Fraser McKenna’s love for music began in the early days of the pandemic, when being locked down in the basement led to hours of listening, learning and playing along with YouTube videos until he taught himself guitar. What started as a way to pass the time quickly became a passion, growing into a collection of guitars, a growing repertoire and eventually a place on stage — complete with guitar, vocals and harmonica.

A chance meeting at a typical Upper Rideau gathering introduced Fraser to Westport’s young musical talent, Will Free, and the chemistry between them sparked what would become Longpoint. From two young lads playing on a deck at a charity golf tournament to stages throughout the Rideau Lakes, Fraser has found his sweet spot bringing to life the classic rock and legendary Canadian songs that have become the soundtrack to so many lives. For him, it’s more than playing familiar songs — it’s about that moment when the opening notes of a favourite hit bring back a memory, the crowd recognizes it instantly, and suddenly everyone is singing along. Give Fraser a guitar, a harmonica and a crowd who loves great music, and he’s right where he belongs.

Growing up, Will Free was surrounded by music, from classic rock tapes to his mother and grandpa’s guitar it was always involved in his life. One of Will’s earliest memories is hearing his mother playing piano. He didn’t pick the guitar up until grade 11, out on a whim and bored with himself looking to try something new. After that, he was hooked and music has become an integral part of his life.

His musicianship goes beyond just guitar as mandolin, harmonica, bass and keyboard are also among his repertoire. All of which are self taught. The live music scene in his hometown of Westport has inspired him more than any artist on the billboard. Within the first 3 months of he and Fraser meeting, they were already preparing to play gigs together. The two of them would most likely not be playing the way they are today if it wasn’t for each other.

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Seamus Cowan: You’re both largely self-taught musicians, and you came to guitar in very different ways. How did music first take hold for each of you, and what was it about playing guitar that hooked you?

Fraser McKenna: For me, it was the fact you could create something from nothing. A guitar in essence is just a piece of wood and some strings. The way you can play it and sound like your favourite songs or create something entirely your own is a very fulfilling experience. Watching videos of guitar heroes like Hendrix or Van Halen knowing that one day I might be able to play like them is a humbling yet motivating thing. 

Seamus: Fraser, you and Will first connected at an Upper Rideau gathering, and pretty quickly you were playing together. What did you recognize in each other musically that made the partnership click so naturally?

Fraser: When we met it was pretty early on in my musical journey, so when I found someone like Will who had a similar musical taste to me, it sort of made the partnership fall into place without even thinking. We were both fairly new to guitar so having a buddy to help learn of off and to teach you new songs, riffs and ideas really pushed my learning, and propelled both of us into becoming better musicians much quicker than we would’ve alone. We both recognized how much of an impact coming together made on our success and that was extremely rewarding and still is to this day. 

Seamus: Will, you play guitar, mandolin, harmonica, bass and keyboard, while Fraser brings guitar, vocals and harmonica. How does having so many different instruments and influences shape what you do together?

Will Free: It allows us to be creative in what we do. Taking a song written by an artist and being able to add mandolin or harmonica when the original recording lacks it makes the song our own in a way. Being able to appreciate an artist’s talent yet being able to put our own creativity into their product is awesome. Fraser and I have always loved trying new things and becoming the best musicians we can in a sense, our goal is to not be tied to one instrument but to do our best at learning as much as we can from them. 

Seamus: A big part of your appeal seems to be bringing classic rock and great Canadian songs back to life. What makes a song a great live song for you, and is there one song that never fails to get a crowd singing along?

Fraser and Will: We believe a great live song is something that’s played with power and passion, one that gets your foot stomping or people singing. Canada is so rich in its music, and many artists do a remarkable job of uniting the country through their work. Some of our favourite artists such as Neil Young, Blue Rodeo or The Hip,  find unique ways of embedding Canadian culture into their music making it difficult to pick one single song. However, being so close to Kingston we always find New Orleans is Sinking is a song that really grabs a crowd and reels them in. For us, we take lots of pride in playing Canadian music and trying our best to do the song justice 

Seamus: You’ve gone from playing on a deck at a charity golf tournament to performing around the Rideau Lakes. What does it mean to you to be part of Westport’s live music community, and what can people expect when you take the stage at The Cove Inn?

Fraser and Will: It means a lot. Westport is very special in a sense that there is so much talent here. If it wasn’t for the community and the other established musicians welcoming us and showing us the ropes, I’m not too sure where we’d be currently. Everytime you go to The Cove, you get the chance to hear something new or special from a relatively local artist. Westport and the surrounding areas are abundant in musicianship and we instantly felt included and a part of the scene the second we stepped into it. When we take the stage, you’re expecting to hear a couple young guys throw their spin on some classic rock 'n roll tunes. 

Posted: Sep 13, 2026