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Madison Young

Maine Musician Madison Young singing and playing guitar
Madison Young

Madison Young is a country-pop singer-songwriter from Ellsworth, Maine, now based in Nashville, whose music is driven by personal storytelling and emotional connection. She began writing songs at a young age, with a turning point coming after performing a tribute to her grandmother that resonated deeply with listeners. Her style blends acoustic-driven country and pop influences, pairing honest lyrics with a warm, approachable sound. A regular performer in Bar Harbor, she has built a loyal following through her engaging live shows and strong ties to her hometown. Now writing and performing in Nashville, she continues to grow her career while staying grounded in the experiences that shaped her music.

Madison Raeanne Young a Maine Musician

Madison Young is a country-pop singer-songwriter from Ellsworth, Maine, whose music is rooted in personal storytelling and a deep desire to connect with her audience. Born and raised just outside of Bar Harbor, she grew up surrounded by a supportive family and a strong sense of community—both of which continue to shape her path as an artist today. Music has been a constant in her life from an early age. She began performing as a child, singing in theater productions and picking up the guitar, but quickly realized that performing covers alone wasn’t enough—she wanted to tell her own stories through songwriting.

Crowd listening to Maine Musician Madison Young
Madison Young’s audience.

That instinct to write became something more meaningful in her early teens. After the loss of her grandmother, Madison wrote a song titled “Sleepyhead” as a tribute. When she eventually performed it at a school event, the response was overwhelming. People approached her afterward to share how much the song meant to them and how it helped them process their own experiences with loss. That moment became a turning point—showing her the real impact music could have and solidifying her decision to pursue songwriting as a career.

As she continued to grow, Madison sought out opportunities to develop both creatively and professionally. She attended the University of Southern California, studying music business while minoring in songwriting. Her path there was anything but typical—before even starting in Los Angeles, she spent time studying abroad in London, then made the jump from a small Maine town to one of the largest cities in the country. The transition was challenging, but it pushed her creatively and personally, ultimately shaping both her perspective and her songwriting voice.

After college, Madison returned home briefly during the COVID-19 pandemic before reconnecting with the Bar Harbor music scene. Through a local connection, she began performing regularly at the Ivy Manor Inn, where she quickly became a familiar and well-loved presence over multiple seasons. Those performances helped her grow into a confident live artist, building a following of listeners who returned year after year to hear her play.

One of the most memorable examples of her dedication to performing came during a family cruise that happened to stop in Bar Harbor for just a few hours. Rather than treat it as time off, Madison coordinated an entire performance in that narrow window—flying with her guitar, arranging transportation, and relying on family support (especially her grandmother, who helps her behind the scenes) to make it all happen. She stepped off the ship, played a full set, and made it back in time to reboard—an experience she describes as one of her favorite gigs.

Now based in Nashville, Madison is continuing to pursue songwriting and performance in one of the country’s most competitive music scenes. She regularly participates in writers’ rounds and smaller venue performances, building connections organically by supporting other artists and engaging with the community. While Nashville presents challenges due to the sheer number of talented musicians, she’s found opportunities through genuine relationships and a collaborative mindset.

At the heart of Madison’s music is a focus on connection—whether she’s writing about personal loss, relationships, or the complexities of growing up and leaving home. Her songs aim to take big ideas and express them in ways that feel familiar and relatable. With a foundation built on honesty, persistence, and a love for storytelling, Madison Young continues to evolve as an artist while staying closely tied to the community that first supported her.

More about Madison Young’s Music

 

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Mark “Bluesboy” Kanter

Mark "Bluesboy" Kanter plays blues harmonica
Mark “Bluesboy” Kanter

Mark “Bluesboy” Kanter is a longtime Bar Harbor musician and harmonica player whose career spans more than 50 years. Originally from the Bronx, he found his way to Mount Desert Island in the 1970s and has been a central part of the local music scene ever since. His style is rooted in the blues, blending expressive harmonica playing with a flexible, collaborative approach that allows him to move easily across genres as a sideman. Known for prioritizing feel over flash, Mark focuses on serving the song and creating genuine musical moments. Whether on stage at a venue or at an open mic, he brings a laid-back, soulful presence grounded in decades of experience.

 

Maine Musicians Mark “Bluesboy” Kanter’s Journey

Mark “Blues Boy” Kanter is a longtime fixture of the Mount Desert Island music scene, a harmonica player and performer whose career spans more than five decades. Originally from the Bronx, New York, Mark’s musical journey began in the mid-1960s, when he first picked up the harmonica and started playing around his neighborhood. Early on, he explored a mix of styles, but everything changed when he heard the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. That moment set him on a lifelong path with the blues, a genre that still defines much of his sound today.

In the early 1970s, Mark made a spontaneous trip that would shape the rest of his life. While heading toward Nova Scotia, he picked up two hitchhikers in Connecticut who convinced him to visit Bar Harbor, Maine instead. He never made it to Nova Scotia. That detour turned into a permanent move, and more than 50 years later, Mark is still part of the community, deeply rooted in the local music scene and inspired by the natural beauty of the area.

Over the years, Mark has worn many hats—working in radio, running an internet broadcasting company, managing and owning restaurants, and even working as a carpenter and auto mechanic. Through all of it, music has been the one constant. As he puts it, it’s been “the greatest gift” in his life, something that has carried him through every chapter and change along the way.

Known around town as “Bluesboy,” a nickname he initially resisted but eventually embraced, Mark has built a reputation as both a performer and a collaborator. While his personal shows are rooted in blues, he regularly plays as a sideman across a wide range of styles, adapting to whatever the music calls for. His approach is grounded in listening and serving the song rather than the ego, something he values deeply when playing with other musicians.

Mark’s harmonica playing is central to his sound, and he often performs with a full set of instruments in different keys to match whoever he’s playing with. Over time, his relationship with the instrument has become almost conversational—less about mastery and more about expression. For Mark, the goal isn’t perfection, but those moments when something new happens musically and connects with the audience.

A regular performer in Bar Harbor and across Hancock County, Mark is known for his presence at venues like the Ivy Manor Inn, where he’s been a key part of the live music scene. He’s played in numerous bands and collaborations over the years, including the blues group “Grumpy Old Men,” and continues to sit in with a wide range of local acts. Whether performing for a packed lawn of vacationers or a small open mic crowd, he brings the same mindset: if the music reaches even one person, it’s done its job.

At his core, Mark Kanter is focused on creating meaningful musical moments. With a career built on spontaneity, collaboration, and a deep love for the blues, he remains a vital and respected voice in Maine’s music community.

More on Mark “Bluesboy” Kanter

More Maine Musicians

Ivy Afternoons

Ivy Afternoons logo music of Bar Harbor
Ivy Afternoons logo music of Bar Harbor

Every afternoon from May through October, musicians from Mount Desert Island and abroad gather at the Ivy Manor Inn’s garden in Bar Harbor, Maine for good drinks, great music, and some outside goodness.

Ivy Afternoons is a 6 part documentary series.

Leirigh Films LLC

A small film and video production studio focused on creating inspiring, meaningful, and enlightening films and stories.

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Takoda Dionne

Takoda Dionne a Live Looping Maine Musician

Maine Musicians Takoda Dionne
Takoda Dionne

Takoda Dionne is a Maine-based live looping musician from Mount Desert Island who builds full, layered performances entirely in real time using guitar, vocals, and percussion. At 18, he has developed a distinctive sound that blends pop, folk, acoustic rock, and touches of hip-hop. Inspired by artists like Ed Sheeran, he uses looping technology to create the feel of a full band as a solo performer. A regular on the Bar Harbor music scene, he’s known for his energetic shows, technical skill, and engaging stage presence.

Starting at a Young Age

Takoda Dionne is a young, Maine-based musician carving out a name for himself with an energetic and inventive approach to live performance. Born and raised on Mount Desert Island and currently based in Bar Harbor, Takoda has been surrounded by music for most of his life. The youngest of five siblings, he grew up in a family where music was always encouraged, with strong support from his mom and dad, helping spark his interest early on.

Maine Musician Takoda Dionne with his guitars, gear, and crowd
Takoda Dionne

At 16 years old (at the time of this 2024 interview), Takoda has already developed a distinctive style centered around live looping. His performances are entirely live, with nothing pre-recorded, and built layer by layer in real time. Using an acoustic guitar (and sometimes piano), he creates rhythm by tapping out percussion, then adds bass lines, melodies, and harmonies, all while singing. With a looping setup that allows for multiple tracks and unlimited overdubs, he’s able to build a full, dynamic “wall of sound” that feels more like a band than a solo act.

Takoda first picked up the guitar around the start of the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, inspired in part by seeing his dad get a new instrument. From there, he quickly dove in, learning chords and studying other musicians. His interest in looping was sparked after watching artists like Ed Sheeran, and he began experimenting with the technique after receiving a loop pedal as a gift. Over time, looping became central to his sound, allowing him to expand beyond traditional acoustic performance into something more layered and immersive.

Maine Musicians Takoda Dionne performs with a crowd
The crowd at the Ivy Manor Inn.

Musically, Takoda blends elements of pop, folk, acoustic rock, and even hip-hop into a style that feels both modern and personal. His setlists include a mix of covers and original songs, all tied together by thoughtful lyrics and a strong sense of structure in his live arrangements. While his performances are carefully mapped out, there’s still room for variation and the occasional improvisation.

A regular performer around Bar Harbor, Takoda plays frequently and has built a reputation as a tireless and engaging live act. He’s known not only for his technical ability but also for his easygoing stage presence and connection with audiences. Whether performing for a full crowd or a small, supportive room, he brings enthusiasm and focus to every show—often playing for hours at a time.

Maine Musicians Takoda Dionne's red shoes
Red shoes.

From his signature red shoes (chosen for practical looping precision but now part of his identity) to his carefully layered sound, Takoda Dionne is a musician who combines creativity, discipline, and a genuine love of performing.

More on Takoda Dionnne

More Maine Musicians

Ivy Afternoons

Ivy Afternoons logo music of Bar Harbor
Ivy Afternoons logo music of Bar Harbor

Every afternoon from May through October, musicians from Mount Desert Island and abroad gather at the Ivy Manor Inn’s garden in Bar Harbor, Maine for good drinks, great music, and some outside goodness.

Ivy Afternoons is a 6 part documentary series.

Leirigh Films LLC

A small film and video production studio focused on creating inspiring, meaningful, and enlightening films and stories.

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Nathan Grant

Bar Harbor Maine Musician Nathan Grant

Nathan Grant is a Maine-based musician with more than two decades in the local music scene. He’s known for his versatile, audience-friendly style that blends rock, folk, reggae, and classic pop influences. Born in the Bangor area and raised on Deer Isle, Grant grew up surrounded by small-town coastal culture, an environment he credits with shaping both his musicianship and his sense of humor on stage. Though his primary instrument is guitar—often acoustic, but just as often electric—he also plays bass, piano, drums, mandolin, and banjo, and has performed in countless bands and one-off collaborations over the years. In recent seasons he has been a regular performer at the Ivy Manor Inn, where his relaxed solo sets reflect his belief that live music should feel spontaneous, familiar, and connected to the community, much like the creative, salt-air towns of coastal Maine where he learned to play.

Maine Musician Nathan Grant performs in Bar Harbor
Nathan Grant

Nathan 

Maine Musician Nathan Grant's acoustic guitar.
Nathan Grant’s acoustic guitar.

Nathan Grant is a Maine musician and singer/songwriter who has been part of the local music scene for more than twenty years, playing in bands, sitting in with other performers, and performing solo throughout the Downeast coast. Born in the Bangor area and raised on Deer Isle, Grant grew up in a small island community after his mother took a teaching job there, and he often jokes that living on the island gave him the accent and the outlook even though he was technically “from away.” Music became part of his life early on, inspired by the kind of guitar-driven performances he saw in movies as a kid, and by the time he was in elementary school he was already getting on stage at talent shows, experimenting with whatever styles he was listening to at the time. That early experience helped him get past his shyness and set the tone for the way he still approaches performing today.

“Pandering pastiche. That’s how I’d classify my style. I don’t do heavy metal. I don’t do polka, but I’ll go pretty much everywhere else.” – Nathan Grant

Grant’s main instrument is guitar, and in the summer he splits his time between acoustic and electric, often switching from a clean acoustic set to playing his Telecaster with a bit of overdrive whenever the setting allows. He also plays piano, bass, drums, mandolin, and banjo, though he says he does not always get the chance to use them in performance. Over the years he has played in reggae bands, Irish groups, and plenty of one-off projects, and he prides himself on being willing to try almost any style of music. He sometimes describes his approach as a kind of “pandering pastiche,” meaning he enjoys playing songs people recognize and respond to, even if they come from completely different genres. For him, the goal is not to stay inside one category but to make the performance entertaining and to meet the audience where they are.

Maine Musician Nathan Grant talking to the audience.
Taking requests from the audience.

In recent seasons, Grant has been a regular performer at the Ivy Manor Inn, where he often plays solo sets and enjoys the relaxed, open setting. He likes the way the music connects with everything happening around it — people sitting outside, walking by, talking, listening, and gradually getting drawn into the performance. He sees places like this as part of what makes the Maine coast special, with a strong concentration of artists, musicians, and people willing to try creative things. Having grown up on an island and spent most of his life around the water, Grant feels that the coastal communities have always had a certain energy that keeps him playing, experimenting, and coming back each season.

More Maine Musicians

Ivy Afternoons

Ivy Afternoons logo music of Bar Harbor
Ivy Afternoons logo music of Bar Harbor

Every afternoon from May through October, musicians from Mount Desert Island and abroad gather at the Ivy Manor Inn’s garden in Bar Harbor, Maine for good drinks, great music, and some outside goodness.

Ivy Afternoons is a 6 part documentary series.

Leirigh Films LLC

A small film and video production studio focused on creating inspiring, meaningful, and enlightening films and stories.

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Kip & Emily Young

Maine Musicians: Kip & Emily Young

Kip Young and Emily Young perform together as the father-daughter acoustic duo Em & Co., a partnership that began about fifteen years ago. Their set list comes from the music they enjoy listening to, with Emily often suggesting songs and Kip working out how to arrange them for acoustic guitar. Kip, who spent years playing electric guitar in rock bands, says the acoustic duo has become one of the most enjoyable musical projects he’s ever done. Both grew up in the small lobster fishing town of Corea, Maine.

Maine Musicians Kip & Emily Young
Kip & Emily Young

A Father-Daughter Duo

Kip and Emily Young are a father-daughter acoustic duo who perform together as Em & Co., bringing a laid-back mix of songs, stories, and local charm to stages around Bar Harbor and the Downeast Maine coast. The two have been playing together for roughly fifteen years, a partnership that started casually when Emily was about ten years old. Kip, who spent years recording and playing music in his home studio, remembers his daughter hanging around the microphones as a kid, curious about what he was doing. One day she asked him to learn a Taylor Swift song, and before long the two of them had worked up a set. Their first performance together came at a teacher’s wedding reception, where they played a few songs. After that, Emily would occasionally join her father on stage with his band, sitting in for a few tunes before the idea of performing regularly as a duo slowly took shape.

Maine Musician Kip Young on guitar.
Kip Young on guitar.

Over time they began playing small local spots, including early acoustic shows in Birch Harbor, and eventually experimented with a full band setup with bigger sound and lights. That version didn’t last long, though, and the pair realized they preferred the simpler, more relaxed feel of acoustic shows. In recent years they’ve become regular performers around Bar Harbor, especially at outdoor daytime shows where the atmosphere is easygoing and the crowd is there to listen. They’ve played dozens of shows each summer, and Kip, who also performs with several other bands, stays busy most weekends, while Emily balances music with her work as a cosmetologist. Kip works as a counselor, but both hope to spend more time focusing on music as the shows keep coming.

Maine Musicians Kip and Emily Young
Emily Young on vocals, Kip Young on guitar.

The duo’s song list reflects whatever they happen to be listening to at the time. Emily often suggests songs she likes, while Kip figures out how to translate them to acoustic guitar, even when the originals are built around piano or full band arrangements. The result is a set that jumps between styles but keeps the same mellow groove. For Kip, who spent years playing louder rock and blues in electric bands, the acoustic format has been a welcome challenge and one of the most enjoyable things he’s done in music.

Both grew up in the small lobster fishing town of Corea, Maine, in Gouldsboro. Today Kip still lives there, surrounded by woods and wildlife, while Emily has been living and working nearby in Hancock County. Wherever they play, they say the best part is the people they meet along the way. Performing in Bar Harbor has brought them audiences from all over the world, along with regulars who come back every summer to hear them again. Looking ahead, Kip and Emily hope to write more of their own songs and spend even more time playing together, building on a musical partnership that started at home and grew into something they now share with crowds all across the coast.

Find Maine Musicians, Kip Young and Emily Young at:

  • Em & Co.
  • @emandkip

More Maine Musicians

Ivy Afternoons

Every afternoon from May through October, musicians from Mount Desert Island and abroad gather at the Ivy Manor Inn’s garden in Bar Harbor, Maine for good drinks, great music, and some outside goodness.

Ivy Afternoons is a 6 part documentary series.

Leirigh Films LLC

A small film and video production studio focused on creating inspiring, meaningful, and enlightening films and stories.

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Ivy Afternoons’ Maine Musicians Series Premieres

“Maine Musicians” Documentary Series Premieres, Spotlighting Bar Harbor’s Local Music Community

BAR HARBOR, MAINE — A new documentary series, Maine Musicians, is set to premiere online, offering an intimate look at the artists who define the musical identity of Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island.

Maine Musicians is a 16-episode documentary series of five-minute portraits, spotlighting the artists who define Bar Harbor, Maine’s musical identity. Each mini-documentary focuses not just on performance, but on the person — their inspirations, challenges, creative process, and the landscapes or communities that shaped them. These films offer a quiet, human look at the musicians behind the music, revealing what it means to create art in Maine.

New episodes will be released weekly beginning April 14, with each installment featuring a different local artist. The series includes a range of musicians working across folk, acoustic, blues, and singer-songwriter traditions, reflecting the diversity and depth of the region’s music scene.

Filmed in and around Bar Harbor, the series emphasizes a strong sense of place, capturing both the individuality of each artist and the shared environment that influences their work.

Maine Musicians also serves as a companion to Ivy Afternoons, a documentary concert series featuring full-length outdoor performances by many of the same artists, filmed in the garden of the Ivy Manor Inn in downtown Bar Harbor.

Episode Release Schedule

Kip & Emily Young :: April 14
Nathan Grant :: April 21
Takoda Dionne :: April 28
Mark “Blues Boy” Kanter :: May 5
Madison Young :: May 12
Christian Cuff :: May 19
Hanna Risley :: May 26
Griffin Graves :: June 2
Travis Peterson & Molly (Moon of Quiet for Sue) :: June 9
Dave “Dirty Dawg” Dawson :: June 16
Michael Anderson :: June 23
Cory Fong :: June 30
Dan Lorey :: July 7
Gabe & Suzanne Wood (Whippoorwill Wood) :: July 14
Abe Barrett :: July 21
Brandon Stallard & Matt Henley :: July 28

*Release dates are subject to change.

Watch the Series

Maine Musicians

Maine Musicians – Ivy Afternoons

Media Contact

L. V. O’Connell
Leirigh Films LLC
info@leirighfilms.com

Ivy Afternoons