The most underrated songwriter in Canada

Topping Al Tuck’s website bio, in very large type, is a quote from a critic that neatly sums up the musician’s career to date. It labels the P.E.I. native “one of North America’s least-known exceptional songwriters.” Tuck laughs at the line taking up such prime promotional real estate on his site. “I should really take that off,” he says. “It’s nice of people to think of me that way, even if it is a bit of a backhanded compliment. It seems I’m famous for not being famous.”

While Tuck may not be well known in the commercial sense, he has had a profound influence on countless musicians on the East Coast and beyond. A masterful songwriter, he has been compared to some of the greats (the name Dylan is often bandied about) and has cultivated a devoted following over two decades. But, perhaps frustratingly to himself and the legions of artists he has inspired, he has never been able to break it big.

Tuck emerged during the explosion of the Halifax music scene in the early ’90s. His intelligent blues- and folk-inspired tunes didn’t fit neatly into the grunge-tinged and indie rock music that was making waves then: “I was either a little behind my time or ahead of it,” he says. But his skills impressed the artists making the type of music that was selling; the biggest band of the day, Sloan, signed Tuck to its own murderecords label, where he released a pair of albums as Al Tuck and No Action.

Those early days necessitated a second job, and Tuck spent years working the night shift at a Halifax call centre. But the 2000s have offered up more opportunities. “I haven’t had a regular job since 2000 or 2001,” he says. “But it doesn’t mean I’m flying high. It means I’ve had to be creative in making things happen, moving around finding the right shows to play.”

When Tuck’s not on tour, the 42-year-old spends more time in P.E.I. than Halifax, to soak up quality time with his three-year-old daughter, Isabel. When he is playing shows, he plans them around the tour schedule of Isabel’s mother, musician Catherine MacLellan. It all seems to be working out well. “I’m pretty close to my ideal situation,” says Tuck. “Being known enough to get enough work would be just fine with me.”

Now with a new album out, Food for the Moon, it’s time for the rest of the world to discover the talent that has long inspired them. “Al Tuck is not kidding anyone,” says Sloan’s Andrew Scott. “He’s a channelled old bluesman of the highest calibre, and he is the real deal. Just listen to his songs.”