The Dubliners were an Irish folk band founded in Dublin in 1962 as The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group, named after its founding member; they subsequently renamed themselves The Dubliners. The line-up saw many changes in personnel over their fifty-year career, but the group's success was centred on lead singers Luke Kelly and Ronnie Drew. The band garnered international success with their lively Irish folk songs, traditional street ballads and instrumentals. The band were regulars on the folk scenes in both Dublin and London in the early 1960s, and were signed to the Major Minor label in 1965 after backing from Dominic Behan who was paid by Major-Minor to work with the Dubliners and help them to build a better act fit for larger concert hall venues. The Dubliners worked with Behan regularly between 1965 and 1966; Behan wrote numerous songs for this act including the song McAlpine's Fusiliers created specifically to showcase Ronnie Drew's gravel voice. They went on to receive extensive airplay on Radio Caroline which was part owned by Phil Solomon CEO of Major Minor, and eventually appeared on Top of the Pops in 1967 with hits "Seven Drunken Nights" and "The Black Velvet Band". Often performing political songs considered controversial at the time, they drew criticism from some folk purists and Ireland's national broadcaster RTÉ had placed an unofficial ban on their music from 1967 to 1971. During this time the band's popularity began to spread across mainland Europe and they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in the United States. The group's success remained steady right through the 1970s and a number of collaborations with The Pogues in 1987 saw them enter the UK Singles Chart on another two occasions.
The Popes are a band originally formed by Shane MacGowan and Paul "Mad Dog" McGuinness, who play a blend of rock, Irish folk and Americana.
Smoke is an album by Paul Kelly and Melbourne bluegrass band, Uncle Bill, which was composed of Gerry Hale on guitar, dobro, mandolin, fiddle and vocals, Adam Gare on fiddle, mandolin and vocals, Peter Somerville on banjo and vocals and Stuart Speed on double bass. The album featured a mix of old and new Kelly songs treated in classic bluegrass fashion.
Foggy Highway is an album recorded by Paul Kelly and the Stormwater Boys and originally released in May 2005 on EMI in Australia and Capitol Records in the US. It peaked at #6 on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) End of Year - 2005 Country chart. On 18 October 2005 it was re-released by Cooking Vinyl and included a four track bonus disc. In October 2010, the May 2005 version of Foggy Highway was listed in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums at No. 66, with Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls' album, Gossip (1986) at No. 7.
The Green Fields of America is an ensemble which performs and promotes Irish traditional music in the United States.
Heartsongs: Live from Home is a live album by Dolly Parton, released on September 27, 1994. Recorded at a concert at Parton's theme park Dollywood, the album featured a mix of Parton originals and traditional folk songs. "To Daddy" was one of Parton's compositions that she had never previously released; Emmylou Harris, who recorded the song in 1978, took her recording of the song to the U.S. country singles top three). The campy "PMS Blues" went on to become a concert favorite, and received a fair amount of airplay as an album track. Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh sung Irish vocals on "Barbara Allen".
Once in a Very Blue Moon is singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith's third album. The sounds have become a little more country and a little less folk than her previous albums. Her first two albums were backed sparsely with instrumentation, but starting with this album, the whole complement of country-styled instrumentalists can be heard. Noted country musicians performing on the album include banjo player Béla Fleck and champion fiddle player Mark O'Connor. The title song was covered by Dolly Parton, who included her version on her Real Love album in 1985.
The Bluegrass Sessions: Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol.2 is an album by Béla Fleck. Going back to his bluegrass roots, Fleck put together a band of all-stars of the genre: Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Tony Rice, Mark Schatz, Vassar Clements, John Hartford and others.
Tír na nÓg is the first album by Irish band Tír na nÓg. It was released in May 1971 in the United Kingdom by Chrysalis Records and distributed by Island Records but was not published in the United States because Leo O'Kelly and Sonny Condell refused to record a cover of Bob Dylan's "Maggie's Farm" for the album, a song they regularly played live.
German and Spanish presses of the LP have an Island label although the Chrysalis logo also appears on them.
Hibernian is the first live album by Irish band Tír na nÓg. It was recorded on September 19, 1995 by Alan Hadwin at the Hibernian in Birmingham, released in February 2000 by HTD Records and distributed by Pinnacle Entertainment. The album was re-released in 2001 by Talking Elephant, after HTD closed down.
Old Crow Medicine Show, or sometimes known as O.C.M.S., is the first studio album released by the acoustic quintet, Old Crow Medicine Show. Songs include obscure traditional tunes and original compositions by group members. The album features their signature tune, "Wagon Wheel", written by frontman Ketch Secor using a Bob Dylan chorus. The album was produced by David Rawlings. Gillian Welch plays drums on two tracks.
Down on the River is a bluegrass and old-time music album by John Hartford, released in 1989.
Restless Night is the debut album by Irish musician Ray Dolan. It was released in 1975 in Ireland by EMI Ireland and produced by Leo O'Kelly.
Looking for the Morning is the second album by Northern Irish singer Gemma Hasson. It was released in 1975 in Ireland by EMI Ireland and produced by Leo O'Kelly.
Crubeen, formerly The Longkesh Ramblers, was a 1970s Irish folk band from Newry, County Down, Northern.
Live at Sirius is a live album by Irish band Tír na nÓg and was released in June 2010, celebrating the duo's 40th birthday. It has been recorded during two gigs on August 21, 22, 2009 at the Sirius Art Centre in Cobh. They performed tracks taken from their all three studio albums or written during the Tír na nÓg first era, excepting a few ones. Two songs are covers from The Rolling Stones and Nick Drake.
Will is the third album by Irish musician Leo O'Kelly. It was released on 18 March 2011 by Life & Living Records and consists of a collaboration with Liverpool writer John McKeown, who wrote poems that constitute album's lyrics, then adapted in music by O'Kelly.
Eagle's Whistle is the debut album by Irish folk group Crubeen released on LP record by EMI Ireland in 1976.
The Dubliners 50th Anniversary Tour was a tour in 2012 by The Dubliners celebrating 50 years. The group was awarded a lifetime achievement award by BBC Radio 2 in February. However, in April, founding member and tenor banjo player Barney McKenna died. Banjo player Gerry O'Connor filled his place until the end of the tour. In November the group released the album 50 Years charting in the Irish Top 10. John Sheahan after 48 years decided he could no longer continue with the band due to the death of Barney McKenna. In December the group played its final concerts at Vicar Street and were joined on stage by Jim McCann. The band met with President Michael Higgins in the presidential palace in Dublin. The group appeared on BBC's Jools Holland Annual Hootenanny on New Year's Eve. With the exception of John Sheahan, the rest of the group continues touring as The Dublin Legends - Spirit of the Dubliners.
Back Pages is the 17th studio album by America, released on July 26, 2011 by eOne. The album is the band's first studio album of cover versions of songs by some of their favorite songwriters. The album features guest appearances by Mark Knopfler and Van Dyke Parks.
