Barney Bentall looking forward to playing the Maritimes with Jim Cuddy

Barney Bentall says the Martimes are a great place to kick off a Canadian tour, and he's about to do just that.

Bentall is a special guest on The Jim Cuddy Band tour, which opens in Saint John Thursday before stopping at Halifax's Rebecca Cohn Auditorium Friday night.

“From the very first time we went out there, we always embraced playing there,” he said. “The audiences are very discerning when it comes to music, they know a lot about music.”

It's been about 30 years since Bentall, along with his band, The Legendary Hearts, had their first hit with “Something to Live For,” but a lot has changed since 1988.  At its peak, they there playing 200 dates a year, and Bentall's main motivation for being a successful musician was supporting his young family.

“We used to be on a treadmill when it came to writing, recording and touring, it was a lot of pressure…but nowadays I just write when I'm inspired to write, when an idea really appeals to me,” he said. “I'm not pursuing any sound to try and be popular, I just follow my nose, get great players and see what happens.”

Now his children are grown and the 61-year-old recently released his first solo album in 5 years, The Drifter & The Preacher. The lead single “The Miner” was co-written by and features his musician son Dustin Bentall.

He describes the sound as a little more folksy that his earlier music with The Legendary Hearts, but says it still has some rock and roll elements.

“Americana, I wish we could use the term 'Canadiana,' but it's a genre of music that's probably supported to a greater degree down in the States,” he explained. “It's funny because there's so many acts that tour Canada that would be under that umbrella, but there's just not the radio support for that kind of music in Canada.”

The new album also includes a song featuring Jim Cuddy. Bentall met the Blue Rodeo co-founder in the late 80s, and he's excited to be heading out on the road with him.

“A tour like this is great, I have such respect for Jim, what he's done both in his solo career and with Blue Rodeo.”

After Halifax, The Jim Cuddy Band's 'Constellation Tour,' with special guests Barney Bentall, Devin Cuddy & Sam Polley, stops in Glace Bay, Fredericton and Moncton before heading to Ontario.