ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — For close to three decades, Billy Sutton has made a living playing alongside some of the province's best musicians.
With a multi-faceted ability to master a wide array of instruments, the 47-year-old has been asked to play everything from bodhran, drums, cajon, accordion, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo, bouzouki and fiddle for shows, tours and albums. He’s played with several popular groups, including The Fables, The Ennis Sisters, Rum Ragged and Shanneyganock, and has lent his talents to other groups, such as Cordeen and, more recently, the well-known Irish folk band, Danu.
“I don’t consider myself a great musician. I’m OK at playing a bunch of things,” said the modest St. John's musician and producer. “Working with other people is kind of what makes me tick.”
But for his latest project, Sutton did things on his own time — recording his first solo album.
“Not a Word,” is a creation all his own and is believed to be one of a kind as the first all-instrumental Irish traditional full-length recording with all original tunes ever released in the province.
With the exception of the graphics on the cover, Sutton was responsible for every aspect of the album, from writing all the songs and playing all the instruments to recording and producing it.
It’s something he’s always wanted to do, but he never had the time.
“So, I’ve been lucky to work with all kinds of people, but one of the drawbacks has been that I’ve always been busy with someone else, but never took the time to put together my own project,” said Sutton, who named his studio Pipetrack Productions, after the nickname of the area in Harbour Grace where he grew up.
“I could’ve picked at it over the years, but I don’t have that kind of attention span. The way I am, I have to start and do it until it’s done.”
He was able to do that, he said, thanks to a grant from ArtsNL, which allowed him to take three months off last fall to focus on making the album.
He admitted it was very different experience than what he was used to.
“If I’m playing a fiddle track, I’d play differently than if I was with someone else. No matter what instrument, really. It’d kind of be like switching personalities, but it’s not,” he said. “It comes from the same place, but you approach it differently when you’re just by yourself. It’s not a good thing or a bad thing. Just different. The dynamics with the music changes. But I had a ball doing it. I just shut out the world and got it done.”
The album includes tunes dedicated to some special people in his life. There’s “Patricia’s Waltz,” for his mother, “Dennis Sutton’s March” for his father, “Kiss Me at the Cottage/Twirl her in the Lamplight,” for his girlfriend, Jamie Dart, and “The Man from the Southern Shore,” in honour of the late, great singer/songwriter Ron Hynes.
Releasing the album during the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t faze Sutton, as he admits he would have had trouble gathering musicians from the small pool of people in the province who can play the specific instruments for shows.
“For me, the album is more a creation and piece of art than a piece for touring,” he said.
“But I’m glad I did it.”
Sutton has certainly earned the respect of fellow musicians, who are supporting his latest effort.
“I’ve been working with him for last 20 years on different projects and I tell you, Billy is the real deal,” said Shanneyganock frontman Chris Andrews, who had his first solo album recorded by Sutton. “He’s very professional and always takes it seriously.”
When asked his thoughts on Sutton making his own album, Andrews said, “I think it’s about time. I know he’s been thinking about for a while and I’m really happy to see he’s finally doing it.”
The album is available digitally on Sutton’s website, billysutton.net, and will be at Fred’s Records in the next few weeks.