No More Pennies
No More Pennies is the ninth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Dave Gunning. The album was released in 2012 by Wee House of Music.
The lyrics from the song These Hands" were used as the foundation of a book produced by Time Well Spent Publishing. The book includes illustrations by Meaghan Smith. Sheet music and lyrics are also included. A portion of proceeds are contributed to the IWK Health Centre Foundation.
Issues with Royal Canadian Mint over artwork
The Canadian penny is heavily featured within the album's artwork. The back cover includes a penny setting into the horizon and the inner image of the package showcases an old-fashioned steam locomotive with pennies for wheels.After an initial pressing of 2000 copies of No More Pennies, the Royal Canadian Mint notified Gunning that he must pay $1,200 for usage rights of the penny image. Gunning responded by initiating a penny drive to help pay the fee. The story received coverage from significant print and online news outlets, including The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Sun and The Huffington Post.
Eventually the Royal Canadian Mint waived the royalty. Gunning's penny drive raised $6,287.66 which was donated to the IWK Health Centre in Halifax.
Gunning will not have to pay fees for use of the penny image for any subsequent pressings of the album.
Great Canadian Song Quest
Gunning submitted the song "A Game Goin' On" to the 2013 edition of Great Canadian Song Quest: CBC's Hockey Night in Canada Song Quest. The song advanced to the top 10 of the competition.On January 1, 2014, during the NHL Winter Classic, it was announced that "A Game Goin' On" was the winner of Song Quest. Joel Plaskett will produce a new version of the song. Gunning is set to perform "A Game Goin' On" in Saskatchewan on Hockey Day in Canada.
Personnel
- Dave Gunning – guitars, vocals
- Jamie Robinson – guitars, mandolin, banjo, bouzouki, piano, organ, melodica, percussion, background vocals
- Adam Dowling – drums, percussion
- Ronald Hynes – upright bass
- Bruce Guthro – background vocals
Additional musicians
- Jeremy Keddy – uilleann pipes on Little White Seeds.
- Andrew Sneddon – dobro on Living in Alberta.
- Andrew Sneddon – guest vocal on A Game Goin' On.
- Karine Polwart – guest vocal on Little White Seeds.
- The choir on These Hands consists of: Karen Corbin, Cheryl Corbin, Ann Gunning, Sara Gunning, Adam Dowling, Ronald Hynes, Bruce Guthro, Jamie Robinson and the grade 5 students of West Pictou Consolidated School.
Other personnel
- Recorded and mixed by Dave Gunning and Jamie Robinson at Wee House of Music Co. in Pictou County, Nova Scotia.
- Mastered by Tim Branton at João Carvalho Mastering in Toronto.
- Art direction, design & layout by Michael Wrycraft of A Man Called Wrycraft www.wrycraft.com.
- Cover photo by Chris Smith at funkfactor.
- Inner photo by Naomi Henderson.
Awards and nominations
Great Canadian Song Quest:- 2014 CBC Hockey Night in Canada Song Quest – Winner
- 2014 Solo Recording of the Year – Winner
- 2014 Songwriter of the Year – Winner
- 2014 Entertainer of the Year Nomination
- 2014 Video of the Year, These Hands Nomination
- 2013 Song of the Year – Winner
- 2013 Folk Recording of the Year – Winner
- 2014 Great American Song Contest – Winner
- 2013 International Songwriting Competition – Semi Finalist