The Clancy Brothers
| The Clancy Brothers | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Genre (s) | Irish folk |
| founding | 1956 |
| resolution | 1990 |
| Founding members | |
| Patrick Clancy | |
singing |
Tom Clancy |
Vocals, guitar
|
Liam Clancy |
Singing, tin whistle , banjo
|
Tommy Makem |
| former members | |
Vocals, banjo, guitar, harmonica |
Bobby Clancy |
Vocals, guitar |
Robbie O'Connell |
Singing, concertina
|
Louis Killen |
The Clancy Brothers were an Irish folk band. Founded in New York City in 1956 , she had her greatest success in the 1960s with Tommy Makem as The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem . The music of The Clancy Brothers helped to rekindle interest in Irish folk music after World War II, especially in the United States, and is considered to be a significant influence on other folk musicians of the period, such as Bob Dylan .
Band history
The Clancy Brothers originally consisted of the brothers Patrick (called Pat or Paddy; 1922-1998), Tom (1924-1990) and Liam (1935-2009) Clancy, who came from Carrick-on-Suir in County Tipperary in Ireland . The two older brothers served in the Royal Air Force during World War II and emigrated to the United States after the war. Liam followed his brothers to New York City in 1955.
At the same time, Liam's friend, Tommy Makem (1932-2007) emigrated to the United States. Makem came from a musical family in Keady, County Armagh , Northern Ireland . His mother Sarah Makem was a well-known folk singer whose repertoire is said to have comprised over 500 songs. The Clancy brothers and Makem met and made their first appearances in the clubs and coffeehouses in Greenwich Village , mainly to make some money as they were primarily interested in careers as actors. They gained local fame and in 1959 released their first album The Rising of the Moon (also: Irish Songs of Rebellion ), which was released on Tradition Records , a label founded by Diane Hamilton, a friend of Liam Clancy .
In 1961 the group got an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show , which made them nationally known and got a record deal with Columbia Records . The 1960s were very successful. The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem released a variety of other albums, played on television and major concert halls, and in 1963 at the White House in front of US President John F. Kennedy .
In 1969 Makem left the group, and a little later Liam Clancy, to pursue their solo careers. (Later joint appearances and albums were created by the two under the name Makem and Clancy .) Makem was initially replaced by Bobby Clancy (1927-2002), another Clancy brother. Bobby was already successful as a musician himself. He left the band after a short time, but returned after Liam's departure. In addition, the nephew of the brothers Robbie O'Connell joined the group. With this line-up, the band made appearances and recordings until Tom Clancy's death in 1990. After that, the Clancy Brothers continued to record and give concerts into the 21st century, sometimes through reunions or with other line-ups.
style
The main focus of the Clancy Brothers' music was on vocals. They played Irish folk songs, which they sang in unison, especially in the chorus, encouraging the audience to sing along if necessary. The often plaintive and sad sounding old Irish ballads they arranged in new versions with a galloping rhythm. According to Liam Clancy, they got the idea while sitting on a couch, musically imitating jumping up and down on the springs of that couch. They paired this innovative way of playing folk songs with an enthusiastic and impetuous way of singing, accompanied by occasional interjections in the style of singing in Irish pubs.
The Clancy Brothers also provide instrumental accompaniment to their songs. Liam played guitar , Pat harmonica, and Makem Tin Whistle and Banjo .
The trademark of the Clancy Brothers were their cream-colored Aran sweaters, which their mother sent them from Ireland to prepare them for the cold winter in New York. The band members wear these sweaters on almost all record covers and on many live performances.
effect
The Clancy Brothers caught the spirit of the times in the USA. Folk music slowly gained popularity, not least through artists such as Joan Baez and The Weavers . In addition, their good looks and charismatic demeanor helped them achieve commercial success. They managed not only to inspire Irish-born Americans, but also people of all origins for their music. They also generated a positive response in Ireland and helped to revive interest in traditional music. The Clancy Brothers also paved the way for other Irish folk bands like The Dubliners or The Chieftains to a certain extent .
It is also worth mentioning the influence of the Clancy Brothers on Bob Dylan. They knew each other from the clubs and bars in Greenwich Village, New York, in the early 1960s. Dylan was enthusiastic about the melodies and stories of her songs, which inspired him to create his own songs and arrangements. Liam and Dylan in particular were good friends. Dylan is said to have described him as "the best ballad singer I'd ever heard in my life" (Eng .: the best ballad singer I have ever heard in my life).
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ R. Carlin: American Popular Music: Folk. P. 35, ISBN 0-8160-5313-8 .
- ↑ J. Byrne, P. Coleman, J. King: Ireland and Americas Culture, Politics, and History. Pp. 175 ff., ISBN 978-1-85109-614-5 .
- ^ M. Scanlan: Culture and Customs of Ireland. P. 167 f., ISBN 0-313-33162-6 .
- ^ M. Scanlan: Culture and Customs of Ireland. P. 167, ISBN 0-313-33162-6 .
- ^ M. Scanlan: Culture and Customs of Ireland. P. 168, ISBN 0-313-33162-6 .
- ↑ quoted from: C. Murray: The Clancy Brothers with Tommy Makem & Robbie O'Connell: The Men Behind the Sweaters. ISBN 978-0-97765-530-4 .