Andy Irvine (musician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Andy Irvine
Irvine playing a guitar-bodied Irish bouzouki at Lottes Musiknacht (27 November 2016).
Background information
Birth name	Andrew Kennedy Irvine
Born	(1942-06-14) 14 June 1942 (age 83) St John's Wood, London, England
Genres	Irish English Scottish Old-time American Bulgarian Balkan Australian folk music
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals mandolin mandola bouzouki hurdy-gurdy guitar-bodied bouzouki harmonica
Years active	1962–present
Awards	2018 RTÉ Radio 1 Lifetime Achievement Award

Andy Irvine (born 14 June 1942) is a famous Irish folk musician and songwriter. He helped start many important folk bands like Sweeney's Men, Planxty, Patrick Street, Mozaik, LAPD, and Usher's Island. Andy plays many instruments, including the mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, harmonica, and hurdy-gurdy.

For over sixty years, Andy Irvine has been a big influence in folk music. He has collected and performed a huge number of songs and tunes. These come from different traditions like Irish, English, Scottish, Eastern European, Australian, and American old-time and folk music.

As a child, Andy was an actor, which helped him become a great performer. He learned classical guitar first. But he switched to folk music after discovering the American folk legend Woody Guthrie. Andy even learned to play the harmonica and mandolin, just like Guthrie. He developed a special way of playing the mandolin, mandola, and bouzouki. He also loved the unique sounds and rhythms of Bulgarian folk music.

Andy Irvine, along with Johnny Moynihan and Dónal Lunny, helped bring the Greek bouzouki to Irish music. They changed its tuning to fit the Irish style. He also worked with instrument makers to improve his instruments. Even though he often performs alone, Andy has also had great success working with other musicians. He continues to tour all over the world, sharing his music. In 2018, he received a special Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to folk music.

Andy Irvine's Early Life and Acting Career

Andy Irvine was born in London, England, on June 14, 1942. His mother was from Ireland and his father from Scotland. His mother was a musical comedy actress, and Andy often said she "never stopped acting!" From a young age, Andy went to boarding school. He loved playing team sports like football, rugby, and cricket.

As a child, Andy had many chances to act on stage, TV, and in movies. When he was eight, he played Jimmy in the film A Tale of Five Cities. At thirteen, he starred as Nokie in a children's TV series called Round at the Redways. He even joined a school for child actors. He performed in plays and TV dramas, earning good reviews. He played a young John Logie Baird, who invented television, in a film. Andy also appeared in the movie Room at the Top.

Later, he worked for the BBC's acting company, where he met the poet Louis MacNeice. However, in his early twenties, Andy decided to stop acting. He moved to Dublin, Ireland, and started a new path in music.

Andy Irvine's Musical Journey and Influences

Andy Irvine loved music from a very young age. He would play old records on a wind-up gramophone. At thirteen, he learned classical guitar. But then he found Woody Guthrie during the Skiffle music craze of the 1950s. This changed his musical direction completely.

Guthrie became a huge inspiration for Andy. He started playing the harmonica and mandolin, just like Guthrie. Andy also learned Guthrie's guitar picking style. He met American folk musicians who knew Guthrie, like Ramblin' Jack Elliott. Elliott even taught Andy how to play the harmonica like Guthrie. Andy wrote letters to Woody Guthrie when he was in the hospital. He felt a strong connection to Guthrie's values and music. In 1991, Andy wrote a song called "Never Tire of the Road" as a tribute to Woody Guthrie.

Andy is also a member of the Industrial Workers of the World, a group that believes in fairness for workers. He cares deeply about social justice. He wrote a song about Mary Harris Jones, also known as 'Mother Jones', who was a famous activist. He performed at festivals celebrating her life.

Andy Irvine's Music Career Highlights

Starting in Dublin and Sweeney's Men

In 1962, Andy moved to Dublin, Ireland. He saw a growing folk music scene there. He quickly decided to leave acting behind and focus on music. He spent hours in the National Library of Ireland, studying old songbooks. He also found inspiration from folk singers like Ewan MacColl.

Andy met other musicians like Ronnie Drew and Luke Kelly, who later formed The Dubliners. He even wrote a song called "O'Donoghue's" about these early days. In 1966, Andy teamed up with Johnny Moynihan and 'Galway Joe' Dolan to form Sweeney's Men. This band mixed American folk with an Irish sound. Johnny Moynihan introduced the Irish bouzouki to Irish music, and Andy quickly learned to play it. This instrument became a key part of their sound.

Andy loved to travel. He explored Ireland's music festivals and hitchhiked across Europe. He even played in clubs in Denmark. Sweeney's Men recorded their first single in 1967. Their album, Sweeney's Men, came out in 1968. Andy wrote several songs for it, including "West Coast of Clare." He left the band later that year.

Discovering Eastern European Music

In 1968, Andy traveled to Eastern Europe and the Balkans. He was amazed by the folk music there, especially the Bulgarian tradition. He wrote several songs about his travels, like "Time Will Cure Me" and "Autumn Gold." He was especially drawn to the unique, uneven rhythms of Bulgarian music. This fascination would greatly influence his future projects and even impact the sound of modern Irish music, including Riverdance.

While in Greece, he bought his first bouzouki. He also met Rens van der Zalm, a talented violinist from the Netherlands, who would become a frequent musical partner.

Forming Planxty and Other Duos

Back in Dublin, Andy formed a duo with Dónal Lunny. They started their own club night called 'The Mug's Gig'. This partnership helped make the bouzouki even more popular in Irish music. Andy also created his own version of the traditional song "The Blacksmith" with a Bulgarian-inspired ending.

Andy and Dónal then joined Christy Moore and Liam O'Flynn to record Moore's album Prosperous in 1971. This collaboration was so successful that the four musicians decided to form a band called Planxty in 1972. Planxty quickly became a "supergroup" in Irish folk music. They toured all over Europe and released several popular albums. Andy wrote many songs for Planxty, blending traditional tunes with his own compositions.

After Planxty broke up for a time, Andy toured with Paul Brady. They released a successful album together, Andy Irvine/Paul Brady, in 1976. This album is still celebrated today. Andy also toured with Mick Hanly and contributed to his album As I Went Over Blackwater.

Solo Work and New Bands in the 1980s

In 1980, Andy released his first solo album, Rainy Sundays... Windy Dreams. One side of the album featured Irish traditional music, and the other focused on Balkan music, showing his diverse influences.

Planxty reformed for a while in the late 1970s and early 1980s, releasing albums like After The Break and The Woman I Loved So Well. Andy also recorded Parallel Lines with Scottish folk singer Dick Gaughan.

Andy continued to explore international music. He traveled to Hungary and played with local musicians, including the band Muzsikás. This led to his next multicultural band, Mosaic, formed in 1984 with Dónal Lunny and other European musicians. Mosaic blended different folk styles, creating a unique sound.

In 1985, Andy co-founded Patrick Street with fiddler Kevin Burke and guitarist Mícheál Ó Domhnaill. This band became very popular and released many albums over the years. Andy sang many songs for Patrick Street, including "Patrick Street" and "Tom Joad."

Andy Irvine's Bouzouki Style

Andy Irvine's way of playing the bouzouki is very special. He uses a tuning called GDAD', which is different from the traditional Greek bouzouki. He explained that he found this tuning by accident, trying to make the bouzouki sound like a mandolin. This unique tuning and his decorative playing style have influenced many other musicians.

Later Career and Recent Projects

Andy released his second solo album, Rude Awakening, in 1991. It featured his tribute to Woody Guthrie and songs about other historical heroes. He also recorded East Wind in 1992, an album of Bulgarian and Macedonian tunes played in an Irish style. This project was important for the creation of Riverdance.

He continued to record and tour with Patrick Street throughout the 1990s and 2000s, releasing albums like Cornerboys and Made in Cork. His third solo album, Rain on the Roof, came out in 1996.

In the 2000s, Andy released his fourth solo album, Way Out Yonder. He also formed a new multicultural group called Mozaik (not to be confused with his earlier band, Mosaic). They released Live from the Powerhouse and Changing Trains.

The original Planxty members reunited in 2003 and 2004 for a series of concerts, which were released as the album Live 2004. Andy also released his fifth solo album, Abocurragh, in 2010.

In 2012, Andy formed a new quartet called LAPD, with Liam O'Flynn, Paddy Glackin, and Dónal Lunny. They played occasional concerts to great reviews. Andy also celebrated his 70th birthday with special concerts in Dublin, which were recorded for an album and DVD. In 2013, he released Parachilna, a duo album with Rens van der Zalm, recorded live while camping in Australia.

Andy's most recent band is Usher's Island, formed in 2015, with Dónal Lunny, Paddy Glackin, Michael McGoldrick, and John Doyle. He continues to be an active and influential musician.

Selected discography

Filmography

• Planxty Live 2004 (2004), DVD
• Come West Along The Road/Irish Traditional Music Treasures From RTÉ Archives 1960s – 1980s (2005), DVD
• Come West Along The Road 2/Irish Traditional Music Treasures From RTÉ Archives 1960s – 1980s (2007), DVD
• From Clare To Here (2008), DVD
• Come West Along The Road 3/Irish Traditional Music Treasures From RTÉ Archives 1960s – 1980s (2010), DVD
• Come West Along The Road/The Collection (2014), DVD (Volumes 1–4 Boxset)
• Ar Stáitse – RTÉ TV Series, DVD
• The Transatlantic Sessions Series 6 (2014), DVD
• Andy Irvine 70th Birthday Concert at Vicar St 2012 (2014), DVD
• Mozaik on Tour 2014 (2014), YouTube video clip
• Planxty Between the Jigs and the Reels: A Retrospective (2016), DVD

Awards

• 2018: Won the first Lifetime Achievement Award at RTÉ Radio 1's Folk Music Awards.

Images for kids

• 

  Dónal Lunny, Andy Irvine, Liam O'Flynn and Paddy Glackin as LAPD (March 2012)

See Also

• Eddie Butcher
• List of Irish theatres and theatre companies
• Sam Henry