Doug MacPhee Death, Obituary – Doug MacPhee has passed away untimely and unexpectedly leaving friends, loved ones, family, and the entire community heartbroken and in grievance, according to a social media sharing. We would like to express our sincere condolences to Mr. Doug MacPhee’s family and friends on the loss of such a beloved member of the Cape Breton community. Mr. MacPhee was a famous pianist, historian, educator, and composer, and he was loved by everybody.
Dougie, who was born and raised in New Waterford, lived an extraordinary life in which music played a significant role. He began his own musical career at the age of 12, having first and mainly been exposed to music in the household, as he was the son of the renowned pianist and accompanist Margaret MacPhee. Self-taught just like his mother, they excelled in playing melodies along with the fiddler or in solo form, which resulted in hearing the tunes performed on piano on its own. Their specialty was in accompanying the fiddler, and they were known for their ability to do so.
Doug would eventually go on to release six solo records and accompany on more than 60 CDs throughout the course of his career, performing with some of the best fiddlers from a variety of decades. Because of his extensive understanding of music, he was able to launch groundbreaking archive projects at the Beaton Institute. As a result, he was able to save a distinctive style of Canadian music that would have otherwise been lost to the annals of history.
In addition to receiving an honorary degree from Cape Breton University, he was also inducted into the Order of Canada in 2008 for his contribution to the traditional culture of Cape Breton. This honor was bestowed upon him in recognition of his musical achievements as well as his work in the archives. Doug was known for his kind heart, generous nature, enjoyment of a good laugh, and encouraging words to his colleagues and younger performers. This was maybe his most well-known trait.