|
|
 |
You are > Home > Roll over Beethoven … Paddy Joe’s on the move again!
|
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Roll over Beethoven … Paddy Joe’s on the move again!
By: Michael Commins
Roll over Beethoven, there’s a whole lot of shaking goin’ on! Paddy Joe, the man with the wellies from West Mayo, is topping the charts around the province with his new 12-track album.
“Paddy Joe is a local phenomenon,” said Peadar Flynn of Downtown Records, in Castlebar, yesterday. “He’s far bigger around here than all the big overseas pop acts such as Black Eyed Peas, Maroon Five, and The Streets. He’s leaving them all in his slip-stream.
“He has taken over from Richie Kavanagh and we have sold out of his CDs on a few occasions already. It is selling exceptionally well.”
The Paddy Joe legend was born on the Paul Claffey Show on Mid-West Radio in recent years. Now, Paddy Joe and ‘Maggie’ have become part of the folklore of the show … where ‘on-air’ rows and ructions between the couple are par for the course.
A singer and ‘box’ player of note, listeners prevailed on Paddy Joe to go into the studios and record an album. The ‘serious’ side of the entertainer is reflected in his treatment of songs like The Castlebar Fair, My Home Below Claremorris, Lovely Achill Island, and Tribute to Bina McLoughlin, the latter which he wrote himself.
His songwriting talents are also featured in the more humourous songs such as Digger Jays, the No Smoking Song, and the North West Radio anthem.
Things move from traditional to rock n’ roll when Maggie joins him on the final track, ‘Go Paddy Go’.
Peadar Flynn says Paddy Joe’s appeal is unique. “People are buying the CD and sending it to friends around the country and in England and America.
There are people who have got hours and hours of television exposure who wouldn’t shift anything like the sales figures being recorded for Paddy Joe. He has cornered a niche in the market for himself.
“The Saw Doctors album “Live from Galway’, which features “The Joyce Country Ceili Band’ is a huge seller for us this summer while there has been a whole new revival of interest in Big Tom’s material which has been flying out of the shop in recent weeks.
“And in there among all the big names is Paddy Joe … proud as punch and taking it all in his stride!”
Bluegrass festival brings it all back home to Tyrone
The bluegrass sounds of West Virginia and Kentucky found a natural home at the recent Ulster American Folk Park near Omagh. Thousands of aficionados congregated for the festival which is now in its 13th year.
The gathering has become an annual pilgrimage for lovers of the bluegrass style of country music and attracts many of the big name performers from the southern states of America.
There is a natural affinity between the Ulster and Appalachian region and much of the folk music of the Ulster-Scots who settled in the hills and mountains of the southern regions of the ‘New World’ lives on in the ballads and sounds of bluegrass today.
It is of interest to note that the first song recorded by Elvis Presley, Blue Moon of Kentucky’, was composed by Bill Monroe, fondly regarded as the ‘Father of Bluegrass’ and a man with family roots in Ulster.
One of the stars of the weekend shows was Dale Ann Bradley. The Kentucky singer and her group have emerged into the front ranks of bluegrass music in recent times. American magazine ‘Country Weekly’ has enthused about ‘a voice so pure and clear that it raises goosebumps’. She was honoured with the Female Vocalist of the Year (Traditional) by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America.
“We’ve been overwhelmed with the warmth of our welcome to Omagh,” said Dale Ann. “This is our first time ever to these shores and one can sense the empathy between this region and our home area where this music continues to thrive.”
Even Bono and U2 would have been proud of her bluegrass rendition of one of their hit songs, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. Showing a versatility almost unique to the bluegrass tradition, she took the song and turned it into a country standard.
The Bing Brothers from West Virginia were making their first visit to the festival since 1994 while the Gospel Jubilators from North Carolina took their old style of singing to Omagh for the very first time. The Bailey Mountain Cloggers staged a ‘Riverdance’ style exhibition while Jim Hurst an Missy Raines from Tennessee opened the big Saturday night concert.
The Lee Valley String Band from Cork, regarded by many as one of Ireland’s foremost exponents of bluegrass and old-time American music, were popular favourites on their first visit.
Prizon Love and the Rough Deal String Band from Dublin entertained many at the Bluegrass in the Park sessions while the Broken String Band from Tyrone proved hugely popular with the fans. The European bluegrass scene was represented by bands from Holland, Italy and England.
Noeleen Deeny from Carrickmore, Tyrone, whose husband Dr. Kieran Deeny caused a political sensation when heading the poll as an Independent candidate in the West Tyrone constituency in the Assembly elections some months back, is a staunch supporter of the Appalachian and Bluegrass Festival in the Folk Park.
“I’ve been at twelve of the thirteen festivals and it is one of the musical highlights of the year for me. It’s very homely and informal and I love the bluegrass and country music. People appreciate the effort the organisers put into the festival weekend and the atmosphere is very special,” said Noeleen.
Making his first trip to the Omagh festival was Martin Walshe from Gorthaganny, Co. Roscommon: “Just to ramble around the Folk Park for the afternoon sessions is an experience in itself. This is real music played by people who have respect for it and who love what they are doing. It would be great to get a chance to see a similar style show in the West of Ireland. Once you come here, you are certain to make the return journey,” said Martin.
People like Richard Hurst, Paddy O’Kane and Marian McIvor put a huge effort into the organising and coordinating of this major festival which is now held on the first weekend in September every year.
People in Omagh who did not attend the weekend festival had a big surprise in store at some of the regular Sunday religious ceremonies. A number of the top American singers and bands performed at the Catholic, Church of Ireland and Presbyterian churches in the region. In many respects, it was just a case of ‘bringing it all back home’.
Curtain falls on Big Tom’s sell-out tour
Big Tom and the Mainliners wound down their August tour with another sell-out show in the Glencarn Hotel in Castleblayney. The entire tour was a phenomenal success with scenes reminiscent of the heyday of the showband era, crowds lining the front of the stage, ecstatic receptions, and happy folks dancing the night away. The tour was the talk of the country in entertainment circles.
Now, Curry native James Cafferty, head of Showtours in Dublin, has arranged a big Bundoran Festival Weekend from Friday 22nd to Sunday night 24th October with Big Tom as the headliner and a host of other big names also on the bill. More details shortly. Seamus Curley from Ballaghaderreen, a member of the teaching staff at St. Nathy’s College, and formerly from Glenamoy, was among those we met in Castleblayney. He had journeyed there with his wife Teresa and his sisters Bernie (home from England) and Kathleen.(Hennelly) from Seafin, Hollymount.
The Curley family have been close friends of Big Tom for many years. P.J. Granaghan from Keenagh spent the entire weekend in ‘Blayney, having arrived in good time for Tom’s Friday night show as well!
Michael and Ann McDonnell from Swinford made nothing of travelling from Mayo to Castleblayney for Tom’s Sunday night’s gig … distance no problem. We also met Gerry Sherlock from Moygara, Gurteen and P.J. and Geraldine Harte and their friend Catherine from Cork who journeyed all the way from Ballincollig, Cork. Geraldine, nee Gibbons from Lisduff, Claremorris, is a sister of Brian, Paddy and Eamonn in Claremorris and she says hello to all the folks around home. Also a mention for Mary Teresa Flaherty and Ann O’Brien from Tuam whom we also met in the Glencarn Hotel.
Two weeks earlier, I was down in the Hazel Hotel in Monasterevin and it was good to meet up with proprietor John Kelly again. John has a great ‘gra’ for the live band scene and runs one of the top Sunday night shows in the country at his popular and friendly hotel. When it comes to Big Tom shows, we are always sure to meet some folks we know. Laurence Hennelly had made the long trip from Farmhill, Claremorris and he was with his sister Maureen and her husband John Campbell who reside in Moate (Westmeath).
Greetings also to Peggy Kearney from Ballintubber (Roscommon) and we also also met up with Pat and Madeline Towey from Ballaghaderreen as well as with some old friends from Laois including Ned Dea and Tadhg Costigan, Laurence Dooley, Austin and Marie Kavanagh, Joe and Ann Cass, and Mary and Anthony Purcell, all from the Abbeyleix, Ballyroan and Spink areas.
Johnny Barry, one of the best known deejays down Kilkenny way, was in fine form and meeting many of his listeners. Also nice to meet Carmel Aspell from Kildare who is behind the new Country and Irish magazine which is published on a bi-monthly basis. She sends greetings to Tommy and Kathleen Moran in Glenamoy.
Now, the Bundoran October Holiday weekend will be on the minds of friends of Big Tom and bookings for the shows are now being taken at 01-8731111.
Fleming to host Christmas ‘special’ from Knock Basilica
Sligo singer Tommy Fleming will host a major concert in Knock Basilica in December. The show, the first of its kind to be staged in the Basilica, will be filmed ‘live’ for later transmission on the PBS networks across America.
“An Angel’s Breath” is a two hour concert fronted by Tommy Fleming who will be backed by an 85-member orchestra. The show, which will be staged on Sunday night, December 12, from 8.30 pm to 10.30 pm, will have a strong spiritual and religious theme and several of the classic Christmas hymns such as “Silent Night” and “O Holy Night” will be included in the programme.
Negotiations between the interested parties and the Knock Shrine authorities recently reached a successful conclusion and tickets for the concert, priced at E30, went on sale last week.
Tommy Fleming says he’s looking forward in a special way to the Knock concert. “I’m very excited about it. It’s a huge challenge. There are 5,000 seats in Knock Basilica. It will be a completely different experience from doing a similar type show in The Point in Dublin.
“Knock is special to thousands of people and it’s in my own part of the country. You could not possibly get the same atmosphere in any other place as in Knock.
“PBS in America will transmit the show to a potential audience of 85 million in April. There have also been expressions of interest from both RTE and BBC in the Knock concert. It will a big night for all involved with the mammoth production.”
Hope House in Foxford and the relief agency Goal (of which Tommy is a patron) will be among the beneficiaries of the profits from the night).
Tickets are now available from Knock Shrine (094-93-88100) and will be on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets from this week on.
Legendary star Earl Scruggs headlines Longford Festival
One of the legends of American bluegrass music, Earl Scruggs, will play his debut concert at the Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival Weekend in Longford on Saturday night week, September 25.
Scruggs (79) has never gigged on this side of the Atlantic before and it is a huge honour for the Longford festival organisers to have secured his services. Together with Lester Flatt and Bill Monroe, he became synonymous
with bluegrass and his banjo style has been copied by thousands of players around the world down through the decades.
Earl Scruggs will headline the Saturday night show which gets underway at 7pm in the festival marquee and will also feature Pete Wernick’s Live Five (USA), Gerry O’Connor, the Niall Toner Band, Rig the Jig, and Leroy Troy.
Early comers to Longford can enjoy a festival warm-up night in the Longford Arms Hotel on Thursday 23rd when Leroy Troy from Texas, who has developed a huge regional following in the Longford district. Also on the show are Ira Bernstein and Riley Baugus. This concert starts at 8 pm.
On Friday 24th, the festival has a strong line-up with Matt Molloy, John Carty and Arty McGlynn, Tony Trischka Trio ( and Bill Keith and Mary Patton (USA), Vinnie Kilduff and Steve Cooney, and Ira Bernstein and Riley Baugus.
This show will be held in the Annaly Hotel.
The festival draws to a close on Sunday night (All-Ireland Final night) with a show in the Annaly Hotel featuring Paddy Keenan and Tommy O’Sullivan, Pete Wernick’s Five, Cathal Hayden, Mairtin O’Connor, Micheal O’Domhnaill, Dirk Powell, Christine Balfa, Philip Donnelly and the FreeRange Pickers.
Tickets for the various shows are now available from Ticketmaster outlets and on-line at www.ticketmaster.ie Further details may be had by contacting Chris at 087-2817825.
Old time mountain music compilation from the superb Blue Sky Boys
On a recent trip to America, Gerry Concannon, managing director of CBE in Claremorris, came upon a superb boxed collection of the Blue Sky Boys complete recordings for Bluebird and RCA Victor from 1036 to 1050.
The Blue Sky Boys, featuring brothers Bill and Earl Bolick, recorded traditional mountain ballads, shape-note gospel hymns, and sentimental minstrel tunes that have always had an appeal with fans of the traditional roots of country music.
The folk revival in America during the 1960s saw a whole new generation applaud and appreciate the efforts of the Bolick brothers and their influences can be heard in some of the songs of the Everly Brothers, the Louvin Brothers, Jim and Jesse McReynolds, Ricky Scaggs and many others.
Among their songs are such favourites as The Knoxville Girl, Mary of the Wild Moor, Sunny Side of Life and Midnight on the Stormy Deep.
The collection, which featured five CDs, is accompanied by a beautifully illustrated biography of their work by Bill C. Malone and photos from Bill Bolick’s personal collection.
Gerry Concannon is an ardent country music follower and has been to Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry in recent years.
Gentleman Mike at home on vacation in Mayo
Enjoying a vacation in his native Mayo is Mike Regan, a leading member of the Mayo Society in New York. Mike, who hails from Brickens, has been to the forefront of Mayo activities in New York and has served as chairman of the Society.
Ever helpful and courteous, Mike comes from the ‘old school’ and is always there to lend a helping hand and advice. In many ways, he reminds me of the late Noel Henry from Balla whose ‘outreach’ was very special indeed.
We met Mike at the recent Big Tom ‘comeback’ night in the Travellers Friend Hotel in Castlebar and again at Kevin Prendergast’s party night in Irishtown where many of Mike’s former neighbours were enjoying the show.
Mike is a close friend of Mike McDonnell from Balla, another stalwart member of the Mayo Society in New York. All staunch supporters of the red and green of Mayo … both sides of the Atlantic!
Rambling ’round
l I had a phone call on Tuesday evening from Padraig Long way down there in Fahan, just beyond Ventry in the Kerry Gaeltacht. Padraig is a weekly reader of the ‘Western” and football is much on his mind these days!
Expectations are high in Kerry (aren’t they always!) of another success at the back end of this month when they take on Mayo. Whatever the outcome, Padraig and family and friends are again looking forward to the journey to Croke Park. Unlike many Kerry followers, Padraig did travel to Croke Park for the semi-final … and he also attends many of their league games around the country, a true follower.
A man with a big interest in the history of the showbands, he journeyed up to Tuam the week before last to view the “Those Were the Days” showband memorabilia exhibition organised by Ann Fahy from Galway and Tuam native Jimmy Higgins.
While there, Padraig was delighted to meet up with Margaret and Jackie Ffrench from Mervue in Galway. And Padraig and Margaret had more than just their interest in showbands to talk about … Margaret, though living in Galway for many years, is a Kerry woman herself!
l Over in Gorthaganny, everything is in place for the Ganley/Rushe traditional weekend which will be held from the 17th - 19th September. One of the highlights of this year’s gathering will be the presentation of the Hall of Fame award to Tommy Moffit on Friday night in the Marian Hall.
Tommy emigrated from the area to America back in 1947. Philadelphia has been his home in the decades since then. He has fronted his own popular danceband in America and also hosts a weekly radio show in the ‘Philly’ region where he is synonymous with the Irish entertainment scene. He has always maintained very strong links with the Gorthaganny and Loughglynn areas and this will be a memorable night for Tommy.
Among the guests at the concert on Friday night will be Colm O’Donnell and Seamus Tansey. On Saturday night, the Davey Ceili Band will provide the music for dancing in the hall while Coney Island will host a major traditional session with Seamus Tansey, Patsy Hanly, Joe Byrne and friends.
l Brian O’Rourke from Galway will be among the guests at the singing session in the Marian Hall on Sunday night where anyone who wants to render a song will be welcome. Michael Nolan tells me they are expecting a large gathering of traditional enthusiasts for the weekend festivities in Gorthaganny.
l A Civic Reception was held in Cork recently in honour of the legendary Joe McCarthy of the Dixies Showband fame. Joe Mac, together with Brendan O’Brien, fronted Cork’s most famous band throughout the showband era and
were fine ambassadors for their home place. Friends, colleagues and people from various walks of life were present for the ceremony and with Joe centre-stage there was no shortage of good humour, laughter and banter. Michael O’Connor from Parke, Castlebar has been a long time friend of Joe McCarthy and Brendan O’Brien and has already conveyed his good wishes to Joe on this very special occasion. We are pleased to join in the salutations.
l Condolences to Paddy Cole on the recent sudden death of his sister Sadie Cole in Castleblayney. Paddy and his family are synonymous with Castleblayney and his legion of friends in showbiz join with us in extending our commiserations to Paddy and the family on their sad bereavement.
l The celebrations to mark the 25th wedding anniversary of Joe and Bernie Adams went on late into the night at their home in Carrowbehy, Gorthaganny last week. Very late! Congrats to the popular couple on this special occasion.
l The Ceide Boys from North Mayo have added their talents to the growing list of songs coming on the market in support of Mayo’s All-Ireland bid. The song was written by Patsy O’Neill and recorded in Kevin Conlon’s studios in Collooney.
Michael S. Togher from Belmullet and Declan Nerney have also released songs to coincide with the event as have a number of others. One of the foremost songs has been the rousing ballad by Dave Howley and friends, from Foxford, who spared no effort in turning out a ‘class’ effort.
Main News Page |
Previous Page
|
|
|
|
Facebook
