Small Town Saints is one of Niverville’s hottest new bands. The husband-and-wife team of Shaun and Sylvia St. Cyr started the duo in early November 2015 and have garnered a reputation for their unique takes on established songs.
“We do basically anything,” says Sylvia. “We do country duets, we do pop… we also do some rock.”
The couple has a wide range of musical backgrounds, which contributes to their ability to flow seamlessly from one genre to the next. They’ve covered songs from bands as wide-ranging as Avenge Seven Fold to Foo Fighters to Imagine Dragons.
“Basically everything but folk and polka music,” jokes Sylvia.
The couple began singing together casually 11 years ago when they first met. “We would do duets and stuff, just for fun,” says Sylvia.
Shaun’s parents would get them to sing at functions and small events. Ten years went by before Shaun asked Sylvia to create the band, and she jumped on the opportunity.
Before Small Town Saints, Shaun played in a number of different bands with fellow musicians Brady Dyck, Jordan St. Cyr, and Evan St. Cyr. Past band names people may remember include Red Riot, Lady Venom, and Groundswell.
The individual members soon went their separate ways, with Brady and Jordan moving on to successful solo careers and Evan co-running a prominent music production studio in Niverville. Shaun went on to be the lead singer of popular rock band Whiskey Talks, a band he remains with to this day.
Small Town Saints has played at Hespeler’s Cookhouse and Tavern in Niverville, and their regular fans have been coming out to support the new group.
“All of our fans have been amazing,” says Sylvia. “Our fans are incredible, a small amazing cluster.”
When asked about the biggest challenges of working with her husband, Sylvia mentions the odd creative difference. “Because he is so naturally gifted at everything musical and I am not… I will have an opinion and he will have an educated opinion, and so we sometimes clash in that and I usually just back down and say, ‘Yup, you’re mostly right.’”
Small Town Saints is planning a trip to Nashville this month. Shaun, an already established songwriter, will be taking a song-writing seminar. Original songs by Small Town Saints may be in the works.
The team is keen to see where this trip to Nashville will lead. “We don’t actually know what it will bring,” says Sylvia. “We’re just excited for new opportunities.”
After their trip, Small Town Saints will be performing at the Pat Porter Active Living Centre on April 22. They were also recently tapped to play a few songs at the Niverville fair in June.
It’s not often you get to follow a rising band like Small Town Saints from the very beginning, but I for one am eager to see them reach the top.
