Alan Doyle

What does it take to be a peak performer at the top of your game? We often see professional athletes and entertainers as being naturally talented. What we don’t see is all the preparation—the collaboration and passion behind the scenes—that goes into excelling at every turn. It is this readiness, according to Alan Doyle, that is present in every top performer and team. Using stories from his legendary career as an artist, Doyle shows you how excellence means being able to improvise at a moment’s notice—and that nothing prepares you for going off book, like knowing the book forwards and backwards. Giving you practical life lessons in an endlessly entertaining fashion, Doyle shows us that preparation—be it for the next big concert, or business meeting—is the key to greatness.

Whether in a van, a bus, or occasionally in a broken car, few have had the opportunity to travel across the Canadian coasts like Great Big Sea front man Alan Doyle. Equal parts hilarious and heartwarming, Doyle tells numerous tales of leaving Petty Harbour, Newfoundland and discovering the unexpected in mainland Canada during his time on tour. Turning his perspective outward across the country, Doyle reflects on a life punctuated by triumphant leaps forward, deflating steps backward, and everything in between. On his many adventures, Doyle’s established notions about Canada were often debunked, while his own identity as a Newfoundlander was constantly challenged. Giving you an extraordinary snapshot of the great white north that’s as heartfelt as it is insightful, Doyle taps into the complexities of the Canadian community as told by a wandering musician trying to navigate a vast, diverse, and wonder-filled country.