It is impossible to separate Newfoundland music from the lifestyle of its people.
Music, song, and dance are intertwined in the fabric of this place.
Often Newfoundland traditional songs tell a story about life in this province - either in the past or the present - including tales of the sea.
Folk songs are the backbone of the province's music.
'Let Me Fish Off Cape St.
Mary's' or 'Star of Logy Bay' memorialize the island in song.
These folk songs are a reflection of a people and their way of life.
Labrador music celebrates the local region and its aboriginal roots.
Labrador musician, Harry Martin, and the folk group, the Flummies, as well as other performers, have popularized the songs and tunes of the area.
Newfoundland music covers every subject from the fishery to politics.
At other times, local music, as music everywhere, evokes strong emotions and connects with a Newfoundlander's strong feelings and intense love for their province.
The songs can focus on comedy, tragedy, everlasting love, or any imaginable circumstance or emotion.
Since many Newfoundland residents have Celtic roots, Irish music rings through the green hills and valleys of the province.
With Saint-Pierre and Miquelon at the island's doorstep and many Newfoundlanders being of French descent, there is also a French influence in the province's music.
Young entertainers are blazing new paths.
The Newfoundland band, Great Big Sea, and other local acts often perform traditional music with a modern twist.
All forms of music (including bluegrass, country, jazz, classical) are embraced in this Atlantic Province.
Newfoundland kitchens were always filled with music and the 'kitchen party' was the place to find the finest local entertainment.
Now island musicians have taken traditional music to the recording studios and, consequently, to a worldwide audience.
Yet the province's homes still resound with the sounds of fiddles and accordions.
Of course, St.
John's most famous street, George Street, is always filled with music emanating from its various bars and pubs.
The love of music is also evident from the number of annual music festivals in the province.
The 34th annual Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival took place at Bannerman Park in St.
John's during August 2010.
This musical three-day event is a big draw and attracts performers from across the province.
The Southern Shore Shamrock Festival, held annually at Ferryland, always attracts a huge crowd.
The 2010 festival marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the event.
The Southern Shore of Newfoundland has strong Irish roots.
This area has many talented performers as well as enthusiastic music lovers.
Within the Irish Loop region of the province, this folk festival is one of the major highlights of the summer.
Music lovers who want to attend the various festivals can find comfortable and affordable accommodations including Newfoundland cottages and hotels.
They can also choose to stay at island inns, bed and breakfasts, hotel suites, or even in cozy cabins.
Wherever tourists go in this beautiful province, they will find what the island band, Simani, alluded to in one of their popular songs.
They will always find 'music and friends' in Newfoundland and Labrador.