CANMORE – Born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon, singer songwriter Phillip Alexander Nugent’s journey to the Bow Valley has been a familiar one.
He worked a couple of summers for Parks Canada, went back to school, went travelling, then returned to get married and have kids. When asked where his musical journey began, “birth,” is what he said with a hearty laugh.
“Yeah, I practically came out singing,” Nugent said. “Ever since I can remember, I’ve been singing and making up songs. I was always very musical from an early age. I started doing musical theatre when I was about five years old.”
After high school Nugent studied musical theatre at MacEwan University in Edmonton, which is what originally brought him to Alberta, and he has been able to make a career in the field.
“That’s what I do for Parks Canada,” Nugent said. “I do musical theatre to educate people on the mountains and the environment and animals.”
Mountain World Heritage Interpretive Theatre is Parks Canada’s award-winning theatre troupe, and for someone with musical inclinations it is the perfect day job. To perform solo, however, Nugent realized he needed accompaniment, and so taught himself how to play guitar. His self-titled six-song EP is the first recording Nugent has done professionally.
“I saved up a bunch of money from playing gigs around the valley here, and I was looking for a producer. A friend of mine suggested that I get in touch with Russell Broom.”
Broom has worked with Jann Arden, Leeroy Stagger and Chantal Kreviazuk, and lent his considerable talents to the EP as producer and engineer, as well as playing guitar, bass and percussion.
“I think 'Corduroy Prophet' is probably one of my favourites,” Nugent said of the songs on the EP. “It’s got a really sort of driving feel to it. It’s really fun and upbeat, and then when Russell Broom got his hands on it he added this really cool electric guitar part that just opened it right up. Turned it into something more than it was.”
Many of the songs on the EP are inspired by Nugent’s wife, Michelle, and their children Miles and Beck. The album cover reflects that family influence. Michelle is a graphic designer by trade and laid out the artwork, and the whimsical interpretation of the sky is a finger painting Miles and Beck worked on together.
With the EP out, Nugent’s focus remains on family. The Parks job is summer seasonal, his winter gig is stay-at-home dad for his two boys, but writing new material is never far from his mind.
“The goal is always to do more, to keep doing it, to create constantly. And I would love to do another album or EP.”
Nugent’s current EP, bio and information on upcoming gigs can be found at phillipalexandernugent.com.
