Andy Irvine

From open-encyclopedia.com - the free encyclopedia.

Andy Irvine (b. 1942) is an Irish folk musician, singer, and songwriter, and former member of the popular band Planxty. He is an accomplished player of the mandolin, bouzouki, mandola, guitar, cittern, and harmonica.

Irvine was born in London to Irish/Scots parents. As a child he took to acting, but gave it up when he reached adolescence. He studied classical guitar, but forsook it for the traditional method upon discovering Lonnie Donegan and the Skiffle boom of the 50s, and later Woody Guthrie.

In the 1960s he found himself in Dublin, and began an itinerant life of a musician. He found musical influences in the likes of Ewan MacColl (notably the songs he wrote for his radio-ballads), and the Child Ballads. There he met Johnny Moynihan, with whom he formed a musical partnership, which, with the addition of Joe Dolan, turned into Sweeney's Men in 1966. A year later Dolan departed, and was replaced with Terry Woods (later of Steeleye Span and The Pogues). After recording several singles and an album Irvine left the band, and headed to Eastern Europe (he later wrote a song about his experiences there: "Baneasa's Green Galde", which was recorded years later by Planxty).

When he returned to Dublin, Sweeney's Men was breaking up, and the music scene had changed. He met Donal Lunny, and played with him for a while, but he got his big break when Christy Moore, an established musician in the folk music scene, decided to record his first album in Dublin. Among the musicians he chose to perform were Irvine, Lunny, and uilleann piper Liam O'Flynn. The album, Prosperous, was released as an album by Moore, but the four musicians thereafter formed Planxty.

The group was an instant success, signing a six record contract and touring throughout Europe. They played mostly traditional songs and tunes, but several were Irvine compositions, making him the lone composer of the band. After two albums Lunny left the group, and was replaced by Moynihan. After a third album together Moore departed and was replaced by Paul Brady, but soon Planxty broke up, substantially in debt.

Irvine continued to play with Brady, and briefly with De Dannan (he soon left due to scheduling conflicts). But by 1978 Christy Moore was ready to reform the original Planxty lineup, complete with Lunny, who brought along flutist Matt Molloy from The Bothy Band. Planxty again broke up in 1982, and Irvine gathered a collection of musicians from throughout Europe and formed Mosiac, who were short-lived.

In 1985 Irvine joined up with fiddler Kevin Burke, guitarist/vocalist Gerry O'Beirne and accordionist Jackie Daly. Originally billed on an American tour as "The Legends of Irish Music", they soon chose to call themselves Patrick Street. The lineup for the band underwent several changes, but always included Irvine, Burke, and Daly. Agreed to as a "part time" band, they nevertheless recorded seven studio albums together.

Partial discography

Solo

• Rude Awakening (1991)
• Way Over Yonder (2001)

With Planxty

• Planxty (1973)
• The Well Below the Valley (1973)
• Cold Blow and the Rainy Night (1974)
• After the Break (1979)
• The Woman I Loved So Well (1980)
• Words and Music (1983)

With Patrick Street

• Patrick Street
• No. 2 Patrick Street
• Irish Times
• All in Good Time
• Cornerboys
• Made in Cork
• Street Life

With Sweeney's Men

• Sweeney's Men (1968)

With Davy Spillane

• East Wind (1993)

With Dick Gaughan

• Parallel Lines (1983)

With Paul Brady

• Andy Irvine and Paul Brady (1976)