SEAMUS KENNEDY: On the Rocks

Seamus Kennedy

On the Rocks

© 2003 Seamus Kennedy (783707832623)

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Traditional Irish Folk with some contemporary and humorous material added to the mix.

notes

Seamus Kennedy, originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, has been
entertaining audiences all over the United States for almost three
decades. With a ready wit and a vast store of songs, he travels the
country performing for thousands of people each year. From Alaska to
Florida, from Maryland to California, Seamus does his act for audiences
ranging from Popes and Presidents to bartenders and bricklayers, from
college students to kindergartners.
He arrived in New York fresh out of University College, Dublin, where he
majored in languages. It was as an athlete, however, that he came to the
United States. Gaelic football and hurling teams in the New York League
brought players from Ireland each summer, and since he had played
hurling and football at U.C.D. and for his county, he saw action right
away at Gaelic Park.
After the games, the team went to a pub in the Bronx for some light
refreshment and a singalong with Seamus supplying the guitar
accompaniment. The singalong became so popular that the bar owner
offered to pay Seamus to do it on a regular basis. So, he turned pro. As
he says: "I was getting paid for doing something I loved, and I wasn't
getting knocked about on the field. It was a lot easier on my body."
He eventually migrated to Boston with a fellow U.C.D. alumnus, Tom
O'Carroll, as a duo called the Beggarmen. The group broke up in 1978 and
Seamus, by that time appearing regularly in the D.C. area at Matt Kane's
legendary Bit o' Ireland, the Dubliner, and other spots, decided to
relocate.
He brought his family to Maryland in 1983 and has been happily settled
there ever since. For ten years he was the "house-band" at Pat Troy's
Ireland's Own Pub and Restaurant in Alexandria, VA, and he calls these
years "the best training any young performer could have had." Seamus has
been selected to perform before Pope John Paul II at Trinity College
(Washington D.C) and on one memorable St. Patrick's Day, President
Ronald Reagan showed up to catch his act at Ireland's Own. In fact, the
President joined the act when he came up on stage and did ten minutes of
Irish stories for a very surprised full house.
As the nation's capital, D.C. draws visitors from all over the world so
word of Seamus' talents began to spread. He began to tour frequently
outside the region. Today, he is one of the hardest working musicians
around, doing over 250 dates a year and it is a rare weekend that finds
him performing close to home.
Continual interaction is a Seamus Kennedy trademark. He talks directly
to his audience and isn't a bit flustered if they decide to talk back!
He loves to see people really having a good time, and he will encourage
making requests, singing along or acting out choruses. With his vast
repertoire and rapier wit, he has the ability to make folks forget their
cares for a while, to relax and enjoy themselves.
He has an endless supply of rib-tickling jokes, stories and one-liners
which can leave an audience breathless with mirth. But the Irish have
their serious side too, and when Seamus performs a more
thought-provoking ballads such as Phil Coulter's "The Town I Love So
Well" or Pete St. John's "Dublin In The Rare Old Times" the hush that
descends on the room is one of the greatest compliments an audience can
extend to a performer.
Seamus sings the music of his native land with emotion born of knowing
it's history and conflicts firsthand. But he is far from simply a
singer of Celtic songs. While he loves to perform the traditional and
contemporary tunes of Ireland and Scotland, he is equally proficient
with American music, whether it be folk, country, pop or bluegrass. He
can cut loose on a Texas swing number, follow it with a parody and segue
into a heart-rending ballad from Australia.
This diversity is also reflected in his nine recordings, many of which
were taped before live audiences, and which feature something for
everyone, from the silly to the serious, from instrumentals to a
capella vocals, with a healthy dose of humor thrown in.
He has specialty albums of children's material and Christmas songs, and
his recordings are carried on the Internet by songs.com where he has
been amongst their top 10 sellers since joining the site several years
ago.
His strong entertainment skills and his ongoing interaction with his
audiences help Seamus create an exceptionally loyal fan base everywhere
he goes. And they in turn demonstrate a willingness to follow where he
goes. Several years back, he started guiding a bus tour to Ireland once
a year. It proved so popular that a second tour was added and both of
these now sell out well in advance. Seamus also started putting together
seasonal shows (Christmas, St. Patrick's Day) in theatres. His December
Celtic Christmas in Bethlehem, PA sold out in October its first year and
his shows at the Avalon Theatre in Easton, MD have been SRO since their
inception!
The intense dedication Seamus inspires in people is not lost on music
presenters. He is frequently hired by organizations, including police,
firefighters, Celtic societies and military groups, to do fundraising
shows for them. The fact that these events quickly become annual
activities speaks for itself.
Seamus has won nine WAMMIES (the prestigious Washington Area Music
Association Awards) for "Best Irish Male Vocalist." Although he doesn't
place much importance in awards and ceremonies, he values the WAMMIES
because the recognition comes from his fellow performers and musicians.
Seamus' ability to combine a total command of the music with humor makes
him unique in the industry. Festivals that generally rotate their
performers often decide to have him return year after year because they
cannot find anyone else to fill his niche. In addition, his broad
range of material makes him equally suitable for both Scottish and Irish
events. He headlines at both and the performers with whom he has shared
the stage reads like a Who's Who of Celtic stars. On the Irish side,
they include The Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem, Liam Clancy, the Irish
Rovers, Danny Doyle, Altan, Paddy Reilly, Craobh Rua, Hal Roach, the
John Whelan Band and many others. At Scottish festivals, he has appeared
with Alex Beaton, Alasdair Fraser, Ed Miller, Seven Nations, Tempest and
Natalie MacMaster, to name a few. At the Celtic festivals that embrace
several heritages (including Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany and
Canada), he has been billed alongside Men of Worth, Clandestine, Neil
Anderson & Full Circle, Golden Bough, the Glengarry Bhoys and Hadrian's
Wall.
Nancy Hathaway Noyes, critic for Music Scene Magazine puts it best:
"Kennedy is a consummate and professional entertainer, who knows how to
gauge his audience's moods and desires and produces something to fit.
One of his talents is to make this seem effortless, thanks to years of
experience and a lightning-quick intellect on top of solid musical
talent, both in the use of his smooth baritone voice, and in the
instrumental work he creates in accompaniment. The well performed music
is always actively interspersed with jokes, stories and snappy repartée,
resulting in a lot of fun."

reviews

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  • great cd liked the humour also the irish flavour well done
    author: singerdan http://www.dantheman.me.uk/

    great cd liked the humour also the irish flavour well done liked the self penned songs reminds me of my dad he was a miner in the staffordshire coal mines in the uk

  • This CD ROCKS!!!!!!!!
    author: Karen

    This CD is AWESOME. Anyone who wants to laugh and relax to the joys of Irish music will enjoy this pick.

  • Great CD
    author: Molly O

    A great mix of wonderful tunes!! Love it.

  • author: Bruce Cunningham

    Seamus wrote My Fatner Was A Miner'after talking with me and several friends from Scranton,Pa.My father WAS THE miner and every time Seamus plays within driving distance I hear him. I still get chills whenever I hear the song. My children look at me and tell me Dad,Seamus is singing Grandpa's song. It gets better every time I hear it. Thanks,Seamus-Bruce Cunningham

  • great cd to put on with friends and get a laugh
    author: crzynut

    One of his best, if ya want to laugh and have some fun get it and listen.

  • SO FUNNY!
    author: Kelly Erickson

    I love this cd, maybe the best one yet! This cd is perfect for any occasion.

  • author: Ron York

    OUTSTANDING !!! Hope to see you in person at the Celtic Fest in Bethlehem Pa next week-end !!

  • Seamus' work is very entertaining, my husband and enjoyed seeing him at the Musk
    author: Nicole Miel

    This CD is very entertaining as are all of Seamus'.

  • Seamus at his best!
    author: Margaret

    This is a new Seamus CD for me, like I expected, it's full of great Irish music and humor! Seamus never disappoints! I am looking forward to adding the rest of his CD's to my collection this year!

  • Perfection
    author: Billy Peterson

    This is my first Seamus Kennedy CD and my first Irish music CD. There is not a song on here that I would not listen to over and over. It is a CD that you can listen to while drinking or just sitting alone singing at the top of your lungs. And I am not even Irish.

  • Fantastic
    author: Tom Thorn

    Seamus did it again with the great funny songs like the Beer Song but throw in some traditional songs as well like the Penn. coal miners trilogy. It was so good that I just order a copy for my friend and my favorite tavern keeper.

  • Seamus, You did it again!
    author: Miriam

    Loved the mix of songs, the lyrics, the instrumentals, the pathos. It's the kind of CD that you pour yourself a drink and settle down for a good listen. A stellar performance by a consummate entertainer. Sent it to my friend and she loved it too.

  • I thoroughly enjoyed this album!
    author: Jim Wynn

    I heard "The Beer Song" and "You're Always at Home in a Bar" on the radio and knew I had to find the album. The radio station (KUT-FM, Austin, Texas) lists the songs it plays on its website, so it wasn't hard to find. I've ordered more copies to give as gifts.

  • Another hit for Seamus Kennedy! Please, please, keep them coming.
    author: Ann Knutson

    "On the Rocks" is another hit for Seamus Kennedy. He'll have you roaring with laughter with one song and wiping a tear from your eye with the next. The only thing I look forward to more than a new CD from Seamus is catching him in a live concert. But either way, he never fails to make me happy.

  • Loved it !
    author: Michelle Roe

    I just loved this CD. Its the first one I've ever bought from an Irish singer. Being from NJ I just loved God is from NJ, and Concret Road. I'll be purchasing more from CD Baby in the future of the same artist.

  • Excellent as usual!!!
    author: Karen

    I'll be adding this cd to my favorite play list.

  • Excellent - smooth, funny and charming as usual!
    author: Conni Palmore

    Seamus has done it again! The song selection is diverse and easy on the ears. If you've never heard Seamus' songs before, you owe it to yourself to give this CD a listen. If you do, you'll want to get all his CD's!

  • Like fine wine, Seamus gets better with the years!
    author: Bill Priester

    Having had the pleasure of hearing Seamus Kennedy over the years, his latest album, On the Rocks, is a testament that he is still the master craftsman when it comes to true Irish wit and humor interwoven with traditional folk songs. From a wonderful tribute to the Irish coal miners of Pennsylvania to his recollecting his literally bringing the house down on one stormy Sunday afternoon at a concert, anyone who enjoys the wit and wisdom of the Irish are well advised to buy this CD and give it a go! You won't be disappointed.

  • Classic Seamus!
    author: Paul Smith

    Whether you are a first time Seamus listner or a regular, you will like this collection. It has a perfect mix of serious (Only Our Rivers Run Free) and the whimsical (God is From New Jersey). This is a studio recording, and therefore just a little different from his concert recordings. This makes the serious songs just a little more reverential. However, the funny stuff is still laugh out loud funny. The most noticeable difference as I see it is the mix of the instrumentation he uses as backup, both his own guitar playing and his support band instruments. With the studio recording he is able to create a more rich sound. This is delightful listening, highly recommended.

  • Excellent as usual!
    author: Barbara Stone

    Wonderful selection of songs. Loved the trilogy of mining songs and references of NE PA.

  • This might be his finest CD yet.
    author: Mick Lane, frontman for The Conklin Ceili Band

    Start off with the packaging. The cover art, and the interiors, are shots of Seamus standing and posing at various spots on The Giants Causeway in the North of Ireland. Seamus chose to use a trifold cover instead of a jewel case, and packed in one of the pockets are a complete set of lyrics. I liked it so well that I am going to use this format on our next CD, as well as on the solo project that I am planning. In typical Seamus Kennedy fashion, this CD is packed with music. This is something I like and believe in. It seems to me that to leave much empty space on a CD is ripping off the consumer. Especially in these genres, where we have centuries of music to choose from, arrange our own way, never mind the ripe crop of issues to write new material from. Seamus crams about 65 minutes of music on this CD. He runs the gamut in his selection of songs hitting traditional Irish, songs of the Irish in the new country, mixing them up with songs he has written. The example of this would be his Pennsylvania Mining Trilogy. In this 3 song set, he does Chuck Roger's Sons Of Molly, a slightly altered (with permission of)Aengus Finnan song O'Shaughnessy's Lament, and caps it off with a song I heard him perform for the first time publicly, after he wrote it, in my seisun tent in Muskegon, Michigan, My Father Was A Miner. Seamus wrote this song based on a story told him by his friend Jim Cunningham. I remember the day he performed it in the Tent at the Michigan Irish Music Festival. You must imagine the setting. The tent is where we sit and invite folks to join in a jam session with the performing artists at the festival. It is entirely free form, and Seamus always joins in. The second he started singing this stunning song, I was drawn to it. It is a compelling look at the life of a miner. He then told us he had just wrote it and this was the first time he sang it publicly. You could have heard a pin drop. I believe that this one might be the best of a body of excellent work. You should consider it a must own CD.

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