Tim Robbins (*16 October 1958, West Covina, California, USA).
American actor, screenwriter and director Timothy Francis Robbins
won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (Mystic River, 2003), and for directing critically acclaimed films such as Dead Man Walking (1995)
and Bob Roberts (1992), the latter being a mockumentary about a senatorial candidate who presents folk music with right-wing ideas. In 1960's
Greenwich Village, his father Gilbert Lee Robbins had pursued a career as a member of the folk music group, The Highwaymen.
In 2010, Robbins eventually released the album Tim Robbins & The Rogues Gallery Band, a collection of songs written over the course of 25 years.
Lynn Morris (*8 October 1948, Texas, USA).
While in college Lynn Morris began playing banjo and bluegrass music.
In 1974, she won the National Banjo Championship, the first female to do so.
In 1988, she assembled her own group, the Lynn Morris Band.
[www.lynnmorrisband.com]
Simon Mayor (*5 October 1953, Yorkshire, England).
The Englishman is noted for a series of instrumental albums featuring the mandolin,
live performances with The Mandolinquents and his partner Hilary James. With James he has
written over fifty children's songs, as well as satirical songs for BBC news programmes.
An admirer of comedic singer-songwriter Jake Thackray (1938-2002), Mayor occasionally performs a special programme of Thackray's songs.
Dolores Keane (*26 September 1953, Sylane, Co. Galway, Ireland).
From the age of four, the Irish singer was raised by her aunts Rita and Sarah Keane, also well-known sean-nós singers.
Dolores Keane made her first recording for Radio Éireann in 1958, at the age of five.
In 1975, she co-founded the traditional Irish band De Dannan;
the group gained international recognition and enjoyed major success in the late 1970s.
Keane married John Faulkner; her rendition of Faulkner's Lion in a Cage, protesting the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela,
became an Irish number one.
In 1992, she was among the many female Irish singers to lend their music to the record-smashing anthology A Woman's Heart.
Keane put an end to recording and touring in 1998 due to depression and alcoholism.
Alain Genty (*22 September 1958, Nogent sur Seine, France).
The self-taught bass player became hooked on Breton music in the late 1980s.
He subsequently joined the groups Barzaz (featuring Yann-Fanch Kemener, Jean-Michel Veillon & Gilles Le Bigot), Den and Gwerz (the Molard brothers).
He recorded with Skolvan, Soïg Siberil, and many others. In the mid 1990s, he eventually founded his own Alain Genty Group, featuring
Jacky Molard (fiddle) and Jean-Michel Veillon (flute, bombarde). In the 2000s, he formed duos with
Scottish guitarist Tony McManus (Singing Sands), piper Patrick Molard (To the Bobs)
and singer and piper Joanne McIver (Eternal Tides), respectively.
Maura O'Connell (*16 September 1958, Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland).
Maura O'Connell was part of the Cúl Aodha Choir, led by Peader Ó Riada, that sang at the funeral of piper Willie Clancy in 1973.
She formed a country music duo with Mike Hanrahan (Stockton's Wing), but began her professional musical career
as vocalist for traditional group De Dannan.
O'Connell moved to Nashville/Tennessee in 1986, working with newgrass pioneers Bela Fleck and Jerry Douglas on most of her albums.
Martin Scorsese cast her as a street singer in his 19th-century epic The Gangs of New York.
[www.mauraoconnell.com]
John Zorn (*2 September 1953, New York City, USA).
Hundreds of albums credit American saxophonist John Zorn as performer, composer and producer
across a variety of genres including jazz, rock, hardcore, classical, surf, metal, soundtrack, ambient and improvised music.
Zorn established his own record label, Tzadik, in the mid 1990s, issuing several new albums each year as well as promoting the work of many other musicians.
[www.tzadik.com]
Dafydd Iwan (*24 August 1943, Brynaman, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK).
Singer Dafydd Iwan Jones rose to fame playing folk music in the Welsh language.
His earliest material was Welsh translations of songs by Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger
and Bob Dylan until he began to write his own ballads.
Around the turn of the millennium, Dafydd Iwan signalled an end to regular performances.
From 2003 to 1010, he became the president of Plaid Cymru ,
a social-democratic political party advocating Welsh independence from the United Kingdom.
Kenny Rogers (*21 August 1938, Houston, Texas, USA).
Though he has been most successful with country music audiences, Kenneth Ray Rogers has charted more than 120 hit singles across various music genres.
In 2017, Dolly Parton and Alison Krauss joined an all-star lineup of musicians performing his greatest hits at Kenny Rogers' Farewell Concert Celebration.
[www.kennyrogers.com]
Dave Richardson (*20 August 1948, Corbridge, Northumberland, England).
In 1972, Dave Richardson (concertina, mandolin, cittern) replaced Dick Gaughan in Celtic music band Boys Of The Lough.
They played ensemble instrumentals and the occasional song from Ireland and Scotland; Dave Richardson was also a writer of new material.
[www.boysofthelough.info]
John Faulkner (*7 August 1943, England).
The singer/songwriter has based most of his music on the Celtic tradition.
John Faulkner spent his early years in London and worked with Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger.
He was married to Dolores Keane and composed her chart-topping song Lion in a Cage about Nelson Mandela.
[www.johnfaulkner.net]
Donnie Munro (*2 August 1953, Uig, Isle of Skye, Scotland).
A native speaker of Scottish Gaelic, much of his work is in that language.
As lead singer of Celtic rock band Runrig, Donnie Munro (Donaidh Rothach) became established as the leading Gaelic popular music performer
of the 1980s and 1990s. He left Runrig in 1997 to pursue a career in politics.
His album Heart of America, done in collaboration with fellow Skye
songwriters Blair Douglas and Richard Macintyre, won Album of the Year in the Scottish Trad Music Awards 2006.
For Runrig's farewell concert in August 2018, Munro appeared as a special guest performing two songs.
Paddy Moloney (*1 August 1938, Donnycarney, Dublin, Irland).
His mother bought Paddy a tin whistle when he was six and he started to learn the Uilleann pipes at the age of eight.
In the late 1950s Moloney met Seán Ó Riada and joined his group Ceoltóirí Chualann.
Along with Sean Potts and Michael Tubridy, he formed the traditional Irish band The Chieftains in 1962.
He is the primary composer and arranger of much of the Chieftains' music, and he has composed for films including Kubrick's
Barry Lyndon and Scorcese's Gangs of New York.
Kate Bush (*30 July 1958, Bexleyheath, Kent, UK).
The English singer-songwriter came to notice in 1978 when, aged 19, she topped the
UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single Wuthering Heights, becoming the first female artist to achieve a
UK number one with a self-written song.
Her eclectic and experimental musical style is drawing on classical music, glam rock, and a wide range of ethnic and folk sources.
[www.katebush.com]
John Gorka (*27 July 1958, Colonia, Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, USA).
In 1991, Rolling Stone magazine called him "the preeminent male singer-songwriter of what has been dubbed the New Folk Movement."
In 1984, John Gorka was one of six winners in the New Folk competition at the Kerrville Folk Festival.
Since then he has regularly toured Europe and North America. In 2010, he
joined with Lucy Kaplansky and Eliza Gilkyson to form the folk supergroup Red Horse.
Iva Bittová (*22 July 1958, Bruntál, Czech Republic).
The Czech avant-garde violinist, singer, and composer began her career as an actress in the mid 1970s,
but switched to playing violin and singing in the early 1980s.
Iva Bittová's music is a blend of rock and East European music which she describes as "my own personal folk music".
Her violin playing includes playing the strings with various objects and plucking them like a banjo;
her vocal utterances range from traditional singing to chirping, cackling and deep throat noises.
Gabriel Fliflet (*18 July 1958, Åland, Finland).
Born on the Finnish Åland Islands, accordionist Gabriel Fliflet grew up in the Swedish Skåne and moved to the Norwegian Bergen when six years old.
He and three fellow students established the band Rimfakse in 1975, later he collaborated with Shetland musicians like Willie Hunter and Peerie Willie Johnson.
With (Nygård's Quartet) Fliflet played popular music from the region around the Baltic Sea, with the quartet SALT he plays Shetland and Western Norwegian folk music.
Michael Flatley (*16 July 1958, Chicago, Illinois, USA).
In 1975, at age 17, Michael Ryan Flatley was the first American to win a World Irish Dance title at Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne,
the Irish dancing championships. In 1975 and 1976, he won twice in the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil concert flute competitions.
Flatley became internationally known for Irish dance shows Riverdance, Lord of the Dance and Feet of Flames.
He is credited with reinventing traditional Irish dance by incorporating new rhythms, syncopation, and upper body
movements -- which were previously absent from the dance. He is in the Guinness World Records for tap dancing 35 times per second.
In 2016, he retired from dancing due to constant spinal, knee, foot, and rib pain.
He had previously released a flute album, On A Different Note, and recently
wrote, directed and starred in a spy fiction movie called Blackbird.
[www.michaelflatley.com]
Charlie Piggott (*14 July 1948, Cobh, Co. Cork, Ireland).
The Irish traditional musician is best known as a founding member of De Dannan.
His first instrument was the button accordion. In the early 1970s Charlie Piggott played banjo,
but after damaging his index finger in an accident he reverted to playing the melodeon.
The new millennium saw him team up with the Sliabh Luachra fiddler Gerry Harrington (The New Road).
Piggott is co-author with Fintan Vallely of Blooming Meadows: The World of Irish Traditional Musicians.
[www.charliepiggott.net]
Bela Fleck (*10 July 1958, New York, USA).
Béla Anton Leoš Fleck was named after composers Bartók, Webern and Janáček.
An innovative and technically proficient banjo player, he is best known for his work with New Grass Revival (featuring Sam Bush),
Doc and Merle Watson, and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. Béla Fleck is married to fellow banjo player Abigail Washburn.
The Bluegrass Intelligencer website satirized the "strategic marriage" of Washburn and Fleck
joking that the couple promised a "male heir" who will be the "Holy Banjo Emperor".
Maartin Allcock (1957-2018).
The multi-instrumentalist, born Martin Allcock in Lancashire, began playing professionally in 1976 in dance bands and folk clubs.
His first tour was in 1977 with Mike Harding. He served an 11-year stint as lead guitarist with folk rock band Fairport Convention from 1985 to 1996,
and four years as keyboardist with rock band Jethro Tull from 1988 to 1991.
From the early 2000s he began working as a session man and record producer with the Welsh Sain record label.
In 2018, he announced that he had been diagnosed with liver cancer and would make his final live performance at the Cropredy Festival.
[www.maartinallcock.com]
Tommy Peoples (1948-2018).
Tommy Peoples was a member of traditional Irish music groups, including 1691 and The Bothy Band as well as performing solo from the late 1960s. He played in the fiddle style of East Donegal.
In 2015, he launched a self-published book Ó Am go hAm - From Time to Time, combining a fiddle tutor
along with illustrations and a complete notation of 130 original tunes.
He was awarded the TG4 Traditional Musician of the Year Award in 1998 and in 2013 he received the Composer of the Year award, becoming the first to receive a second Gradam in the TG4 awards.
Tommy Peoples was married to Mary Linnane, daughter of Kitty Linnane, long-time leader of the Kilfenora Céilí Band.
His daughter Siobhán Peoples is also a fiddler.
»Many years ago I heard the blues in Irish music when I heard him play a slow air on the fiddle. It moved me to tears. Rest In Peace, Tommy.C - Maura O'Connell
Temple Records was established in 1978 by Robin Morton, previously a member of The Boys of the Lough, to create an outlet for authentic Scottish (and Irish) music which was being ignored by the mainstream labels.
Morton worked as a producer for Topic Records. This label was not interested in recording the clarsach player Alison Kinnaird, as they did not think the record would sell. He formed Temple Records to release her first LP, The Harp Key (1978), which became a best selling traditional music record. Morton later married Kinnaird.
One of the earliest signings was The Battlefield Band, who rapidly rose to international fame. Morton became their manager in 1980.
As well as recordings by current folk artists, the label has released historic recordings by James Scott Skinner.
Kamwa International Ethno-Music Conference
The Kamwa International Ethno-Music Conference was the first three-day conference of its kind held in Russia. The gathering was aimed at the development of the Russian ethno-music industry and organized by the KAMWA festival, Natalia Shostina and Daryana Antipova.
The conference included a series of round tables on current topics of the etho-music industry such as “Features of ethnic festival organization in Russia. The best form of legal registration for festivals”, “Music folk industry in Russia” and others. The main aim of the event was to foster professional industry partnerships, business contacts, opportunities for exporting Russian ethnic music, and international cooperation.
The conference took place on the territory of the architectural and ethnographic Khokhlovka museum, located 40 km from Perm on the picturesque banks of the Kama river, on 27 - 29 July 2018, and brought together directors of ethnic festivals in Russia, managers working with world music groups, tour agents, representatives of ethnic labels and journalists from Siberia and Moscow to France and Hungary.
Denis Davydov, Myrkr label, Ekaterinburg: "I am very glad that I was able to take part in the Kamwa ethno-music conference. It was a new and useful professional experience for me. Finally in Russia there is a platform where you can meet and talk with the organizers of ethno - and folklore festivals, representatives of groups, publishers and journalists. I hope that the conference will be an annual one. Thanks to its organizers, and, in particular, Daryana Antipova and Natalia Shostina for the invitation".
Tatiana Lambolez, Altan-Art, France: "The atmosphere was wonderful at the conference. We had interesting topics for discussion and all members actively participated, which is important. The Kamwa festival itself is wonderful, with a very rich and varied program in a wonderful place and nature. I enjoyed the full program and the choice of artists as well as communicating with conference participants and organizers. Thank you!"
Ten leading traditional poets and musical artists have completed an exciting, multi-lingual residency in Galloway, Scotland. The artists have been working together to create a new arrangement of the Galloway Gaelic Oran Bagraidh song as well as original compositions inspired by the song, the landscape and each other. Taking the theme of multiple identities they have been exploring commonalities and differences between languages, regional histories and musical sensibilities, dipping into traditional, experimental and electronic.
The residency has involved award winning Scots/ Gaelic singer Josie Duncan, lauded Irish song archaelogist Lorcan Mac Mathuna, former Welsh poet laureate and singer Gwyneth Glyn, celebrated Irish Sean-Nós singer Doimnic Mac Giolla Bhríde, Belfast fiddler Conor Caldwell, ancient instrument virtuoso Barnaby Brown, poet, singer and performance artist MacGillivray, widely published poet Rody Gorman and medieval Welsh duo Bragod.
Despite a fierce storm causing a power cut in the middle of the recording sessions the musicians, poets and vocalists recorded new poetry and music, inspired by past peoples and languages of Galloway. The work features five languages, medieval instruments: lyre and northern triple pipes as well as fiddle, harp, accordian, whistle and electronics. The work will now be edited by producer Ben Seal to be made into an album, set for release in February 2019.
Poet Rody Gorman said ‘this has been an extraordinarily productive collaboration with, as its origins, an enigmatic element of the corpus of Gaelic tradition in Scotland and Ireland as well as other traditions. It has been a very rewarding learning experience in a creative way of recognisable mutual benefit. The collaboration has involved new combinations in relation to language, music and literary forms. A particularly pleasing element of the enterprise has been that newly created material has emphasised the specifically local as exemplified in the song Oran Bagraidh’.
Oran Bagraidh ‘Song of Defiance’ is allegedly the only surviving example of the extinct dialect of Galloway Gaelic, spoken across the region from the 5th to 18th century, alongside English, early Welsh and Scots.
Monsieur Doumani From Piedmont to Sicily, from Cyprus to Senegal: there are artists of the most diverse origins among the finalists of the only World Music Contest in Italy, the "Andrea Parodi Awards". This year’s edition will be held from the 8th to the 10th November in Cagliari at the Teatro Auditorium Comunale, when the following artists will compete:
Aniello Misto with "Aumm aumm" (Neapolitan); Ararat Ensemble Orchestra with "Nietaan" (Wolof); Dindùn with "L'amur" (Piedmontese); Giuseppe Di Bella with "Ncucciarisi" (Sicilian); Feral Cor with "La Sajetana" (Genoese); Kor with "Albore" (Logudorese); La Maschera with "Te vengo a cerca '" (Neapolitan and Wolof); Monsieur Doumani with "Gongs" (Cypriot); Terrasonora with "Padre vostro" (in Neapolitan and Swahili).
The event, which is organised by the Andrea Parodi Foundation, boasts of the artistic direction of Elena Ledda. The winner of the "Parodi" will have the opportunity to perform in the 2019 editions of the "European Jazz Expo" in Sardinia, at Folkest in Friuli, the Negro Festival of Pertosa (SA), the Mei di Faenza, of the very Parodi Awards and in various other events and music programmes. In addition to this, the winner will be entitled to a financial award for their artistic growth to a maximum amount of 2,500 euros.
All this in memory of Andrea Parodi, an artist who went from singer-songwriter with Tazenda to a solo career of highly valued, and re-elaboration of his roots, thanks to which he became an international reference in the World Music scene, collaborating among other artists with Al Di Meola and Noa.
1 - 4 November 2018 Denholm Folk Festival, Scottish Borders, UK ft. Dallahan, The Henry Girls, Tommy Sands, ... www.denholmfolkfest.co.uk 15 - 18 November 2018 William Kennedy Piping Festival, Armagh, Northern Ireland www.wkpf.org 22 - 25 November 2018 The Trip to Birmingham Tradfest, Birmingham, UK ft. Four Men And A Dog, Byrne Harper Cooney, Conway McIntyre, ... www.birminghamtradfest.co.uk 17 - 21 January 2019 Shannonside Winter Music Weekend, Sixmilebridge, Ireland ft. Gavin Hill McGrath, Luka Bloom, Tim O'Shea, Two Time Polka, ... www.wmw.ie 17 January - 3 February 2019 Celtic Connections Festival, Glasgow, Scotland, UK www.celticconnections.com 23 - 27 January 2019 Temple Bar TradFest, Dublin, Ireland www.templebartrad.com 27 February - 3 March 2019 The Gathering, Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney, Ireland ft. Altan, Dordán, Bonnymen, McGoldrick Doyle McCusker, Keenan Gavin Byrne, ... www.thegathering.ie
21 - 25 February 2019 Russell Memorial Weekend, Doolin, Ireland www.michorussellweekend.ie 18 - 26 May 2019 folkBALTICA, Flensburg & Sønderjylland-Schleswig, Germany/Denmark www.folkbaltica.de 4 - 7 July 2019 Rudolstadt Festival, Germany ft. Focus: Iran www.rudolstadt-festival.de 25 - 28 July 2019 Warwick Folk Festival, UK www.warwickfolkfestival.co.uk 2 - 11 August 2019 Festival Interceltique de Lorient, France The Year of Galicia www.festival-interceltique.com 8 - 10 August 2019 Fairport's Cropredy Convention, Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK www.fairportconvention.com 16 - 18 August 2019 Folk East, Glemham Hall, Suffolk, UK www.folkeast.co.uk 22 - 25 August 2019 Tønder Festival, Denmark ft. Finbar Furey, Old Man Luedecke, James Keelaghan, ... www.tf.dk 23 - 26 August 2019 Shrewsbury Folk Festival, UK www.shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk
Hi Everyone! I’m back in Los Angeles now after a 3 week tour in Europe! I have to say that this trip has been the best one I’ve ever booked! After this tour I can say that I’ve sold nearly 700 copies of my Dream Catcher EP!
Werk 9, Artliners, Wilma Bar, Barkett and Prachtwerk: The first and last week I was in Europe I played shows in Berlin.I absolutely love this city! There is street art on almost every building and there is a large international community of artists and travelers. I was a little nervous that I didn't speak much German, but English is actually quite common in the city. My favorite show to play on the tour was at this songwriter venue called Prachtwerk. The audience had about 100 people and there were 8 artists that played as part of a showcase. It kind of reminded me of the Monday Monday at the Hotel Cafe showcase I play every so often in LA. The talent was amazing and I got to jam with this band called Wie Wir Sind backstage in the greenroom. They had a cellist, guitarist, cajon player and a singer who wrote music in German.
I also really enjoyed meeting Tagebuch Musik and Ella-John at my show at Werk 9 as well as Valeria Frattini at Barkett Bar! They are three local artists you should follow if you ever visit Berlin! The Artliners gig was also a lot of fun. The venue is located on the east side of the city and many artists go there to jam. I also loved the vibe of Wilma Bar. I played for tips in the upstairs area of the bar and made random friends with some students from Manchester University. This is what I really love about music! I love meeting new people through playing live.
Busker’s Chur: This was the best busking festival I played in Europe! The staff was incredibly friendly, and people were so supportive. I felt like I was in a storybook while I was walking through the cobblestone streets and green shuttered houses! I really had to work hard at this festival--I played 4 shows a day every couple of hours throughout the city. I had to give myself time to set up and break down, eat, rest, network etc. I am so thankful to my videographer friend Daniel Bossart and Williem for helping to carry my things and document this whole journey!
At the end of the first day, there was a jam session in the busker hang out area and I sang some tunes with a balkan folk music band. I also met up with my friend Borja Catanesi and ran into some other familiar buskers from the Ferrara Festival last year. One of the most memorable things that happened during my performances was that people gathered round me in semi-circles and really listened to my songs. I only played 1-2 covers per set. People were also very amazed by my Voyage Air travel guitar. It was interesting to see the reactions of people as I broke the guitar down or set it up. Switzerland is very green and mountainous. The chocolate and the food is amazing and I definitely hope to tour there again!
Buskers Braunschweig:
This was my last festival I played in Germany. I signed many autographs and Daniel even came to help out! Big thank you to him! I also played 4 shows a day at this festival in different parts of the city. At the end of the event, the best buskers were chosen to perform on the big stage in the city center!
Check out their website to see some of the lineup. I felt like a celebrity there.
During my last couple days in Europe, hanging around Denmark, I wrote a fairly extensive blog post about the tour, including lots of photos and video clips: songwritersnotebook.blogspot.com
I've been traveling and performing in various countries in the northern parts of Europe since the middle of April. I generally spend at least four months out of a given year touring in Europe these days. Gigs in the US don't work out well enough for me financially these days to break even, so I don't tour nearly as much in the US as I used to. (No, Trump's election has so far not changed that at all for me.)
Over the years I've written many travelogues after tours, ruminating on the tour overall, and sharing some of the highlights that come to mind at the time of writing. After spending enough time hanging out with journalists over the years, I finally decided to start taking occasional notes as I go. So, for the first time ever, I actually have a few pages of very basic notes to help me remember some of those things that seemed worth remembering at the time, to write about in future.
What I didn't do while traveling was to keep track of news developments in my notebook. But keeping track of world news – including of course Trump's most recent shocking statements and actions – is a constant thing for me, that tends to affect how I view the world I'm physically passing through, as well as how I approach the phenomenon of giving a very politically-laden concert in the midst of whatever cyclone is enveloping Washington, DC (and much of the rest of the world) that particular day. So I wish I had made notes about that, too, and probably other things as well. Next time...
Legendary American singer, songwriter and performer Don McLean recently helped raise funds for Teen Cancer America (TCA) and UCLA Health. At the Backyard Concert 2018, McLean joined Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Van Morrison and Roger Daltrey, as well as GRAMMY Award winner Ed Sheeran and others for a once-in-a-generation private concert and live auction. During the concert Don McLean joined Sheeran for a special duet performance of his hit "Vincent".
"I have been aware of the philanthropic work of Roger Daltrey for many years, and that motivated me to participate," said McLean. "I enjoyed all the music very much, and Ed Sheeran is very delightful to know and work with. Van Morrison put on a beautiful, swinging show and his band was very refined. Everyone gave their best, and it was a stellar musical evening that raised money for a good cause."
A New York native, Don McLean is one of the most revered and respected songwriters in American history. After paying his dues in the New York club scene in the late ‘60s, he went on to score mega-hits like “American Pie,” “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night),” “Castles in the Air” and many more. In 2004, McLean was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame by country superstar Garth Brooks. “American Pie” has brought great happiness and hope to millions of people through the years and continues to be honored for its success. In 2000, the song was named one of the Top 5 Songs of the 20th Century by the RIAA and in 2002 was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. 2017 brought a huge honor when the iconic song was inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry, joining less than 500 works including “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” classical music compositions, famous live broadcasts, and similar recordings.
With over 40 gold and platinum records worldwide, his prowess for writing timeless songs is once again captured on Botanical Gardens, as he artfully weaves country, Americana, folk, and boot stomping rock for an eclectic, yet American sound that he is known for.
Leo’s Tavern, voted best Ulster Music Venue 2017 by IMRO, celebrates 50 years this year. Leo Brennan, show band musician and singer, opened Leo’s in 1967 entertaining visitors and locals nightly with a unique style which he passed on to his family, Clannad members Moya, Ciarán, Pól, Padraig and Noel along with recording legend, Enya.
Tabhairne Leo or Leos Tavern is situated in North West, Ireland in the beautiful and picturesque County Donegal, in the village of Meenaleck. Situated along the Wild Atlantic Way, between the popular tourist destination of Mount Errigal and the Atlantic Ocean, Leos Tavern is renowned for its music being the family home of world famous musical talents Enya, Clannad and Moya Brennan.
Tabhairne Leo was originally opened by Leo Brennan and his wife Maire (Baba) in 1968 as an entertainment venue to enjoy live music. Now under the proprietorship of youngest son Bartley and following a complete refurbishment of the original Leos, he has elevated the premises to be the premier destination Entertainment Bar Restaurant in the North West of Ireland.
The walls are adorned with Gold and Platinum disks, memorabilia and numerous photos of the family with world famous musical faces.
There’s always something going on at Leos Tavern so drop in for some lovely food and a great nights entertainment. You never know who might be there.
Up and Coming
