Posted on 10/15/2021 9:38:45 AM PDT by Olog-hai
Paddy Moloney, a co-founder of the Irish folk band The Chieftains, died today. He was 83 years old. The news was announced by the Irish Traditional Music Archive. No cause of death was given.
Moloney was a hugely important fixture in the Irish folk music scene. For more than 50 years, Moloney led The Chieftains around the world, popularizing traditional Irish music.
The band also collaborated with countless artists and groups from outside of the folk-music world, including Mick Jagger, Roger Daltrey, Emmylou Harris, and Luciano Pavarotti.
Their last show was an early St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Philadelphia, Pa., in 2020, before the pandemic forced them to cancel the remainder of their “Irish Goodbye” tour.
When it came to music, Moloney was self-taught. He told NPR in a 2002 interview that his mom bought him a tin whistle when he was six years old, and learning that opened the door to other instruments. …
(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...
The best thing about the 1992 movie “Far and Away” (Tom Cruise, Nichole Kidman with Ron Howard directing) was the score. John Williams composed but there was lots of the Chieftains pieces used to very good effect! I am listening to the album now.
Ah Paddy, at age 83 it can hardly be said that we never knew ye BUT you have left us a magnificent legacy! In 1938, it is hardly likely that many outside Irish ancestry heard much of this music unless it came through sea chanties or immigrant folk music. Now, we have a tremendous world-wide catalog from Paddy to Riverdance to Enya to ...!
God Bless and may the wind ever be at your back!
Speaking of “Riverdance”, when I saw the band at Carnegie Hall, they had Michael Flatley dancing along to the music. When they played “The Morning Dew”, Flatley’s hard shoes were used to play the part that was played by the bones on the studio record (The Chieftains 4).
Enya Brennan of course had her start as part of Clannad, her family’s band. Her sister Moira is the lead female singer.
Here’s to a long life and a merry one. A quick death and an easy one. A pretty girl and an honest one. A cold beer and another one!
ping
The soundtrack to Barry Lyndon features some great Chieftains pieces and adds to the atmosphere of the movie.
And let’s not forget Schubert.
I’m Irish. Love the Chieftains.
Always like the Clancy Brother meself. ( my ancestors were Irish).
I always think of the movie when I hear that Schubert piano trio.
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