Celtic Music Biographies C

Patrick Street
aka. Patrick Street Band

Patrick Street is comprised of some of Ireland's most accomplished musicians. Formed in Dublin in 1986, the current group includes fiddler Kevin Burke (The Bothy Band), bouzouki player and vocalist Andy Irvine (Sweeney's Men, Planxty), button accordionist Jackie Daly (DeDanaan) and guitarist Ged Foley (The Battlefield Band, The House Band). Previous members include guitarists Arty McGlynn (Van Morrison, Planxty) and Gerry O'Beirne and Uillean pipe and keyboard player Declan Masterson. Patrick Street's self-titled debut album was produced by multi-instrumentalist Donal Lunny (Planxty, The Bothy Band, Moving Hearts).

Burke, Irvine, Daly and O'Beirne first came together to tour the United States as "Legends Of Irish Music". The enthusiastic reception that they received encouraged them to make the band more permanent. Taking the name "Patrick Street", the four musicians recorded four albums and toured the United States five times between 1987 and 1993. In the Fall of 1994, O'Beirne was replaced by Foley and Patrick Street joined with French Canadian band, La Boutine Sorriente, for a tour of New England.

While much of Patrick Street's repertoire is traditional Irish music, the group has recorded original tunes by Irvine, Daly and O'Beirne, as well as tunes by Si Kahn, Woody Guthrie, Andy Mitchell, Dave Richardson and Colum Sands.

The core quartet of Patrick Street has been augmented by additional musicians on several albums. Donal Lunny played keyboard and bodhran on the group's first album. Enda Walsh played keyboards on their second effort, No. 2 Patrick Street. Patrick Street's third album, 3 Irish Times 3, featured the group's largest arrangements with the addition of Declan Masterson (Uillean pipes, low whistle, keyboards) and Bill Whelan (keyboards).Producer of Patrick Street's 1993 recording, All In Good Time, Whelan played keyboards and sang background vocals on the album. Craig Harris, All-Music Guide

Tommy Peoples
An electrifying fiddler from Donegal, Tommy Peoples has converted more than one person to the religion of Irish traditional music. A member of The Bothy band in 1975, he was the propulsive fiddler that powered that group's landmark first album. He also has some magnificent solo work. Steve Winick, All-Music Guide

Planxty
This band grew out of the sessions that produced Christy Moore's album Prosperous. Originally, it featured Moore, Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine and Liam O'Flynn. This line-up made two albums in 1973 before Lunny went off to join The Bothy Band. His replacement was Johnny Moynihan, a former member, with Irvine, of Sweeney's Men. This line-up recorded the next Planxty LP in 1974, after which Moore left the group. Planxty recorded no more albums before they broke up in 1975. 1979 saw the group back together and recording albums with new members until 1983, when they evolved into Moving Hearts. Steve Winick, All-Music Guide

Maddy Prior
Singer Maddy Prior gained a following in England's folk clubs as a member of a duo with Tim Hart. In the late '60s, she recorded several albums with Hart (see Hart, Tim, and Maddy Prior). After meeting Ashley Hutchings at a folk festival, Prior and Hart joined Steeleye Span, the highly acclaimed electric folk group that Prior still fronts today. Along the way, she has been part of another duo with June Tabor, called "Silly Sisters." She has also recorded several albums solo and with her husband, Rick Kemp. Steve Winick, All-Music Guide

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