Brent Mason rolled back into Saint John New Brunswick in the spring of ‘92, after several years roaming North America in his best imitation of Jack Kerouac, riding his thumb and working carnival midways in Canada and the US. With a fistful of songs born out of an ‘On The Road’ ethos, and a burning desire, Brent recorded his first ‘singer/songwriter’ album. A true early indie effort, Head for the High Groundset a long and vital career in motion. Brent performs innovative original music with insightful powerful lyrical content.
Brent has been nominated for and has won several East Coast Music Awards and Music New Brunswick awards including Folk Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. He is also the youngest recipient of the Stompin’ Tom Award for his contributions to Atlantic Canadian music traditions.
In winter 2020, Brent went on his 3rd Home Routes tour in support of his record in British Columbia. It’s a testament to his significant songwriting and storytelling abilities that Brent has been chosen 3 times for this coveted, juried circuit. Brent has also toured across Canada, the UK and Beijing.
Brent is regularly invited to local stages including Harvest Jazz and Blues, Stanfest and many other festivals and music events in the region. In his hometown Saint John, his Wednesday nights are legend, hosting O’Leary’s Open Mic Night. 25+ years at this regular gig has earned him the moniker “Godfather of the Saint John Music Scene”. He’s co-written several recorded songs with award winning artist, Jessica Rhaye, and conducts songwriting workshops in schools throughout the province.
Brent is also a published writer and filmmaker whose conceptual mini-series “Grave Concerns” was picked up by CBC and broadcast nationally. These artistic “crop rotation” techniques into other genres finds Brent working on stories and word craft that informs his writing across the board.
After 12 albums and thousands of performances, Brent is a unique performer, combining humour, spontaneity and intriguing, compelling storytelling. Brent’s shows are entertaining and memorable; he takes audiences on a wild ride from tender sweetness and a deft touch with troubled characters, wry observations on politics, to spitting anger at the unjust forces that twist our world.
• Area 506 Festival
• Boxcar Country Festival
• Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival
• Tay Creek Folk Festival (headliner)
• Bonfire Festival (headliner)
• Stan Rogers Folk Festival
• Paddlefest
• Markham Village Fest
• Larlee Creek Hullabaloo
• Floodstock
• Shivering Songs Festival
• Rising Tide Festival
• Home Routes Tour of Northern Alberta
• Home Routes Tour of British Columbia
• Concerts/Workshops in Beijing, China
• UK Tour (Village Pump and Warwick Festivals)
• Host of longest running "Open Mic Night" in Canada (over 1000 shows)
• New Brunswick Writers Federation 2020 - Short Fiction Award (Root Cellar)
• New Brunswick Writers Federation 2020 - Single Poem Runner-up (Heart of the Harp)
• Best of Saint John 2017 WINNER - Male Artist of the Year
• Music NB 2017 Nomination - SOCAN Song of the Year (Song In Me - cowrite w/ Jessica Rhaye)
• Saint John & Area Music Awards 2016 WINNER - Solo Artist of the Year
• Music NB 2015 Nomination - SOCAN Song of the Year (When Jesus Met Whiskey)
• Music NB 2015 Nomination - Solo Artist of the Year
• Music NB 2015 Nomination - Folk/Roots Album of the Year (All The Pretty Horses)
• Music NB 2012 WINNER - Folk/Roots Artist of the Year
• The Originals 2010 Popular Music Award, Canada’s Cultural Capital celebrations in Saint John, NB
• "River Songs", album inspired by the St. John River, was featured on most-watched episode of Land and Sea in 2009.
• ECMA 2007 Stompin’ Tom Award Recipient for contributions to Atlantic Canada’s musical traditions.
• SYNC PLACEMENT CBC TV documentary - The Paramount "Angel on the Tree"
• Original soundtrack & host for Grave Concerns, a nationally broadcast CBC TV series
• Songwriting workshops in regional high schools
• Concerts/Workshops in Beijing, China
• Lyrics from the song "Deep Woods Off", a composition about the lumberjack days in New Brunswick, is featured in NB elementary social studies textbooks.
“Fireflies is a collection of moods – one moment exciting and upbeat and the next, serene and contemplative – and flows seamlessly without ever losing its own unique sense of identity and purpose; the type of everywhere-at-once existence that can only come from years spent honing one’s craft and carefully choosing the right voices to bring it to life. Bravo Mr. Mason.” - Matt Carter, Grid City Magazine
"Seriously good musician and a very engaging storyteller." - John Scott, Home Routes Series Coordinator
“Brent sings with an unparalleled confidence and ease on his new record. His songwriting is nothing short of inspiring on Fireflies - lyrically rich with an uncanny wit, musically adventurous and compelling. It’s rousing roots rock, soulful Canadiana with (WOW moments) as on the Reggae feel on one of my favourite tracks ‘Frogs In A Pot’." - Jeff Liberty, Music Columnist, CBC
“Brent is everything a great singer songwriter should be; smart, sharp and honest, and the live show is truly engaging, as the stories extend far beyond the music itself. With 30 years of writing in his taillights, Brent is seasoned enough to entertain you at multiple levels. In a smaller venue like ours, they don't come much better. He's one of my favourites.” - Rob Pinnock, Tipsy Muse, owner
“There are very few artists that I can honestly say I love everything they do but Brent is one. His latest album (Fireflies) is as consistently brilliant as his last and the one before that and the one before that. But that's not to say he is predictable. He is constantly evolving both as an artist and a performer and a touring musician. I'm always delighted, surprised, entertained and full of a love for life when I see him or listen to him. Brent isn't a local musician. He is a global musician who chooses to stay true to where he is from. I love him. You will too.” - James Mullinger, Stand Up Comedian / Co-Founder & Editor-In-Chief for The Maritime Edit
"Brent was fantastic. Such a storyteller and comedian, plus a great songwriter." - Linda McKenzie, Home Routes host, Clearwater, BC
*DOWNLOAD: Stage Plot (4 piece)
*DOWNLOAD: Stage Plot (Solo)