 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
Kevin Doherty is an Irish songwriter, musician and singer. He has played with various bands since the late 1980s and currently records and performs both as a solo artist and as a member of Four Men and a Dog.
Kevin Doherty was born in the late 1960s and grew up in the seaside town of Buncrana, County Donegal, near the most northerly point in Ireland. The background sounds of his childhood included the fine voices of his mother singing country songs and Irish ballads and his father singing opera and 'crooning' classics.
By the age of about six years old, Kevin began learning to play the tin whistle with Dinny McLaughlin, a renowned teacher of traditional Irish music and dance. In the same class was Ciaran Tourish, now a member of the famous Irish traditional music group Altan.
As a teenager, Doherty took up the game of golf since his father a golf professional. He quickly developed into one of the brightest prospects of the game in the country. However, around the age of fifteen or sixteen, a fateful encounter with the works of Bob Dylan in a neighbour's house saw a dramatic change in direction for Doherty back to music again. Blown away by what he heard, a guitar was bought and notepads were quickly filled with his first songs. Early guidance on guitar was provided by talented local guitarist, Michael Gallinagh.
Doherty was soon playing regular sessions around Buncrana. The sessions were beacons for many very talented musicians. Music buffs travelled to hear Doherty reunited again with Ciaran Tourish and Dinny McLaughlin, as well as Paul Rodden, Michael Gallinagh, Laurence Doherty and visiting musicians such as Cathal Hayden. Many of these names were to feature strongly in the years to come. Doherty also hit the road, busking in Dublin, Galway and London among other places.
There had previously been a Buncrana-based band, The Pyrotechnicos, which reformed in the mid to late 1980s with the shortened name 'The Pyros' and with the added younger talent of both Ciaran Tourish and Doherty. The band specialised in a punkish, electrified, amplified version of bluegrass, folk and country music. The band featured Paul Rodden on five-string banjo, Laurence Doherty on percussion, Michael Gallinagh on guitar, Doherty on mandolin and guitar, John Cutliffe on bass and Ciaran Tourish on fiddle. The band played several bluegrass and country standards at a blistering and technically bewildering pace, which had audiences stomping mad on the dance floors. Famously, one part of their set had Laurence play percussion on builder's hard hats while they were worn by the other band members.
After The Pyrotechnicos, Doherty was soon back up and running again with a new band, The Gooseberries. Laurence again was the drummer, along with Percy Robinson on pedal-steel, dobro and guitars, Sean McCarron on saxophone and Michael O'Boyce on bass. This became the stable line-up, but early appearances also had Ciaran Tourish or Martin McGinley on fiddle. A big difference from The Pyros was that this time the main material played consisted of Doherty's original songs. These were complemented by the inclusion of songs by the likes of Hank Williams and Dwight Yoakam. The band was a big hit live and ventured further afield in Ireland compared to The Pyros. Radio and television appearances also became part of the picture. The band were exceptional musicians and, somewhat similar to The Pyros, were well known for really getting a crowd going, as well as for the sensitive playing on Doherty's more downbeat numbers.
In the early 1990s The Gooseberries also went their separate ways and this was quickly followed by Doherty being asked to support Tanita Tikaram on a UK tour, which he did successfully as a solo act. Shortly afterwards came a call from another group, Four Men and a Dog. Mick (Black Dog) Daly (hence the band's name), the original singer and guitar player, had left the band. Doherty was asked to replace him and they are still together in 2007, with a hiatus period in-between of a few years around the turn of the millennium. Four Men and a Dog could justifiably be described as one of the 'super groups' of traditional Irish and folk music. Each member is recognised as being among the most talented musicians, not just in Ireland, but worldwide. The line-up currently consists of Cathal Hayden on fiddle and banjo, Gerry O'Connor on banjo and fiddle, Gino Lupari on bodhran, percussion and vocals, Donal Murphy on accordion and Doherty on vocals and guitar. Previous line-ups included Conor Keane on accordion and Brian McGrath on banjo and keyboards. Arty McGlynn on guitar and Mairtin O'Connor on accordion also occasionally play with them.
Four Men and a Dog have recorded six albums to date and have appeared at many of the world's major festivals and venues. Their performances and recordings include supreme examples of the playing of Irish traditional music and a mix of country, folk, blues and Americana, including original songs by Doherty. Two of the albums were recorded at the studio of Levon Helm (The Band) in Woodstock, New York. The Band, Kevin and Four Men and a Dog struck up a friendship after meeting up at some European festivals. The Band were among Doherty's musical heroes and Levon, Rick Danko and Garth Hudson performed on the two Woodstock Four Men and a Dog albums.
During the Four Men and a Dog hiatus period referred to above, Doherty recorded two solo albums, Strange Weather and Sweet Water, as well as a limited edition EP, Morocco. Strange Weather was also recorded in Woodstock and featured contributions by members of The Band. The latter album, Sweet Water, featured other musical icons; James Delaney is a master of the keyboard and has played with the likes of Van Morrison and Paul Brady; Henry McCullough is a genuine guitar legend in rock and folk music, probably most famously as a member of Paul McCartney's Wings and the Joe Cocker Grease band. James and Henry are now regular collaborators with Doherty as he sustains both a solo career and life with Four Men and a Dog.
The Band recorded 'Hawker's’ as 'Don't Wait' on what is seen as their album, Jubilation . Mary Black, Brendan Quinn, Adrian Dunbar, The Crowmatix and Andrew Murray have also recorded his material. In addition, Doherty has appeared on the albums of others as a guest guitarist and/or vocalist.
Between touring, he is mainly based in Dublin, Ireland and is known to visit his home place of Buncrana often.
Kevin Doherty and Ciaran Tourish (former member of Altan since 1990) have formed a duo and recorded their new album Hotel Fiesta due to be launched on the occasion of 3 shows in Ireland in July 2019. [1]
The Band was a Canadian-American rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario, in 1967. It consisted of Canadians Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Robbie Robertson, and American Levon Helm. The Band combined elements of Americana, folk, rock, jazz, country, and R&B, influencing musicians such as George Harrison, Elton John, the Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton and Wilco.
Richard Clare Danko was a Canadian musician, bassist, songwriter, and singer, best known as a founding member of the Band, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
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.
Altan are an Irish folk music band formed in County Donegal in 1987 by lead vocalist Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and her husband Frankie Kennedy. The group were primarily influenced by traditional Irish language songs from Donegal and have sold over a million records.
Cahoots is the fourth studio album by Canadian/American rock group the Band. It was released in 1971 to mixed reviews, and was their last album of original material for four years. The album's front cover was painted by New York artist/illustrator Gilbert Stone, while the back cover features a photograph portrait of the group by Richard Avedon. The album features guest vocals from Van Morrison. Libby Titus, the partner of drummer Levon Helm and mother of their daughter Amy Helm, also contributed uncredited backing vocals to "The River Hymn", the first time a woman appeared on a Band album.
Northern Lights – Southern Cross is the sixth studio album by Canadian-American rock group the Band, released in 1975. It was the first album to be recorded at their new California studio, Shangri-La, and the first album of all new material since 1971's Cahoots. All eight songs are credited as compositions of guitarist Robbie Robertson.
Jericho is the eighth studio album by Canadian-American rock group the Band. Coming seventeen years after their "farewell concert", it was released in 1993 and was the first album to feature the latter-day configuration of the group, as well as their first release for the Rhino subsidiary Pyramid Records.
Jubilation is the tenth and final studio album by Canadian/American rock group the Band. Recorded in the spring of 1998 in Levon Helm's home studio in Woodstock, New York, it was released on September 15, 1998. For the first time since the group reformed without guitarist and songwriter Robbie Robertson, there were more originals than covers. Songs include "Last Train to Memphis", featuring guest guitarist Eric Clapton, Garth Hudson's solo instrumental closer "French Girls", Rick Danko's "High Cotton" and the ode to Ronnie Hawkins, "White Cadillac".
Another Sky is the seventh studio album by Irish traditional band Altan. It was released in February 2000 on the Narada Productions label.
John Cutliffe is an Irish musician from Buncrana, County Donegal. He was born on February 8, 1962. He is known as a musician, songwriter and producer and has worked in London, Nashville and Ireland.
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 sang Irish vocals on "Barbara Allen".
The Blue Idol is the eighth studio album by Irish traditional band Altan, released in February 2002 on the Narada label.
Blackwater is the fifth studio album by Altan, released in April 1996 on the Virgin Records label. Three of the songs are sung in Irish. "Ar Bhruach Na Carraige Baine" is sung partly in English and in Irish. "Blackwaterside" is sung in English. It was the first album released by the band since the death of founding member Frankie Kennedy two years earlier. The final track on the album is a tribute to Kennedy and was written by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh herself.
Island Angel is the fourth studio album by Altan, released in 1993 on the Green Linnet label. In 1995, Q included Island Angel in its publication "In Our Lifetime: Q's 100 Best Albums 1986–94", a list compiled to celebrate its 100th issue. It was also the final album to feature founding member Frankie Kennedy who died a year after its release.
Runaway Sunday is the sixth studio album by Altan, released in July 1997 on the Virgin Records label.
Four Men and a Dog is an Irish traditional band that emerged in 1990 during the Belfast Folk Festival. The band plays Irish traditional music with a mixture of different other genres, including rock, jazz, blues, bluegrass, swing, salsa, polka and even rap. They originally had their name because of former singer Mick Daly's nickname; "The Black Dog". Daly was later replaced with Kevin Doherty. Other original members included Gino Lupari, Donal Murphy, Brian McGrath, and Cathal Hayden.
The Widening Gyre is the twelfth studio album by Irish folk music group Altan and their eleventh studio album of original material, released in February 2015 on the Compass Records label. It was released to critical acclaim.
Na Mooneys is the debut (eponymous) self-produced album from Irish folk music band Na Mooneys, released in October 2016.
Dónal Murphy is a British-born Irish traditional accordionist, known for his work with the band Four Men and a Dog. Born in Birmingham to a father who played the button accordion and a mother who was a step dancer, he moved to Limerick as a child. Here he co-founded Four Men and a Dog in 1990 together with Cathal Hayden (fiddle), Brian McGrath (banjo), Gino Lupari (Bodhrán) and Mick Daly (guitar/vocals).
The Gap of Dreams is the thirteenth studio album by Irish folk music group Altan and their twelfth studio album of original material, released in March 2018 on the Compass Records label to critical acclaim.
| Authority control: Artists |
|---|
