Paul Toner - Islands Away (Live at Painted Haus Art Cafe)

Paul Toner performing his original song Islands Away at the Painted Haus Art Cafe in Riverside Albert, New Brunswick Canada, December 28 2020. "This is an old song, written almost 30 years ago. Any closet singer songwriter, if they are honest with themselves, dreams of one day having a number of albums to their credit, and then a Greatest Hits collection. While that never happened, and as old as this song is, I always counted it among my greatest "hits". I like the melody, I am proud of the mature lyrics, and I enjoy the story it tells: in case you missed it, it happened around a wedding. I think that many people can relate to magic that happens even when you are islands away, but share the moon: by the way, Newfoundland is an island, too!" -Paul Toner Artist Bio: Paul Toner grew up in Riverview in a musical family that marked the fun and special moments in their lives with original songs. He went to the land of storytelling, Newfoundland, where he met his partner, Kathy and together they have raised two strong, intelligent daughters, Danielle and Natalie. When they moved back to Southeastern NB, Paul began to appreciate the stories of this region, and often wondered why there were not more songs about the historic tales of tragedy, daring and triumph. Call Me Captain was the first of these stories that he captured in song, celebrating Molly Kool, the first female Sea Captain in North America who hailed from Alma. This was followed by Swept Away, which recounted the Saxby Gale, a tropical cyclone which struck eastern Canada's Bay of Fundy region on the night of October 4–5, 1869. Next up was The People Rise, which marked the 175th anniversary of Albert County and its resilient inhabitants. He continues to research the history and stories of the Fundy region, looking for his next musical inspiration. In describing his musical style, you can hear various influences, including that of James Taylor in his voice, Stan Rogers and Jim Croce in his guitar, and many Atlantic recording artists and just a little Dan Fogelberg in his lyrics. His proudest moment to date has to be his appearance in the Songwriters Circle of the Rising Tide Festival, which sparked another composition: 2nd Half Dreams. His newest composition, Stuck, places him squarely in a situation to which we all can relate: the COVID-19 pandemic.

Added 21 Jun 2026