Bobby Gardiner facts for kids

Bobby Gardiner (born 1939) is a famous Irish musician. He is well-known for playing the accordion. He also performs "lilting," which is a special way of making music with your voice. For over 25 years, he has taught traditional Irish music at University College Cork.

Bobby Gardiner's Life Story

Early Life and Music

Bobby Gardiner was born in 1939 in Aughdarra, a small place in County Clare, Ireland. His mother, Dilly, played a German concertina. She taught him his very first tune. Later, his brother showed him a new type of accordion. Bobby then bought his own accordion, a grey Paolo Soprani.

Joining Bands and Moving to America

When Bobby was only 15, he was asked to join the Kilfenora Céilí Band. A céilí band plays traditional Irish music for dancing. In 1957, he joined another group called Malachy Sweeney's Céilí Band. He traveled all over Ireland playing music as a professional.

In 1960, Bobby moved to New Haven, Connecticut, in the United States. During the day, he worked as a mechanic on the New York Railway. At night, he played music for dances. He performed with many famous musicians like Joe Cooley and Paddy Killoran. He also started recording his own music. His first album, "Memories of Clare," was one of the first solo albums by an Irish accordion player.

Army Service and Family Life

In 1963, Bobby joined the US Army. He was stationed in New Jersey. On his weekends off, he would visit the Catskill Mountains in New York. There, he continued to play music with other well-known musicians.

Bobby married Ann Kearney, a singer from Tipperary, on St. Patrick's Day in 1969. They returned to America, where their first daughter, Kelley, was born. A year later, they moved back to Ireland. They settled in Burncourt, a small village in Tipperary. They had two more daughters, Fiodhna and Lynda. All of his children are talented musicians. They play instruments like the melodeon, whistles, and concertina.

Traveling and Teaching Music

Over the years, Bobby Gardiner has made more recordings. Some of his famous albums include "The Master's Choice" and "The Clare Shout." He has traveled widely with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. This is an organization that promotes traditional Irish music. He is also a member of the Brú Ború Troupe. This group has toured in many countries, including China, Japan, Spain, Canada, and the US.

Bobby is a very active accordion teacher. He teaches in Tipperary, Waterford, and Limerick. He was invited by pianist Micheal O'Suilleabhain to teach traditional music at University College Cork. He has been teaching there for over 25 years. Some of his former students are now famous musicians themselves, like Benny McCarthy from the band Danú.

Bobby Gardiner's Music Style

Accordion Playing

Bobby Gardiner plays what is called a wet tuned accordion. This means the accordion has a rich, vibrant sound. He was one of the first Irish accordion players to master the B/C accordion tuning. His playing style is perfect for Irish dancing. This is because he has amazing rhythm and creativity. He often uses a special musical trick called a single-button triplet. This has become his unique musical signature.

Lilting and Melodeon

On his album "The Clare Shout," Bobby focuses on the one-row melodeon. He also highlights the traditional art of lilting. Lilting is a type of mouth music. In the past, people used lilting to provide music for dancers when instruments were not available.

Bobby Gardiner's Albums

Albums by Bobby Gardiner

Featured On Other Albums