Celtic godfather's papers back in Cape Breton

The personal documents and fan letters of John Allan Cameron, the godfather of Celtic music, have been donated to Cape Breton University.

The Cape Breton native was once the lone voice of Celtic music in the country.

Now his personal papers are back in Cape Breton from Ontario and can be studied by fans, musicians and scholars of the Celtic music tradition.

"[The collection] will be used by the interpretive centre to strengthen that culture that is so vibrant," CBU president John Harker said Wednesday.

Harker made the announcement at the 10th annual Celtic Colours International Festival, an event unimaginable when Cameron began his career playing Scottish pipe and fiddle tunes on guitar.

Born in Inverness in 1938 to a musical family, Cameron blazed a trail for other East Coast artists to follow.

He recorded, toured the world, and appeared on television music shows. He stood out on Singalong Jubilee as the only performer in a kilt.

Cameron had his own show, The John Allan Cameron Show, which ran between 1975 and 1981.

In 2003 he was inducted into the Order of Canada for his role in establishing the Celtic music scene.

Jodi McDavid, an archivist at CBU's Beaton Institute, says the documents, daily planners, newspaper clippings and fan letters are a treasure trove of information about Celtic music in Cape Breton.

"There has been a revival," said McDavid, "and I think anyone interested in that could find things in here."

The collection is housed in the newly established Centre for Cape Breton Studies.

Cameron, 67, who suffers from a rare form of bone cancer and leukemia, is living in Ontario.