Welcome to my new website (in development)
Lindsay Johnstone is one of the best up and coming traditional fiddlers on the East Coast of Canada. Born into a musical family with long Cape Breton roots, Lindsay has been playing and studying music since she was three. At six she took up the fiddle and it was an instant love affair! Having learned from some of the best fiddlers in the region, Lindsay is one of the best of a new generation of fiddlers. The core of her music is Celtic, encompassing both traditional and modern influences, but she also plays Don Messer and other "down east" tunes, Acadian tunes, as well as some of the best modern compositions for fiddle, but her passion always returns to Cape Breton music. Lindsay spent many summers growing up studying at the Gaelic College in St. Ann's, Cape Breton. Beyond this, Lindsay has also composed her own tunes, one which is featured on her album. Her playing has been described as fiery and precise. At age 16, she released her first studio album of the same name, "Fiery and Precise". The CD features both Lindsay (fiddle, Bodhran, step dance) and her father, Barry, who played drums, bass, bodhran, and guitar on the album.
For most of her music career, Lindsay's father Barry accompanied her playing primarily six string guitar blending finger-style and particularly fast flat picking to create both bass lines and percussive rhythms which were the perfect compliment to Lindsay's fiddling. Barry has since passed away but has left a profound musical legacy.
Lindsay continues to play in his memory (as he would have wanted).
For over 10 years, Lindsay and Barry played many gigs together across the region including performing on the Northumberland Ferries Music on Deck Program crossing the waters between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Lindsay and Barry also played as part of the Summer Sounds festival at the Decoste centre, the Colchester Highland games, and the Tatamagouche Tattoo Festival as well as many other events. Lindsay has earned three university degrees having studied Sociology, Celtic Studies, and Education and now is in the process of studying the Visual Arts. While at university, fiddling was put on a bit of a back burner. Now a teacher, Lindsay has rekindled her love for fiddling.
TUNE-A-DAY PROJECT
On Youtube @lindsayjohnstonefiddle
In 2026, her goal is to play a tune-a-day for an entire year in memory of her Dad and post it to her Youtube Channel. You can find the link to all of the videos here. Summer 2026, Lindsay will be studying master fiddle classes in Ireland as part of "The Fleadh", the largest traditional Irish music festival in the world, held in Belfast.
Lindsay is now back playing publicly again, but this time with her mom, Ruby, accompanying her on piano. When not practicing, Lindsay lives a busy life but still finds time to teach the Cape Breton style of fiddling to young students. In 2025 Lindsay was awarded $16,000 from MusiCounts to purchase 20 fiddles and she is now teaching beginner fiddle lessons to students at her school. Lindsay is a firm believer that music should be shared and passed down to the next generation to preserve the culture and tradition.
Lindsay provides a great musical experience for entertainment.
If you aren't tapping your feet along with this music, you'd better check your pulse!
Recent Interviews
Listen to an Interview with Lindsay on Information Morning - Cape Breton with Steve Sutherland recorded on March 17, 2026.
Listen on Soundcloud
FIERY & PRECISE on SOUNDCLOUD
If you have any comments or questions - please email contact@lindsayjohnstone.ca.
