005, he composed music for the CBC comedy "Hatching, Matching & Dispatching," which stars Mary Walsh. In 2006, he worked on scoring the upcoming film "Young Triffie's Been Made Away With," directed by Walsh.
Doyle has been linked to Russell Crowe and his former band 30 Odd Foot of Grunts, having produced and cowritten several songs on Crowe's latest album, My Hand, My Heart, and has played several shows with Crowe's new band, The Ordinary Fear of God.
Doyle has also produced an album for his sister, Michelle Doyle.
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