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'This has been my dream': Matt James drops CD June 1

'A Miner's Prayer' dedicated to musician's late dad
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Matt James (Naveau) of Mattagami First Nation holds his CD release party at the Caruso Club in Sudbury June 1. (Supplied)

Musician Matt James (Naveau) grew up in Mattagami First Nation, 45 minutes outside of Timmins. His grandmother was his first fan and believer that he had great talent for music, and that he could sing.  

“Keep singing, my grandson,” grandmother Naveau would say. “Share that beautiful voice, Creator gave that to you, go out there and share it.”

James holds his debut CD release party at the Caruso Club in Sudbury June 1.

The release party, which starts at 7 p.m. features a full professional band led by Sudbury’s Paul Chapman, with musical interludes from Donny Reed, world Fiddle champion, and by Wapistan, first Juno Award Winner for Best Indigenous Music Canada.

All the way from Timmins, the Swamp Rockers will keep the party hopping for hours. 

James also put out his first single, “A Miner's Prayer,” on iTunes May 1.

“I am so pumped,” James said, in a press release.

“This has been my dream all my life, to have a CD collection of my original songs, and to share my passion for music with the world.”   

To make his dream come true, James teamed up with friend Lee D. Roy. They've played together for the last 10 years in a bluegrass group called The Canucky Bluegrass Boys in Sudbury.  

Together they fundraised for James’ album. It took them about a year to raise the $20,000 they needed.   

Just when they were getting ready to drive to Nashville, Tennessee to start the recordings, James’ father, James Naveau, passed away.   

In a spiritual dream, James dreamed of his father telling him the story of what it was like to work underground in the mines. James woke up from the dream and began to write quickly what his father told him.  

Within minutes, he wrote “A Miner’s Prayer,” which he dedicated to his late Dad. 

Visit James' website, www.mattjamesmusic.ca, for more information.


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