The passing of charismatic and beloved singer-songwriter Bruce Guthro on Sept. 5, 2023, after his battle with cancer, left a massive void in the Canadian music industry, and especially in the lives of those closest to him: wife Kim, son Dylan, and daughter Jodi Guthro.
In tribute to the salt-of-the-earth songsmith, troubadour, mentor, family man, and enthusiastic cook, an opportunity to break bread, sip wine, and gather for a Songwriters Circle seemed the most eloquent way to bid farewell to the man who touched so many lives.
Twenty-something years ago, Guthro started the Songwriters Circles. He gathered esteemed artists and up-and-coming musicians to join him on stage in a circle to share music, anecdotes, and stories. The circles included anywhere from three to five musicians taking turns and playing music. No fancy studio tricks, just the song, the songwriter, and the audience.
Guthro’s infectious, easy-going manner, compelling storytelling gift, and quick wit made him the perfect host. Fox Harb’r Resort in Fox Harbour, N.S., has hosted the sold-out Bruce Guthro Songwriters Circles each year since 2002, and so for a final tribute, friends, family, and guests were hosted by long-time friends and fellow musicians Irish Mythen, Kim Dunn, J.P. Cormier, and Matt Minglewood for a night of songs, memories, and food.
Guthro understood, more than most, our shared identity as humans and the similarities of our needs. There is something reassuring, something grounding, about sharing a process or experience from which we all gain pleasure. And few things do this better than music and food.
Fox Harbr Resort’s Executive Chef Jeff McInnis did what he does best: to honour his friend and fellow Cape Bretoner, he cooked. In a banquet-style celebration at the Joyce Centre at the resort, McInnis created a menu that delivered every conceivable dish Guthro would have been proud of. Rooted in East Coast traditions and cuisine like hodge podge, rappie pie, fishcakes, lobster, and war cake, it was food that would comfort and evoke memories through connection to roots and songs but also, bring joy.
“I knew that Bruce was always very connected to Cape Breton and being born and raised in Sydney Mines in particular, there were foods and traditions that he loved,” says McInnis. “So, I planned a menu that pulled from my own background and experience but rooted in as many of Mr. Guthro’s favourites.”
Singer, songwriter, and daughter Jodi Guthro, who will now continue the legacy of the songwriter circles, remembers her dad as being as comfortable in the kitchen as he was on stage. Where music was always blasting from his record player as he cooked the family brunch and where she learned that all important intersection of food, music, life, love, and loss.
“I think music and food have so much in common,” she says. “Making a meal and making a song are both delicate creative processes. They’re both a way to express yourself. They’re a form of therapy and comfort that bring nostalgia, but they also awaken new ideas, and Dad got that.”
We’ve shared a few recipes from Chef McInnis, along with Jodi Guthro’s fondest food memories in celebration of her dad Bruce’s lyrical journey, his love of food, and the importance of the gathering. Scroll down for the interview, and follow these links for the recipes: Hodge Podge, Nova Scotian Fish Cakes, Roasted Nova Scotian Apple Salad, and War Cake.
JODI GUTHRO TALKS ABOUT HER DAD
If you picked four of your dad’s favourite songs and musicians, that were always playing in the kitchen or at the dinner table, what would they be?
A few songs that ring off the top of my head are: Eva Cassidy’s “Fields of Gold”, “Whiskey and You” by Chris Stapleton, John Prine’s “Hello in There”, and Johnny Cash’s version of “House of the Rising Sun.” Dad has always appreciated the art of song writing. He had a long list of artists that he considered talented songwriters, but he held these four closest to his heart. I could always hear them blasting from the kitchen on his record player on Sunday mornings while he was making the family brunch.
What is your earliest childhood food memory?
Meat and potatoes, of course! I was a picky eater as a young child, and (according to Dad) the only meal I would finish was a reversed version of shepherd’s pie (a heap of mashed potatoes with ground beef and peas on top). Even as I got older and fell in love with all food. Dad kept the running joke, “We are having Jodi’s favourite dinner tonight,” whenever he would whip it up!
What did your dad love to cook?
If he was in the kitchen, there was always a vinyl spinning and a flavourful smell in the air. He had so many dishes he enjoyed making, such as fish cakes and beans, barbecue steak, spaghetti and meatballs ... But in recent years, chicken souvlaki was his go-to.
Did he have a favourite meal?
There was nothing Dad loved more than a big lobster feed. If there was a newspaper covering the table, a bright red pile of Cape Breton lobster, a cutting board, a butcher’s knife, and his family surrounding him, he was at his happiest, in his element, and ready to get cracking. My mother always accompanied it with her delicious potato salad and a glass of white wine.
What was mealtime like around the dinner table at the Guthro house?
It always consisted of great conversation. On special occasions, Dad would like to ask a question like, “What are you most thankful for?” or “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” and everyone would have to go around and give their answer. John Mayer was usually the choice for background dinner music.
Do you have a family recipe that has been passed down to you?
It was hard for Dad to pass down exact recipes because he always cooked with his heart. He did pass down his overall love for being in the kitchen, as well as a few tips and tricks. My brother Dylan has now mastered his variation of Dad’s spaghetti and meatballs, and I am perfecting his chicken souvlaki.
What are some of the things you love the most about Cape Breton that you share with your dad?
I love the comfort of Cape Breton. You can find it in the scenery, the music, but most importantly in the people and the food.