Port Cities is a
Canadian band based in
Halifax,
Nova Scotia. Formed in 2015, Port Cities is composed of
Dylan Guthro,
Breagh MacKinnon, and
Carleton Stone —each already a child of a singer/songwriter with an established solo career. The band signed with turtlemusik/Warner Music in 2016 and released its debut album in 2017.
History
Guthro, Mackinnon, and Stone met in 2011 at the
Gordie Sampson Song Camp, an annual event in
Cape Breton[1] where they formed a friendship.
Port Cities was formed in 2015. In 2016, the band was signed to turtlemusik/Warner Music; their debut album was released in February 2017.[2]
In 2016, Port Cities won Casino Nova Scotia's third annual Artist in Residence competition, which awarded them $20,000.[3]
In 2016, the band released its first two songs, "Astronaut" and "Back to the Bottom." The debut album, produced by
Gordie Sampson, was released February 10, 2017.[4] On February 23, 2017, their debut single "Back to the Bottom" reached #1 on CBC Radio 2.[5] That same year, Port Cities took the lead at the 2017 Nova Scotia Music Awards, winning five, including Entertainer of the Year, Digital Artist of the Year, Group Recording of the Year, Pop Recording of the Year, and Recording of the Year.[6]
In February 2018, Port Cities released their single “Idea of You”.[7] That spring, they toured across Canada,[8] as well as Germany[9] and the United Kingdom.[10]
Port Cities were among the 2018/2019 Allan Slaight Juno Masterclass Winners, Canada’s premiere artist development program selected by a “super-jury” of music industry leaders[11] Of the four master class participants, Port Cities was chosen to perform at the 2019 Juno Gala Dinner and Awards on March 16.[12]
Their most recent single is titled “Montreal”.[13]
On Friday, September 20, 2019, the band stated keyboardist and singer Breagh MacKinnon would be leaving to pursue “new creative opportunities.” Guthro and Stone have confirmed that they will be continuing as a band under the name Port Cities.[14]