For tickets and show times visit  .com 

Brenda O’Reilly, who has owned and operated O’Reilly’s Irish Newfoundland Pub on George Street for 25 years, smiled for the camera as she pulled a pint behind the bar of her iconic pub. 

So many memories, including some treasured ones from the band Ryan’s Fancy. “I hosted a reception for Ryan’s Fancy when they received their East Coast Music Award and they got up and sang together for the first time in 21 years,” she said. That was very important to her, she added, because they paved the way for so many who followed in their footsteps, she added. “They had their own TV show, and I remember back when they played The Strand, people would be lined trying to get in and Fergus (O’Byrne) is still a troubadour.”

O’Byrne has played at O’Reilly’s over the past 25 years, she added. So has Patrick (Paddy as she called him) Moran of The Punters.  

Musical History

So much musical history, something she says she tries to bring to audiences around the province and beyond when she is on OZFM’s Jigs & Reels each week with Danielle Butt. 

“Danielle (Butt) and Jigs & Reels has had an impact on the music scene here and made an impact on the culture and it is amazing what that means to the music industry,” she said. 

Her voice has become famous, she joked, thanks to the weekly Sunday program. “People hear my voice in the supermarket. I’m talking to somebody or I’m getting checked out, or I’ll ask questions, and they’ll go, ‘Hey, you’re Brenda from Jigs & Reels. I listen every Sunday,’” she laughed. 

“I think we’ve been doing interviews on Sunday mornings for 20 years. I look forward to it. I love it. We don’t rehearse and we don’t practice it. We don’t know what we’re going to say. We’re just two friends chatting about the music. I try to just go off the cuff and talk about what’s real and what’s relevant and what happened that week or what’s coming up or I’m trying to help and promote the music community. It’s just all about the music here.”

Where does her passion come from? She was raised that way, she said. “I look very Irish. My last name is Irish. Growing up, my mom adored Irish music. It’s what she listened to and it’s what she sang and it’s what she danced to, so I grew up around it.”

Like many, after she finished school, she moved away to Fort McMurray for a few months. 

“There was a restaurant up there called O’Reilly’s, and I remember walking up towards it this one day and looking up and seeing the big sign, O’Reilly’s, and I thought, ‘Yeah, that’s what it will look like. I need to do that.’ So my mission then was to get home and start my mission to get to the point where I could open a place and put up that sign.”

We ask about the staff. She’s worked with many over the past 25 years. 

“Your staff become your family. You oftentimes see your staff more than you see your own family. That is one of the great things about this industry. I look back through the history of people working  here and I’m amazed,” she said. 

‘Older Familiar Faces’

“Our manager, Damian, he’s been with us 24 of the 25 years. That’s unheard of. I might be the voice of this place, but he’s definitely the face because he’s here five nights a week and has been for 24 years,” she said. 

As for customers? They feel right at home, she added. “People who move away, they come in because it’s nostalgic for them. We hope that in our 25th year we see some of those older familiar faces, almost like our own come home year.” 

When people return to this land of their birth, often they long for a little taste of traditional music, and coming to O’Reilly’s on George Street is part of that. “They missed out on our culture. They want to come to a place where someone knows your name, where you’re comfortable and the environment is familiar. People have met here and got married here. That’s special for us.”

So many characters. Like one man named Steve who used to love performing and dancing. “He would come in to dance and he’d bring tap shoes. The tourists loved him and I adored him. We were great friends.”

‘So many characters’

He could play the accordion as well, she added, though dancing was always his priority. “So many characters like that we met over the years, and they have helped make this pub a home. “

O’Reilly’s has been offering  live music seven nights a week for 25 years. “Sit back. Have supper. Enjoy some music. The Fables and The Navigators, the Irish Descendants and The Masterless Men. They’ve all performed,” she said.

One of the most amazing things, she shared, is that traditional music has no age limit or requirement. “The 19 year olds love it and of course their parents and grandparents love the music too.”

Newer artists love the O’Reilly’s stage too. From Rachel Cousins to Jackie Sullivan, to OZFM’s Shannell Lewis, many have entertained O’Reilly’s patrons. 

“We try to have a big variety of music for everybody and it’s about quality,” she said. The best part about owning an Irish pub in NL? The availability of that quality, she said. “It’s amazing how much talent we have here in this province. We are so lucky and I’m so glad it’s really finally starting to be really recognized. Traditional music has long been the fabric of the tourism industry, but I’m just so glad it’s really actually being recognized for what it is by everyone.”

Shannell Lewis may have been born in Ontario, but with both parents hailing from Newfoundland, she grew up listing to traditional Irish/NL music. 

That she can now be heard most every Sunday alongside OZFM’s Danielle Butt as the highly popular radio personality hosts Jigs & Reels is simply an honour and a pleasure, she shared.

“I love helping Danielle on Sundays. Giving the weather or passing along any local happenings or helping out with requests is always so much fun. Jigs & Reels with Danielle is such a Sunday tradition that I feel like part of a much larger family,” she said with a smile.

But then Lewis feels at home almost anywhere, including on the stage. 

Lewis, who performs with many bands including the Shannell Lewis Trio, Miss Conduct, Women of Rock and The 8 Track Favourites, shared that performing on stage at the beloved establishment, O’Reilly’s Irish Newfoundland Pub, is high up on her list of proudest accomplishments. 

‘Interesting History’

“I love performing for Brenda O’Reilly down at O’Reilly’s, and a big congratulations to her on the 25th anniversary. It’s a great atmosphere. The staff are so friendly and the audience is always so much fun. It’s a really great place to perform, and it has so much interesting history and I’m thrilled to be a small part of that,” she said. On stage for O’Reilly’s Women of the Rock performance series on Wednesdays, Lewis said she feels “Very fortunate and very happy to be a part of it.” 

Lewis added that her bond with Brenda O’Reilly and O’Reilly’s Irish Newfoundland Pub is part of her Sundays as well on Jigs & Reels. O’Reilly’s is actually a sponsor on Jigs & Reels every Sunday, and she enjoys hearing Butt and O’Reilly chat each week about what’s happening downtown. 

“Danielle is a great host and she makes everything feel so relaxed and I’m very fortunate to work with her every week. I’m a producer of her show, so if you call in and make a request, I make sure those are ready and I work closely with Danielle to get those on every week.” 

‘Close Family’

When Butt is away on vacation, Lewis is ready and willing to step in, she added. But her bond isn’t just with her coworker, it’s also with Butt’s adorable Shichon, Miss Stevie Nicks. 

“She’s so cute. Danielle brings her into the office sometimes, and she does laps around the desks, usually being chased by Jay (Lawrence, Station Manager) or Robert (Shawn). It’s so funny to watch.” 

Lewis adds that the folks at OZFM are a “close family” and celebrating the fact that the station is now number one has been a pleasure. Lewis has had the privilege of co-hosting the Morning Jam with Randy Snow when Stephanie O’Brien takes some time off and she’s co-hosted the number one morning show with Mitch Colbourne too. 

“Before I came over here full time to do Herald sales, I was working at OZFM, and I like filling in whenever they need me. If somebody is on vacation or something, I’m available. Mitch and I had a ball filling in together on the Morning Jam. I love working with Mitch. He’s a lot of fun. In fact, all of the team over there are really, really great.”  

Of course, part of the thrill of working in radio is the music, she added, and Lewis lives to perform. “Both my parents are from Newfoundland, as many people know, so I’ve been around Newfoundland music for my entire life, and in fact, I grew up taking Irish dancing classes.” 

A huge fan

While she may not get to step dance much, she still enjoys the music. 

“The 8 Track Favourites is fronted by Larry Foley, and he is also with The Punters and I believe they’re celebrating their 25th anniversary as well, and I love working with Larry and with Sandy Morris.”

There’s so many artists she’s a huge fan of, she continued. “Traditionally, I love the Irish Descendants. When I was younger, we went to see them in Ontario when they were on tour and it was so much fun. I love Sam Hall and Peter Street, they are probably my two favorites, but I love Clancy, Evans & Doherty too. I love their music.” 

Besides hearing her idols each and every Sunday on Jigs & Reels, Lewis has had the opportunity to meet some of her musical idols too, even introducing them onstage at events like the George Street Festival. 

“Shanneyganock. Masterless Men. It’s been incredible,” she said of her career.

When Lewis performs at O’Reilly’s on Wednesdays, she added they like to do a little bit of everything, including some Irish tunes. “We love to sing Sweet Forget Me Not and Black Velvet Band.”

When she’s not working at The Herald, on air at OZFM, or performing on stage, Lewis can be found enjoying the quiet and the beauty of Newfoundland. 

“I love to go around the bay. It’s a quiet life out there, and I enjoy that time.” Since she’s usually on air while everyone else is putting on their Sunday dinner, we ask when she gets a chance to enjoy her jiggs dinner. “Jiggs is my favourite meal. My all time favourite, in fact. I’m a meat and potatoes kind of girl so you can’t beat a good jiggs dinner.” 

Listen to Jigs & Reels Sundays from 7A.M. – 1P.M. & follow ‘The NFLD Herald’ on social media or visit nfldherald.com.

Danielle Butt and O’Reilly’s Pub owner, Brenda O’Reilly, are havin’ a rollicking Newfoundland time as they laugh and joke as the photos for this special NL Herald cover are being taken. Snap. Flash. Chuckle. Snap. Flash. Chuckle. Repeat. While there’s much merriment (we joke about who gets to ‘save’ the beer from being wasted as O’Reilly pours pint after pint for the camera) it’s also almost surreal hanging out at O’Reilly’s during daylight hours. 

Having the pub to ourselves for the photo shoot as Danielle’s partner Glenn and the couple’s adorable pooch Stevie Nicks – named so because she shares a birthday with the famous Fleetwood Mac songstress –  explore the premises. 

When asked about her relationship with Brenda O’Reilly, Butt paused. 

“Where would I start?” she began. Little wonder Butt feels overwhelmed with nostalgia. O’Reilly’s has been a proud sponsor of Butt’s Sunday staple, OZFM’s Jigs & Reels, for decades.

A personal bond 

Now celebrating its 25th year in business, the two women share that their personal bond has grown perhaps as deep and as true as their shared love of traditional NL/Irish music. The same music that’s played on stage at O’Reilly’s each week is spun on Jigs & Reels and the two share an admiration for those musical masters who live and breathe tradition.  

“It’s like we are family. Brenda and I go back years, bonding at first because of the music, but staying connected because of a deep friendship and admiration for one another,” Butt shared, adding that having O’Reilly on her show each week is like talking to a  long treasured friend. 

“There’s no script. It’s just she and I having a beautiful conversation about a shared passion, which is music. There’s this shared earnestness when it comes to  promoting the live music scene in Newfoundland and Labrador, and when it comes to highlighting the accomplishments of musicians – both older, more established artists and those just trying to make their mark on the scene – we both really care and connect.”

Butt and O’Reilly – who both glow from the inside out while talking about musical traditions in NL – say they are both “equal parts shocked and amazed” when they think about the staying power of traditional Irish music in this province. 

“I mean, 25 years for O’Reilly’s? I never realized the history Brenda had with O’Reilly’s until now.  Ron Hynes. Ryan’s Fancy. Great Big Sea. These greats are staples on Jigs & Reels and have played in this pub,” Butt shared in awe.

Miss Nicks interrupts the interview, running by with something in her mouth. “Drop it! Drop it! Bring that here!” Butt says, gently scolding her precious pup, who’ll turn two on May 26th. 

Stevie Nicks listens to her momma, earning some cute cuddles and adorable kisses, before Butt returned to the interview.  

‘Make her rounds’

Stevie is feeling right at home, obviously a fan of the music herself considering the amount of time she spends hanging out at the OZFM office with Butt. 

“She’s in the office just about every day and she’s become part of the OZFM & NTV family. Almost everybody has treats in their desk for her now, so she likes to make her rounds,” Butt shared.

Interesting. Maybe it’s not the music after all Stevie likes, we joke. While talking favourite songs or artists would be a tough one for Butt, she does have a few of both that are special, she shared.

“All I can say is there’s no limit when it comes to talent in Newfoundland and Labrador. It’s limitless. But those who stand the test of time always move me. Masterless Men. The Irish Descendants. You never get tired of hearing something by Mark Hiscock or Chris Andrews. Ron Hynes. And I’ve gotten to know a lot of these artists over the years. I’ve helped promote their music by playing listener requests each week, and  you get to know them well,” she says. 

Butt laughs. “You know how they say everyone in Newfoundland is somehow related if you go back far enough? Well,  I actually am related to John Curran of Masterless Men. John’s grandmother and my great-grandmother were twin sisters,” she shared.

Speaking of family and connections, Butt added that she’s proud of OZFM for mixing the latest and greatest hits with traditional music for many reasons, most of all because it enables the station to appeal to musical fans of all ages. 

“I think it’s amazing that young and old alike – that all family members – can tune into OZFM each Sunday. The commitment to tradition and the legacy of this long held tradition each and every Sunday morning is just such an honour to be a part of,” she shared. 

Speaking of tradition, who cooks jiggs dinner in her home if she’s busy working? Her parents, she said with gratitude. 

Spoiled at home

“I’m very fortunate that I have my parents around and they come in on a regular basis and actually bring dinner fixings in and cook it at my house.” 

Fans of Jigs & Reels are no doubt grateful that Butt gets so spoiled at home, enabling her to keep the music going just as they’re about to sit down to their own Sunday dinner, no matter where they are in the world. “I get requests all the time from all over. So many people love the show. You hear it all the time,” she explained proudly. “It’s so rewarding to know that people are not only listening, but interacting with us through those musical requests.”

But again, while the old favourites move her soul, the new songs also get her feet tappin’ she said. 

“The fact that there’s still great music coming out. The Irish Newfoundland music scene is still alive and well, and there’s still great musicians up and coming, and we have new music being added each and every week. You never know what you’re going to hear on Jigs & Reels, but you are guaranteed to love it.”

There’s fun to be had whenever NTV’s Sharon Snow and OZFM’s Danielle Butt get together. It doesn’t matter if it’s work-related, the pleasure is evident as these two long-time co-workers turned friends unite.

One of the places these two fabulously brilliant, talented and stunningly beautiful ladies have a chance to let their hair down is anytime they share the coveted cover of The Newfoundland Herald.

“It’s always fun doing things with friends who lift you up and support you,” Snow begins as the two pose for picture number one the day of the Christmas Cookbook photo shoot. 

Butt and Snow give one another the once over (hair in place? Earrings straight?) and then easily strike a pose and smile for the camera, joking and having fun between setting swap outs and clothing changes. 

Enduring friendship

The glorious red fur coats the two ooze into thanks to the kindness of Always in Vogue, are swapped mid-way through the photo shoot to make sure they both get a chance to experience each jacket.

Sitting on the back of the truck on photo day in a field behind Snow’s house, they share a laugh and a nibble of the food the chefs brought that day to help merry up the backdrop.

When asked how their friendship has endured, it’s an easy answer.

“We just have fun and enjoy one another’s company. From working together on Places to Go and Made Right Here, to weather hits, we’ve had many chances to work together,” Butt shared.

 “Even Christmas is a time to work together. We do the Christmas Parade every year – I host and Sharon is in the parade – and there’s the Salvation Army Dream Tree and the Christmas Kettle. These things are growing traditions here at the company that we get to be involved with together,” Butt added. 

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 Of course, while work is always busy for both women, they always make time for family around Christmas too. 

“We always talk about the value of Christmas memories. Danielle has granddaughters now, one born on her birthday, so Christmas is even more special now,” Snow said. 

Alice and Charlotte certainly make the holidays a little more merry. From baking to heading out around the bay to celebrate at Gunner’s Pond, Butt  shared she can’t wait for family time. 

Snow shared that heading home to Fogo is still a big part of her Christmas tradition. So is making the annual gingerbread house.

“Myself and the kids actually decorated a gingerbread house for one of The Herald covers. It happens every year with my cousin Darlene and her kids, who are about the same age, as Jorja and Ethan, so we do that together every year. Actually, we missed one year and we vowed we’d never let that happen again because we always have a blast.”

‘Kids make Christmas’

 Butt smiles, eager to begin such traditions with her own young granddaughters. “Alice loves to bake. And she’s just so cute. Kids make Christmas so much fun,” Butt said.

Butt also has a very special role come Christmas and that’s being Santa’s little helper around the NTV studio.

“Santa comes into NTV every year to read children’s letters to Santa and I get the honour of helping out with that. That’s always so much fun.”

 Now that her kids are older, is it still Christmas around the Snow household? Is it still magical? 

“Oh yes, absolutely. The kids are big on Christmas. Ordinarily, we would have the house decorated by now. Jorja’s birthday coming up, she will be sweet 16, and we’ve been doing some renovations, so it’s been busy, but we will start decorating soon,” Snow said.

 The tree decorating is always a special time. “We select a Christmas movie and will have a hot chocolate and treats. We spread everything out and the cat goes crazy. It’s a happy, happy time,” Snow laughed. Butt can relate, sharing a photo of her adorable pup, Stevie Nicks. Is Stevie excited for Christmas? 

“Stevie is excited for everything. And yes, she has a couple of outfits for Christmas,” Butt admitted with a laugh.  

The two women say that this year is special for so many across the province and around the world. “We’ve just all been through so much. It’s time to enjoy family and embrace Christmas traditions, whatever they happen to be for us,” Snow said. 

Butt couldn’t agree more.

“Just do what works for your family. Bring in new traditions. Celebrate with family. Enjoy the time you get to spend with one another.”

Time together

And spend time with co-workers you love too, they add. 

Butt smiles across the table at Snow before speaking. “We like each other. We enjoy each other’s company. We hike. We laugh. We share. And we lift each other up, because why not?”

Another great memory? A recent work-related road trip to commemorate 9/11. Snow gets the last word. 

“It was nice to get outside of the building together and be together. While we were still working, we really enjoyed each other’s company. It was fun that we could do a road trip like that for something so meaningful and share it with someone who means so much.”     

It’s not hard to spot Danielle Butt’s office at OZ FM. Her cozy corner is adorned with several bright ‘Made Right Here’ signs, pictures of big events she’s hosted and, on her busy desk, a large stack of CDs. There are too many albums to mention – some national offerings – but traditional favourite Mark Hiscock’s latest solo effort, The Old Fishing Schooner, is front and center.

A MUSICAL MELODY

It’s not surprising. Butt has always put this province first. She, like her popular weekly feature, was proudly made right here. The affable announcer is as authentic as the music she shares with her growing Jigs and Reels audience each Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. With a healthy mix of traditional local tunes — fused with popular Irish standards — it’s a musical melody. Butt, of course, is the perfect host – uniquely informative, professional and engaging.

It’s no surprise she’s a popular Sunday morning guest in homes and cabins all over this province; from the tiny bays and inlets that motivate the lyrics to the homesick Newfoundlanders living abroad and starving for a taste of home. 

“I’m always amazed at just how many people are listening,” says Butt, a die-hard traditional music lover herself. “I get stopped almost everywhere I go with someone telling me they love the show or asking me to play a certain song. It’s very cool.”

LOCAL LEGENDS

Yes, the audience is loyal and, as expected, growing. Online streaming is expanding and, according to OZ FM boss Jay Lawrence, Jigs and Reels is a weekend hit. “The show is so popular we actually had to add extra streams to accommodate all the (online) listeners,” says Lawrence, OZ’s program director.

The five-hour Sunday show showcases the province’s most celebrated musicians, past and present, sharing the spotlight with Irish traditional giants from across the pond. Butt, of course, blends the recipe like a well-prepared Irish stew, brewed just in time for Sunday dinner (you better get it before it’s all gone at 1). 

There’s a lively tune from local legends The Navigators, followed by a classic from The Dubliners. You can sip a mug of coffee to trailblazers like Ryan’s Fancy or kick up the dust, as they say, to The Clancy Brothers.

“It’s so much fun putting this show together,” Butt confirms. “I love it.”

Butt’s passion for the music resonates like a sweet ballad. You can almost imagine her toe-tapping after she throws to each tune. “Don’t kid yourself,” she says with a big laugh, “I’m singing along to every song.”

It’s a musical genre the lovable Carbonear native knows well. She was raised on the sounds of legends like Dermot, Fergus and Ralph, Irish innovators who took their music from there to here, paving the way for a generation to follow. 

Perhaps it was her dad, Don, who fortuitously started the fire. He grew up on Bell Island in the 1950s and ‘60s, right next door to the island’s most famous and celebrated son, the legendary Harry Hibbs. “I was raised on this music and it’s stuck with me ever since.”

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‘A DEADLY SINGER’

Butt has cleverly managed to merge music with broadcasting. Heck, those within earshot of her desk can confirm Butt won’t be mistaken for, say, Maureen Ennis or Delores Keane. “I’m a deadly singer,” she jokes. “Don’t mind them.”

It’s been almost three decades since she broke into the business. At 16, Butt landed her first radio job at CHVO in her hometown Carbonear – as the locals remember: ‘First on the dial, best in the bay.’ Working weekends and holidays, it was a welcomed reprieve from her Grade 10 studies at St. Clare’s Central High, an all-girls school run by nuns where Whiskey You’re the Devil wasn’t exactly blaring in the cafeteria.

That part-time gig, though, planted the seed for a budding garden. She learned the craft and continued to work in radio during her university years at MUN. It was also that time, in the ‘90s, where the traditional music scene was enjoying a rebirth in these parts with a host of bands emerging on the scene. Yes, Great Big Sea was taking traditional tunes to the masses, but Butt was also locked into the local scene with the emergence of groups like Connemara, Fine Crowd and Colcannon (now the Masterless Men). A quick trip to the Blarney Stone was also a spot where she’d see her best pals, a talented young group by the name of The Celtic Connection.

“It was such a thriving music scene and what a blast that was,” says Butt, who still maintains a close relationship with the band.

OZ CRUISER TEAM

It’s been two decades since Butt arrived at OZ. In ’98, she joined forces with local musician Christa Borden to form the station’s Cruiser Team, a stepping stone for those aspiring to get their foot into the business. Her talent didn’t go unnoticed. She was hired full-time and, well, has been a fixture at OZ FM and NTV ever since.

“I’m like a part of the furniture now,” she jokes.

In a company known for multi-dimensional broadcasters, Butt is a chieftain. She’s bridges the world of radio and television with relative ease and, when not on the air, is also a power player for her creative talent.

“Like others at our company, you’re given the opportunity to wear several hats,” says Butt, whose official title is OZ FM’s creative director. 

Professionally, Butt is a master juggler. She is creative director at NTV, her fingertips on almost all commercial television material. She fronts Jigs and Reels on Saturdays and Sundays, hosts two popular features on the award-winning NTV News (Made Right Here and Dining with Danielle), and moonlights on a host of other company-related segments. “It’s hard to find someone more diverse than Danielle,” says NTV GM and long-time friend Lindsey Andrews. “She brings so much talent to our company.”

DREAM JOB

Butt, by her own admission, has a dream job where she can be creative and spontaneous. It also allows her to do what she does best, connect with people. She’s interviewed the biggest and best in the industry, from local legends to Irish music heavyweights like Finbar Furey and Liam Clancy. 

“Sure, what’s not to love?” Butt asks, answering her own question. “This is exactly what I wanted to do with my career.”

And Butt says regular listeners will be in for a special treat on St. Patrick’s Day which, ironically, falls on a Sunday this year – perfect timing for a mug up with your favourite Sunday morning tradition, Jigs and Reels.

Jigs & Reels airs Saturdays from 6-8 a.m. and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Danielle Butt is a well-known name amongst any household across the province, and even in homes across the rest of the country and abroad. Having dedicated the past 28 years of her life to broadcasting, the talented Carbonear-born personality has also been involved with NTV for over a decade as the host of NTV’s Monday feature, Made Right Here and the NTV Lucky Number Contest. Her distinctively charming voice is most often heard every Saturday and Sunday morning on OZFM as the host of Jigs and Reels, Newfoundland’s traditional and Irish music show.

JIGS & REELS

Jigs and Reels is exactly what it sounds like, a radio show featuring traditional Newfoundland tunes with a dash of Irish Celtic music that’ll make you want to get up and do a little jig. For the record, a jig is a common dance type of English origin, and the reel is the most common type of dance tune played in Irish traditional music, heavily influenced by similar dances in Scotland.

With a large Irish background settled in the roots of Newfoundland and Labrador, it comes as no surprise that we’ve adapted our own twist on Celtic music, widely known as Newfoundland traditional, or trad, music. Based on the Irish, English and Cornish traditions that were brought to our shores centuries ago, Newfoundland trad music is quite easily identifiable as being specific to our easternmost province.

“I just added a new song to the Jigs playlist, and it’s not a new song in terms of being released, but it’s a new song to Jigs. It’s Tom Tuohy’s My Little Honda 50 and you’d say it was written from somewhere around the bay, absolutely, but it is an Irish song,” Butt shared in an interview with The Newfoundland Herald.  

“They’re very, very similar. Our connections are so tight and their culture is pretty much the same as ours, their weather is pretty much the same as ours, and we have so many people that immigrated from Ireland, that we really are half Irish.”

Jigs and Reels is still the number one ranked show, with listeners from all over the world who tune in via OZFM.com including Australia, Singapore, Mexico and Costa Rica, just to name a few.

“I’m humbled all of the time. I think it’s just wonderful that people think so much of the show. They always write in, so I have comments every week on Facebook, Twitter, and our OZFM website, people just writing on my wall saying how much they’re enjoying the show every weekend, like these are faithful listeners. Newfoundlanders love their Jigs and Reels,” she explained.

FRIENDS & FAMILY

“I’m so lucky to be in an industry that musicians are so talented and yet they’re all so down to earth. I consider most of them good friends, my extended family. Chris Andrews, I could hang out with him any day. He dropped off his new album recently, I called him afterwards and said, you need to come in soon and do an interview on Jigs. He said come down to the house now and have a cup of tea and we’ll talk about it. We build a relationship.

“Not only do the musicians you hear on Jigs come in and see my playing field, I go out and see theirs. I really have an appreciation for what they do, and I’m honoured to be able to promote Newfoundland’s incredible artists.” Butt shared.

“I’ve developed a close relationship with The Celtic Connection. I’ve been good friends with them now for over 25 years. We joke that I am their resident MC. We’ve travelled the island together and there’s been a lot of laughs over the years. My favourite memories are from the famous Graham Christmas parties in Aquaforte.

“Scott Graham was the mandolin player and youngest of the five Graham boys. They were all born with a musical instrument in their hands, and they all can sing. I picture Scott’s father, Don, getting up to sing George Jones. He’d have his five sons behind him singing back up and playing instruments, and his wife, Liz, tucked under his arm. It really is a whole fam jam and you can tell how close they are. Music does that to people, it really brings people closer together.”

‘NANA’

Jigs and Reels and the crew at OZFM aren’t only known for presenting trad music across the island, they’re also known for using their radio famous voices to promote local charitable causes.

“We had a bit of fun again this year with the Children’s Wish Foundation TV/Radiothon. We broadcasted live from O’Reilly’s that morning and it’s turned into a great annual event,” Butt shared.

“This was our second year. It’s to help any child in our province with a life-threatening illness. We’re going to give them a wish to help boost their spirits, give them quality time with their family and of course, just to make them happy.”

Speaking of children, there’s a new baby girl in Butt’s life who might soon enough steal the spotlight from her.

“First-time grandma, ‘Nana.’ I am a 26-year-old grandma. Make sure you stick that in there,” Butt shared with a laugh.

“Alice is just so much fun and she brings so much enjoyment to our lives. As soon as she comes through the door we’re on the floor playing. Not only has she started to crawl, but she’s now starting to enjoy standing. She can almost stand by herself. She loves baths and food – she’s a lot like her grandma that way. She listens to Jigs and Reels every Sunday and she dances – like seriously – she loves it. Anytime there’s music on, her hands are clapping.”

ST. PATRICK’S DAY

As for St. Patrick’s Day, the radio star will be out listening to The Celtic Connection. “It’s become a tradition, myself and Jennifer, of The Celtic Connection, are like five-year-olds when we’re together. It’s laughs and giggles the whole time. And Glen (Harvey) and Barry (Kenny)… well, ya know, it’s gonna be a time!”

Butt will be putting on a special show of Jigs and Reels for St. Paddy’s Day.

“Jigs and Reels is always special that day, that’s when the show turns even more Irish than Newfoundland, but then you actually really do get to see how much our trad, Newfoundland traditional music, is connected to Irish music.”

Tune in to hear Danielle Butt on Jigs and Reels every Saturday from 6-8 am, and every Sunday from 8 am to 1 pm on 94.7 OZFM or via live stream at OZFM.com. Or visit her on Twitter @OZFMJigsReels