Born in Cornwall, Dave McCormick taught himself to play many instruments, starting with the drums in a rock and roll band. Later he played with Sylvester MacDonald and The Clansmen for several years. After mastering bass guitar he joined the Black River Bluegrass group. Later he formed the Seanachies with Jim McRae on guitar and Darrel MacLeod on the fiddle and mandolin. Later Jean Mills joined on keyboard. This group entertained at local bars, and dances and many concerts at Laggan School. Sometimes he provided the sound for other groups.
Switching now to acoustic guitar, Dave along with Darrell MacLeod played as McCormick and MacLeod in pubs in Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston and Toronto.
In 1992 McCormick and MacLeod won a gold medal for Gaelic singing in Toronto at Gaelic Mod Ontario and won another gold with the Glengarry Gaelic Choir. The Mod moved to Glengarry, becoming Feis Glengarry Festival. This gave the local schools an opportunity to participate and display what had been taught to them.
McCormick and MacLeod opened for Ashley McIsaac in an Ottawa concert where John Allan Cameron also performed. The honour of playing for three chiefs of Highland Clans: MacLeod, MacDonald and MacMillan was thrilling.
Accompanying The MacCulloch Dancers to Mexico, Dave now played guitar with McCormick and MacLeod. As Sixmilecross they played for the MacCulloch dancers in Mexico, Bulgaria, Belgium, Holland, Russia, Hungary, Sackett’s Harbor, NY, Quebec and Toronto. Dave has even proved his talent on the bodhran.
Dave is still actively playing drums with Sixmilecross, along with Jim McRae, Martin Gaudet, and Darrel MacLeod. They all sing as well and have no plans to retire.
This self taught musician has certainly qualified himself as an Inductee into the Glengarry Celtic Music Hall of Fame!
