One of the Pioneers of the Cape Breton Music scene passed away this week.

Tom O'Keefe owned and operated one of the first professional quality recording studios in Glace Bay, recording all the top acts of the era.

He himself was a fiddler, songwriter, producer and industry professional, serving on many boards, including the East Coast Music Association, and most recently, the transition Board of Celtic Colours.

O'Keefe was also well known in hockey circles, serving  with the Glace Bay Minor Hockey Association as a coach and then as its  President.    

He is often credited with being the driving force behind the Glace Bay Minor Hockey even spilt fundraiser.   

The 50/50 legacy is rivalled by minor hockey associations and sporting / community groups across the country.

Glace Bay Minor Hockey President James Edwards says the association is saddened to learn of the untimely passing of former President Tom O’Keefe. 

“ Tom was a visionary who thought outside of the box “ said current GBMH President, James Edwards.  

After his tenure in Glace Bay, O'Keefe continued on to become chair of Hockey Nova Scotia Minor Council, which affects change and administers minor hockey throughout the province. 

Edwards says O'Keefe took him under his wing to show him the ropes on the provincial level, and was always interested in knowing what was going on in Glace Bay Minor Hockey. 

"Tom left an indelible mark on minor hockey not only in Glace Bay, but also throughout the Province of Nova Scotia. May he rest in peace. “ said Edwards. 

Tom O’Keefe passed away peacefully after a brief illness on September 21, 2025 at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Palliative Care Unit in Sydney, N.S. at the age of 68 with Veronica, his wife and best friend, by his side.

https://vjmcgillivray.ca/tribute/details/2327/Tom-O-Keefe-Glace-Bay