Altan (band)

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Altan
File:Altanlivegweedore.jpg
Background information
OriginGaoth Dobhair, County Donegal,[1]Ireland
GenresIrish Traditional
Folk
Years active1986–present
LabelsGreen Linnet Records
Virgin
Narada
MembersMairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
Ciarán Curran
Ciarán Tourish
Dermot Byrne
Mark Kelly
Dáithí Sproule
Past membersDónal Lunny
Frankie Kennedy
Paul O'Shaughnessy
WebsiteOfficial website

Altan are an Irish folk music group, who formed in County Donegal in 1987.[1] They have sold millions of records worldwide.[2] Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh is the band's lead vocalist and fiddler.

Origin

Frankie Kennedy, as a young musician from Belfast, used to travel to County Donegal in his summer holidays, learning Irish and playing traditional Irish music. There he met native Irish-speaker and musician Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, the daughter of famed musician Proinsias Ó Maonaigh from Gweedore, County Donegal. Ní Mhaonaigh learned the Donegal-style of fiddle-playing from her father, however, Donegal music was little known outside of the county at the time. Kennedy's repertoire included a number of obscure northern flute tunes drawn from his travels in County Tyrone and County Fermanagh. The pair married in 1981.

Pre-Altan years

Ní Mhaonaigh and Kennedy featured on the first three albums of the well-known Belfast singer and Irish language enthusiast Albert Fry. Two years later they made their first album together, Ceol Aduaidh. This record featured a then un-known musician from Gweedore, Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, now known as Enya. It was a collection of Gaelic songs and Ulster jigs and reels.

Mainstream success: 1987-present

1987-1994: Green Linnet Records

In 1987, they decided to form a band, Altan, named after a lake in Gweedore, Co. Donegal which sits in the shadow of Mount Errigal. They included bouzouki player Ciarán Curran and guitarist Mark Kelly.

Inspired by the success of their debut effort, Ní Mhaonaigh and Kennedy began to work on a new group of ballads and jigs from the north. The result was 1987's Altan, which features many of the musicians who would later join the band under that same name. In the Irish language, altan is a word that means "stream".

In 1989, Altan released their very first album, Horse with a Heart, a well-received album that featured the fiddle-playing of Dublin's Paul O'Shaughnessy.

In 1989, Altan released The Red Crow, which became the first of three Altan albums to win the prestigious “Celtic/British Isles Album of the Year” award from the National Association of Independent Record Distributors and Manufactures (NAIRD).[3]

In 1992 Dáithí Sproule from Derry joined, and the band released Harvest Storm.

In the meantime, Frankie Kennedy learned in June 1992 that he had Ewing's sarcoma, a type of cancer that attacks bone structure. He endured surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy in an effort to cure himself while simultaneously continuing his work with Altan. Kennedy died in September 1994. After a period of mourning, the band resumed their touring as was requested by Kennedy himself before he died.

In 1993, the band released Island Angel. Billboard cited Island Angel as the fourth-best-selling album of world music in 1994.[citation needed] In 1994, the band performed for US President Bill Clinton at the White House on Saint Patrick's Day.[citation needed]

1994-2000: Virgin Records

After the release of their first greatest-hits package in 1995, entitled The First Ten Years, they were signed by Virgin Records. The band line-up at the time was Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (vocals, fiddle), Ciarán Tourish (fiddle), Ciarán Curran (bouzouki), Dáithí Sproule (guitar) and Dermot Byrne (accordion).

In 1996, Altan released Blackwater, their first album on Virgin Records.

In 1997, Altan released their next album, Runaway Sunday.

2000-2005: Narada Productions

In 2000, the group released Another Sky, their first album on the Narada label.

In 2002, The Blue Idol featured the vocals of American singer Dolly Parton, who became close friends with the group after she invited them to play on her 2001 album Little Sparrow.[citation needed] The album garnered them the award for Best Group at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.[citation needed]

In 2002, Altan (along with other artists signed to Green Linnet such as Cherish the Ladies) sued for unpaid royalties. Most artists were paid and most claims were settled in 2006 as Compass Records (who would later sign Altan) bought the company.[citation needed]

In 2003, they released another greatest hits compilation CD called The Best of Altan: The Songs.

In 2005, they recorded Local Ground, their last studio album of original material to date. Like almost every other Altan offering, it was met with positive and enthusiastic reviews.

2005-2009: Recording hiatus & solo projects

In 2005 Ciarán Tourish released his début album Down The Line

In 2007 Dáithí Sproule released his début album The Crow in the Sun

On 28 December 2008, the band's singer and fiddle player Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh released her début album, Imeall, at Scoil Gheimridh Frankie Kennedy in Donegal.

2009-present: Celebrating the 25th anniversary

On 27 April 2009, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh announced that the band would be going into the studio at the beginning of May 2009 to record a new Altan album with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.[4]

In July 2009, Ní Mhaonaigh announced that Altan would also release their first DVD as the video recording of a concert on 14 August 2009 in the National Concert Hall (NCH), Dublin, Ireland (again with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra).[5]

To commemorate their 25th anniversary, Altan released 25th Anniversary Celebration, a compilation album of studio re-recordings of previous material (plus one brand new song) with the contribution of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. It was made available in January 2010 in Japan (where it had its launch in December 2009 during Altan's Winter 2009 Japanese tour), in February 2010 in Ireland & UK and in March 2010 in North America.

After a few European dates in January, February & April 2010 and a 18-date (March to April) US tour, Altan launched their 14-date "25th Anniversary" (April to June) Irish tour on 23 April 2010 in Dublin. A 8-date UK tour took place in September 2010.[6]

After attending the Irish Festival of Oulu in Finland & visiting Paris, France in fall 2010, Altan gave their annual New Year irish concerts in early january 2011 at the Scoil Gheimhridh "Frankie Kennedy" in Gaoth Dobhair, Donegal followed by a special 25th Anniversary Concert in late january 2011 at the Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland. Altan then embarked in february 2011 in a 5-date french tour.

A 12-date US tour followed in march 2011. Since spring 2011 Altan is presently touring Europe. A 2-date US visit is scheduled in August 2011 and Altan is announced to participate in early september 2011 in a special Celebration concert of Fiachra Trench at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, Ireland with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.[7]

Legacy

A winter school of music is now held in Gweedore, County Donegal each year in honour of co-founder Frankie Kennedy, The Frankie Kennedy Winter Music School. Ni Mhaonaigh is regarded as one of the great female singers of Ireland, standing alongside the likes of Mary Black, Moya Brennan and Sinéad O'Connor.[citation needed]

Discography

Frankie Kennedy and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh albums

Altan studio albums

Altan compilations

  • The First Ten Years (1986–1995) (1995) a Green Linnet 1-CD compilation
  • The Best Of Altan (1997) a Green Linnet 2-CD compilation (the 2nd CD is a 31-min Bonus CD of a live performance on January 15, 1989 at Museum Bochum, Bochum, Germany; this is the only live recording available from the band to date)
  • Altan's Finest (2000) a Erin/Valley Entertainment 1-CD compilation of the Green Linnet years
  • Once Again 1987-93 (2000) a Recall Records UK 2-CD compilation of the Green Linnet years
  • The Best of Altan: The Songs (2003) a Virgin Records compilation of songs from the Virgin and Narada albums: five songs from Another Sky, four from Runaway Sunday, three from Blackwater, and two from The Blue Idol

Solo albums

Although the band members record solo albums, various Altan members sometimes appear as guests.

References

  1. ^ a b http://www.ceolas.org/artists/Altan.html
  2. ^ http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irishpost/ents/camdens-finest-oct1905.asp
  3. ^ http://www.enotes.com/contemporary-musicians/altan-biography
  4. ^ Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh - Ryan Tubridy Show
  5. ^ Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh - Summer Is Here!
  6. ^ Altan's Official Web Site - Altan 2010 Tour Dates
  7. ^ Altan's Official Web Site - Altan 2011 Tour Dates

External links

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