Photo by Tom Cochrane
National award winning duo Nick Earle and Joe Coffin from St. John’s, NL are two young bluesmen you should definitely get to know! Earle and Coffin’s debut album “Live at The Citadel House” is a collection of the duo’s favorite blues standards recorded live in concert, ultimately earning them the 2016 Canadian Folk Music Award for Young Performers, as well as ECMA and MusicNL nominations.
Reviving old blues is just one of the projects these guys have been working on, in February 2017 Earle and Coffin released their sophomore album “Wood, Wire, Blood and Bone”. This “potluck” of electric blues, rock, and be-bop inspired originals and classic blues standards earned them the 2017 MusicNL Jazz/Blues Artist of the Year Award and multiple other MusicNL nominations. Most recently Earle and Coffin were nominated for the 2018 ECMA Blues Recording of the Year.
“A Day in July” is the newest project released under the Citadel House label. This acoustic EP was recorded live off the floor and features three acoustic versions of originals from “Wood Wire Blood & Bone”, as well as three brand new unreleased originals written during the summer of 2017. To add to the accolades, the duo won the 2017 Maritimes to Memphis International Blues Challenge in the solo/duo category and in January 2018 Earle and Coffin proudly represented Atlantic Canada at the coveted International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN, advancing to the Semi-Finalist Round. In addition to making great music and winning awards these 19-year-old blues men have been getting around touring festivals and showcases throughout Canada and the US. In November of 2018, Earle and Coffin had the honour of winning their second Canadian Folk Music Award for Young Performers of the Year. Following this, the guys were nominated for a Maple Blues Award and had a performance on the Galla Stage during the awards ceremony.
In April 2018 the duo started recording their next album and has been working hard on it for the passed year. This new album is set to release mid to late 2019.
Earle and Coffin are soulful vocalists, brilliant guitar players and blessed with engaging personalities experienced beyond their years.
Maple Blues Awards: Gala
Earle and Coffin performing live at the 21st Maple Blues Awards gala after being nominated for Acoustic Act Of The Year.
Maple Blues Awards Gala, Toronto
January 15th, 2019
Earle and Coffin juggle school by day, the blues by night
Acclaimed blues and folk musicians Nick Earle and Joe Coffin are living double lives. The duo won a 2016 Canadian Folk Music Awards for Young Performers of the Year, they have received multiple MusicNL and ECMA nominations, and they have just released their second album, Wood Wire Blood & Bone.
Heather Barrett, CBC Radio
March 26, 2017
Right Now on CHMR FM, it is the SONGWRITERS, today featuring Nick Earle & Joe Coffin, Live in Studio, and featuring music from their Live At Citadel House CD...
Terry Parsons, CHMR
“Blues is easy to play, but hard to feel,” Hendrix was once quoted as saying. Nick and Joe, both 16, get it. The album is varied, with music ranging from Muddy Waters’ “Can’t Be Satisfied” to B.B. King’s “3 O'clock Blues.” Nick and Joe’s guitar skills are exceptional, and their vocals are rich.
Tara Bradbury, The Telegram
Published April 20, 2016
Backstage Pass: Teenage Blues Singers
Many blues musicians sing about the miseries and misadventures they have suffered. But what if you don’t have those life experiences? NTV’s Amanda Mews speaks to teenagers Joseph Coffin and Nick Earle, who prove that soul is ageless.
Amanda Mews - Backstage Pass
April 21 , 2016
Downshift with David Merleau - Off the Beaten Path
Ever wonder why humans don’t eat rocks and aluminum foil? Seems it has something to do with the fact that Jug Bands are actually back from the future. In this show we go off the beaten path in to the nether regions of the Canadian Blues Landscape. DownShift with Dave Merleau, Thursdays, 8pm EST BlueNorthRadio.com
Blue North Radio
February 27, 2015
Budding artists given awards at folk festival.
A group of budding local musicians took home some pretty sweet prizes from the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival this past weekend. Nick Earle and Joseph Coffin won first place, Lauren Eddy won second and Jacob Cherwick took third in the folk festival edition of the Statoil MusicNL NewFound Talent Contest, earning prizes worth a total of more than $6,000
The Telegram
Published on August 11, 2014