Labrador Black Spruce is a group of six musicians whose main goal is to record songs by poets and songwriters of Labrador. They collect poems and set them to music and also write some original material based on one of Canada's last frontiers. Their style is folk/country with a nice mix of instruments, from guitars to mandolin and accordion. Their first album, available on cassette, is Love of The Land and their second, available on cassette and CD is Ashuanipi Wash.

While Labrador Black Spruce are not as polished as some groups on lead vocals, the heartfelt lyrics, good bluegrass-style harmonies and solid musicianship give the group an underlying strength that brings their material forward with honesty and conviction. The songs have simplicity, personality and charm. "The Humber, the Exploits, the Gander, are all very well in their way / but fishing these rivers in Springtime, can't compare with the Ashuanipi"--("Ashuanipi Wash"); "How I love my Grandpa, he meant the whole world to me / How I love my Grandpa, I sailed around the world on his knee"--("How I Love My Grandpa"). If you enjoy homespun lyrics and singing, Ashuanipi Wash is highly rewarding.

Labrador Black Spruce are Mike Willcot, Nick Kennedy, Ric Burt, Ron Harvey, Cec Fry, and Willie Arsenaulte.

Ashuanipi Wish
1995 Labrador Black Spruce (no catalogue number)

Ashuanipi Wash; Spring in the Cove; Lure of the Labrador Wild; The Banks of North River; How I Love My Grandpa; The Old House (Will Soon Be Gone); The Fisherman's Dream; The Old Car; Our Own North Country; The Half Door; Just Beyond the Mountain; Beauty by the Sea; Ode to Labrador 51:12