Alex Buchanan lives in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, where he was born in 1991. The only child of two musically-minded parents, he became interested in playing and writing music at an early age, settling on piano and keyboard as his primary instrument. He writes original songs influenced by the type of music he enjoys; The Beatles, Wings, ELO, The Guess Who, plus local influences such as singer and songwriter Robbie Smith.
Besides writing and playing, Alex also enjoys the production of music and has done live sound at many local festivals and venues, notably the Osprey Arts Centre in Shelburne, where he has been the sound technician for artists such as Jill Barber, Mocean Dance, and The Nova Scotia Mass Choir. In 2008, he was apprenticed for six months with award-winning Feswick Productions in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, where he acted as assistant engineer for studio clients such as Ryan Neilson, Drumlin, and Faded Blue.
In March 2009, Alex and four of his classmates entered the national “Racism: Stop It” video competition by creating a one minute music video with a message against racism. The video featured an original song written and performed by Alex and was one of the ten national winners, resulting in an awards presentation in Ottawa and CBC television broadcast schedule for one year. Alex was also the 2008 song writing winner at the Coal Shed Music Festival in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, with his tune becoming the festival’s theme song for promotional materials.
In late 2008, using his experience at Feswick Productions, Alex began work at the studio on a ten-song album of original music. This self-titled album, which was released in early summer of 2009, showcases Alex’s song writing skills, including his penchant for catchy melodies. On the album, Alex is heard playing piano and keyboards, main and back-up vocals and acoustic guitar, while Tim Feswick can be heard playing electric, acoustic and bass guitar. Other musicians on the album include noted local musicians Chett Buchanan – also Alex’s father – on slide guitar, Alan Crosby on drums, and Kathleen Glauser and Lisa Buchanan – Alex’s mother – on back-up vocals.
After graduating from Shelburne Regional High School with several honours and scholarships in June, 2009, Alex has enrolled in the Recording Arts Programme at Nova Scotia Community Collage Waterfront Campus in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. He intends to make his lifelong love of music a successful career.