Alan Doyle
Encyclopedia
Alan Thomas Doyle is a Canadian
musician and actor, best known for his work as one of the lead singers of Celtic
band Great Big Sea
.
, his mother was a piano teacher who taught him. Doyle has a brother, Bernie, and two sisters, Michelle and Kim. He was raised Roman Catholic.
He attended Memorial University of Newfoundland
in St. John's
, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. It is also there that he met Séan McCann
, Bob Hallett
and Darrell Power
with whom he helped to form Great Big Sea
. He primarily plays electric and acoustic guitars, and the bouzouki
for live performances, but he's been known to play mandolin and banjo.
Before Great Big Sea
Doyle played in a duo with John Brenton called Staggering Home. As a teen he played in his uncle's band, the New Sandells.
Doyle has also been involved with a handful of stage, television and film productions. As a child, he appeared as an extra in the movie A Whale For The Killing, based on Farley Mowat's book of the same name, which was filmed in his hometown. He has also hosted regional arts awards shows in Atlantic Canada, appeared as a presenter on the Juno Awards and done a turn onstage in his hometown's "24-Hour Musical" performance of Grease
. In 2005, he composed music for the CBC comedy Hatching, Matching and Dispatching
, which stars Mary Walsh. In 2006, he worked on scoring the film Young Triffie's Been Made Away With
, directed by Walsh.
Doyle has been linked to Russell Crowe
and his former band 30 Odd Foot of Grunts
, having produced and co-written several songs on Crowe's latest album, My Hand, My Heart, and has played several shows with Crowe's new band, The Ordinary Fear of God. This friendship also led to Doyle's casting as Allan A'Dayle
alongside Crowe, Cate Blanchett
, Kevin Durand
, and Scott Grimes
in Ridley Scott
's Robin Hood
, released May 14, 2010.
Doyle has also produced an album for his sister, Michelle Doyle.
Doyle's wife Joanne gave birth to their first son in July, 2006.
Doyle and Great Big Sea released their tenth album, "Safe Upon The Shore" on July 13, 2010. Great Big Sea headlined Newfoundland-Labrador Night at the 2010 Winter Olympic Victory Ceremony in Vancouver, British Columbia on February 26, 2010.
He collaborated with "Law & Order
" music composer Mike Post
and wrote and performed a song named "Middle of Nowhere", written for the "Law & Order: Criminal Intent
" episode "Broad Channel".
Doyle guest starred on the second episode of season two of the CBC Television
series Republic of Doyle
which aired on January 19, 2011. He portrayed Wolf Redmond, an inmate sent to prison on charges of B&Es and a few robberies.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
musician and actor, best known for his work as one of the lead singers of Celtic
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
band Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea is a Canadian folk-rock band from Newfoundland and Labrador, best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs including sea shanties, which draw from the island's 500-year-old Irish, English, and French heritage...
.
Life and career
Born to Thomas and Regina Doyle in Petty Harbour, NewfoundlandNewfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, his mother was a piano teacher who taught him. Doyle has a brother, Bernie, and two sisters, Michelle and Kim. He was raised Roman Catholic.
He attended Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
in St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. It is also there that he met Séan McCann
Sean McCann
Sean McCann may refer to:* Sean McCann , Lieutenant General and Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces, succeeding Dermot Earley* Sean McCann , Canadian television actor...
, Bob Hallett
Bob Hallett
Bob Hallett is a founding member of Canadian folk-rock band Great Big Sea and continues to play with them today.Hallett was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador on May 23, 1968, making him the only native St. Johnsman in Great Big Sea. Born to a musical family, Hallett learned to play the...
and Darrell Power
Darrell Power
Darrell Power B.A., B.Ed. is a Canadian musician and former member of Great Big Sea . He performed vocals, bass, guitar, bones, mandolin, fiddle, accordion and harmonica.He left the band in 2003 in order to be able to spend more time with his family...
with whom he helped to form Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea is a Canadian folk-rock band from Newfoundland and Labrador, best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs including sea shanties, which draw from the island's 500-year-old Irish, English, and French heritage...
. He primarily plays electric and acoustic guitars, and the bouzouki
Bouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
for live performances, but he's been known to play mandolin and banjo.
Before Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea is a Canadian folk-rock band from Newfoundland and Labrador, best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs including sea shanties, which draw from the island's 500-year-old Irish, English, and French heritage...
Doyle played in a duo with John Brenton called Staggering Home. As a teen he played in his uncle's band, the New Sandells.
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
. In 2005, he composed music for the CBC comedy Hatching, Matching and Dispatching
Hatching, Matching and Dispatching
Hatching, Matching and Dispatching was a Canadian television sitcom series. The CBC Television show starred Mary Walsh as Mamie Lou Furey, the matriarch of a family in Newfoundland and Labrador who own a combination ambulance, wedding and funeral business. The remaining cast included Shaun...
, which stars Mary Walsh. In 2006, he worked on scoring the film Young Triffie's Been Made Away With
Young Triffie
Young Triffie the movie, directed by Mary Walsh, is a dark comedy written by Ray Guy, a Newfoundland essayist, based on his own play entitled Young Triffie's Been Made Away With ....
, directed by Walsh.
Doyle has been linked to Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
and his former band 30 Odd Foot of Grunts
30 Odd Foot Of Grunts
30 Odd Foot of Grunts and The Ordinary Fear of God are bands formed by actor Russell Crowe and friends.-Beginnings:In the '80s Russell Crowe and friend Billy Dean Cochran formed a band, "Roman Antix", which later evolved into the Australian rock band 30 Odd Foot of Grunts...
, having produced and co-written several songs on Crowe's latest album, My Hand, My Heart, and has played several shows with Crowe's new band, The Ordinary Fear of God. This friendship also led to Doyle's casting as Allan A'Dayle
Alan-a-Dale
Alan-a-Dale is a figure in the Robin Hood legend...
alongside Crowe, Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett
Catherine Élise "Cate" Blanchett is an Australian actress. She came to international attention for her role as Elizabeth I of England in the 1998 biopic film Elizabeth, for which she won British Academy of Film and Television Arts and Golden Globe Awards, and earned her first Academy Award...
, Kevin Durand
Kevin Durand
Kevin Serge Durand is a Canadian actor known for his roles as Joshua in Dark Angel, Martin Keamy in Lost, Fred J. Dukes in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the Archangel Gabriel in Legion, and Little John in Robin Hood....
, and Scott Grimes
Scott Grimes
Scott Richard Grimes is an American actor, voice artist and singer. Some of his most prominent roles are his appearances in ER as Dr. Archie Morris, Party of Five as Will McCorkle, Band of Brothers as Technical Sergeant Donald Malarkey, and the popular animated sitcom American Dad!, voicing Steve...
in Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer. His most famous films include The Duellists , Alien , Blade Runner , Legend , Thelma & Louise , G. I...
's Robin Hood
Robin Hood (2010 film)
Robin Hood is a 2010 British/American adventure film based on the Robin Hood legend, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett...
, released May 14, 2010.
Doyle has also produced an album for his sister, Michelle Doyle.
Doyle's wife Joanne gave birth to their first son in July, 2006.
Doyle and Great Big Sea released their tenth album, "Safe Upon The Shore" on July 13, 2010. Great Big Sea headlined Newfoundland-Labrador Night at the 2010 Winter Olympic Victory Ceremony in Vancouver, British Columbia on February 26, 2010.
He collaborated with "Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
" music composer Mike Post
Mike Post
Mike Post is an American multi-Grammy and Emmy Award winning composer best known for scoring some of the most popular TV theme songs in the United States, for primetime series such as Law & Order, NYPD Blue, The Rockford Files, LA Law, Quantum Leap, Magnum, P.I., Hill Street Blues, among numerous...
and wrote and performed a song named "Middle of Nowhere", written for the "Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
" episode "Broad Channel".
Doyle guest starred on the second episode of season two of the CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
series Republic of Doyle
Republic of Doyle
Republic of Doyle is a Canadian comedy-drama television series, which debuted 6 January 2010 on CBC Television.The show stars Seán McGinley and Allan Hawco as Malachy and Jake Doyle, a father and son who partner as private investigators in St...
which aired on January 19, 2011. He portrayed Wolf Redmond, an inmate sent to prison on charges of B&Es and a few robberies.
