Interesting, Greg's remarks about piano having faded from Scottish accompaniment style. It's been said that the most unique feature of Cape Breton fiddling is the piano accompaniment. It is much flashier than the common thunka-thunka offbeat Ontario piano accompaniment style. And of course CB style is very heavily Scottish influenced, and often called more Scottish than the Scots play.

CB masters of the style: Tracy Dares, Mary Jessie Gillis, Hilda Chaisson-Cormier, Seamus McNeil.

As accompaniment to guitar-based music, it's not the handiest thing, cause the volume and presence of the piano tends to be much higher
than of acoustic guitar. (I know my buddy who did sound for JP & Hilda Cormier when they played here found it really difficult to get a suitable mix, they both play pretty hard and busy)

One example though that leaps to mind is the sad honky-tonk piano and trumpet part on "Dance Hall Girls" by Fraser & DeBolt.

And a whole lot of Tom Waits.

Willie-O
The Piano Has Been Drinking...not me.