Mary Frances (Canada)
Updated: Jul 17
Mary Frances Leahy is a fiddler, pianist, dancer, and composer from Ontario, Canada, and the eldest daughter of celebrated Celtic musicians Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy. She has been performing since age five, accumulating hundreds of live shows throughout Canada and the U.S. Her musical background is rooted in the Cape Breton fiddle tradition, but she has expanded her sound to incorporate jazz and Latin influences. Among her early credits are a piano performance with Yo-Yo Ma and two original compositions featured on her parents’ album Canvas. She released her debut album, First Light, in 2024.
Featured Song:
“Camino” (The Road) brings together Mary Frances’s Celtic heritage and her love of Cuban music, featuring both Irish and Cuban musicians. The track was arranged by Cuban guitarist Elmer Ferrer, with percussion by Rosendo “Chendy” León and bass by Roberto Riveron. The fiddle, an essential voice in Cape Breton music as well as Cuban charanga and danzón, moves alongside Latin rhythms to create something that honors both musical cultures while pointing toward new territory.
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