Matthew Byrne

Matthew Byrne has established himself as one of Canada’s foremost traditional singers. His rich and powerful vocals, refined guitar style, and compelling interpretations of unique traditional songs have made him a favourite of folk audiences at home in Newfoundland, across Canada and abroad. Storytelling through song is a fundamental duty of traditional music, and Matthew does this brilliantly. With parents who were singers and song collectors, he was brought up with a strong family focus on sharing songs and has cultivated a distinctive repertoire and deep appreciation for rediscovering and reinventing traditional material. Matthew was the recipient of the Traditional Album and Traditional Singer awards at the 2026 Canadian Folk Music Awards.