Accordionist, guitarist, and player of pocket-sized instruments, Mary Beth Carty of Antigonish, Nova Scotia possesses a magical voice and a stage-presence known to rouse audiences to sing, dance, and clap along. Her new album Crossing the Causeway reached No. 3 on the Folk Alliance International Folk DJ chart this March. It fuses traditional song, instrumental tunes, and songwriting to create a multilingual opus that reflects the diverse yet unified roots of Eastern Nova Scotia. The emotional lead single, a hundred-year-old Gaelic song, Mo Mhàthair (My Mother), features a choir of fiddlers and received airplay on the BBC. Her debut solo album, Les biens-nommés, features original songs in French and earned an ECMA nomination in 2018. Mary Beth was nominated Traditional Singer of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards for her duo album Voici… Bette & Wallet. With a unique live show that is itself a journey of emotions, times, and places, she has had the opportunity to tour in North America, Europe, and Africa.

Bidh Màiri Beathag NicCarthaigh a’ cluich a’ bhocsa, a’ ghiotair agus a’ seinn. ’S annamh a bhios tu ga faicinn ás aonais cruinneachadh de dh’ionnsramaidean beaga beuma faisg air làimh! Rugadh i ann an Siorramachd Antaiginis – ’s e Ed MacCarthaigh á Lannraig, Alba is athair dhi agus ’s ann á Lannraig, Alba Nuadh a tha a màthair, Mórag NicDhòmhnaill. Thogadh màthair a màthar, Lillian NicIll’Ìosa ann an taigh far an robh Gàidhlig ga bruidhinn ann am Muileann nam Frisealach is bha màthair a h-athar, Màili NicIll’Eathain, ás a’ Ghearasdan.

Nuair a bha i òg, bha meas mór aig Màiri Beathag air seinn, dannsadh is air a’ phiàna. Thòisich i air Gàidhlig ionnsachadh aig aois ochd bliadhna, agus Fraingis nuair a bha i naoi. Choisinn i ceum ann an Litreachas na Beurla aig Oilthigh an Rìgh anns an Àrd Bhaile. Aig deireadh-seachdain bhiodh i a’ cluich ceòl ùr is traidiseanta air feadh a’ bhaile leis a’ chòmhlan aice, The Johnson Sisters.

Ás déidh dhi ceumnachadh, ghluais Màiri Beathag a Bhaile Cuebec agus bhog i i-fhéin ann an cànan is cultar Frangach-Canadach. Chuir i air bhonn an còmhlan-dithis Bette & Wallet, chuir iad a-mach clàr a choisinn deagh chliù agus chaidh iad air chuairt ann an Canada is thall thairis. Mar cheòladair fa-leth, tha Màiri Beathag air dà chlàr a chuir a-mach. Tha a’ chiad fhear, Les Biens-nommés, stéidhte air òrain a sgrìobh i-fhéin ann an stoidhle ‘café-Frangach’. Air an fhear as ùire, Crossing the Causeway, tha measgachadh de dh’òrain Ghàidhlig, Bheurla agus Fhrangach. Chaidh a chluich air an rèidio aig a’ BhBC, CBC agus air feadh an t-saoghail.