In the 200 years since Irish-Scots settlers crossed the broad Atlantic, their instruments, tunes and stories have dramatically affected the music of the Appalachian region, an antecedent of many of the rootsy styles we lovingly call “Twang.”
Irish Folk and traditional Celtic music is a proud living tradition, rich in history, poetic, entertaining, and intensely expressive. In other words, nectar of the gods. If you haven’t guessed, I LOVE IRISH MUSIC! Here are five decades of reasons you should love it, too.
The 50’s
Bing Crosby – Top o’ the Morning: His Irish Collection
Arguably the greatest male voice of the 20th century, Der Binger’s conversational baritone is as splendid on this Irish compilation as on his fabled Christmas recordings. Personally, I prefer Irish Folk and dance tunes, but fringe fans will appreciate these familiar Tin Pan Alley songs (i.e. “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” and “Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral”).
The 60’s
The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem – In Person at Carnegie Hall
Since the 60’s Folk revival, the Clancy’s have been the greatest ambassadors of the great oral tradition of Irish music. Three of the greatest hours of my life were spent in a West Palm Beach pub with Liam Clancy after an Irish festival. Listening to him speak was like attending a dead poet’s society meeting — he might have been reading the wine list, but it sounded like Yeats. The Clancy’s have a fantastic gift for storytelling and celebrating language.
The 70’s
The Chieftains – The Best of the Chieftains
If there’s music in heaven, the Chieftains will be playing it. Over 40 years and 40 albums, they’ve exemplified (and almost popularized) the exhuberant majesty of Celtic dance. Unfortunately, no compilation does justice to their catalog. The Best of the Chieftains is a tidy compendium of their 70’s instrumental work. The Essential Chieftains effectively summarizes their recent work with guest singers.
The 80’s
The Pogues – Red Roses for Me
This octet ushered Irish music into the eighties and defined Celtic Rock with their unique blend of traditional instruments, punk sensibility, and defiant attitude. Shane MacGowan is a living legend — a modern poet. Yes, he’s still alive despite his self-destructive tendencies. In fact, he has recently reunited with the Pogues.
The 90’s
Solas / Karan Casey – The Winds Begin to Sing
There’s no sweeter female voice in my collection than Karan Casey’s — Irish or otherwise. Solas presents the best of both worlds: traditional Irish tunes (instrumentals) and songs (words and music). No longer with the band, Karan has blossomed through a series of solo releases.
More great Irish artists:
Christy Moore
Altan
Niamh Parsons
Dolores Keane
Paul Brady
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