Shawn Lidster – Legends on the BaccalieuTrail

Shawn Lidster is a singer/songwriter from Newfoundland, Canada, who for now calls Australia home. He first came to Australia in 1997 by invitation from Tasmanian band The Pale Riders, who he met in Vancouver, Canada. Within a year he won a song competition on Sydney’s Radio Station Triple M, toured with Midnight Oil and met his wife Rebecca. He has had songs he has written performed for the Prime Minister of Canada, Premier of Newfoundland and Prince Charles and even had a song played on Hockey Night in Canada.

Since moving his family back to the Central Coast in 2009, Shawn has already made his mark on the music scene. He has showcased his original songs at various gigs including 2010 Country Music Festival in Tamworth, 2009/10/11 Country Music Festival at The Entrance, Lizottes in Kincumber and Newcastle playing live on air in the Fishbowl with Scott Levi on ABC Radio and making it to the finals two years in a row at the Annual Acoustic Awards in Erina Fair, In 2011 with guitarist Trent Crawford as Driftwood.

He works fulltime at being a songwriter/performer as a solo Acoustic Artist and duo in Pay the Fiddler, with Tom Beasley (Mandolin/Banjo) playing every week at gigs up and down the Central Coast, Sydney, Newcastle and the Hunter Valley.

Shawn has shared the stage with national and international performers and his skill as a songwriter is Legend. As a matter of fact, in 2006 Shawn released a CD, entitled Legends of the Baccalieu Trail, which brings to life the history and characters of the Baccalieu Trail region. Cupers Cove the first track was the unofficial theme song for Cupids 400 celebrations. All of the songs on this Cd are currently receiving air time on many radio stations in Newfoundland and throughout Canada. Two of his traditional songs, The Sealers Song and Newfoundland Summers Day were recorded on the Homebrew 4 and Homebrew 5 CD collections.

While attending Music West in Vancouver in 1995, he met the band Pale Riders from Tasmania, Australia and as a result Shawn was invited to be their opening act for the launch of their new CD on a tour of Eastern Australia and Tasmania. While living in Australia, Shawn wrote a song called Ratso Man and won a song competition sponsored by Triple M and Universal Music that included $15,000 worth of Sammy Hagar (Van Halen) equipment.

Shawn has been in the Top Ten Folk/Roots Music Charts for almost 3 years and currently ranked #7. http://www.reverbnation.com/shawnlidster

In 2006 Shawn released Legends on the Baccalieu Trail CD. It was years in the making. Shawn did extensive research into the history of the Baccalieu Trail towns of Cupids, Brigus, Bull Cove, Harbour Grace and Carbonear in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

In addition to telling stories about the history of each of these towns, he has tried to capture the mood of each time period. The songs get right to the heart and soul of the characters he is reflecting upon, bringing the listener back to the era in which he is singing about. His ability to evoke the past of these towns illustrates his maturity as a songwriter.

Produced by Shawn Lidster Recorded at Players Choice Studio, Spaniard’s Bay, NL

Shawn Lidster: Guitars, Vocals and Harmony’s Ian Chipman: Bass, Drums, Percussion, Accordian Gerry Strong: Whistle, Flute