Kevin Burke (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kevin Burke
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Burke performing in 2014
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| Background information | |
| Born | 1950 (age 74–75) London, England |
| Genres | Irish |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Fiddle |
| Years active | 1958–present |
| Associated acts | The Bothy Band, Mícheál Ó Domhnaill, Patrick Street, Open House, Celtic Fiddle Festival |
Kevin Burke (born 1950) is an amazing Irish fiddle player. Many people think he is one of the best Irish fiddlers alive today! For almost 50 years, he has been a leader in Irish traditional music and Celtic music. He has played and recorded with famous groups like The Bothy Band, Patrick Street, and the Celtic Fiddle Festival. In 2002, he received a special award called the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. This is a very high honor for folk and traditional artists in the United States.
Besides his own solo albums, Kevin Burke has worked with many other talented musicians. These include Christy Moore, Andy Irvine & Paul Brady, Mícheál Ó Domhnaill, Jackie Daly, Ged Foley, and Cal Scott.
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Growing Up with Music
Kevin Burke was born in 1950 in London, England. His parents were from County Sligo in Ireland, and they loved Irish music. Kevin learned to play the fiddle when he was eight years old. He studied with a teacher named Jessie Christopherson. He became very skilled in the Sligo fiddling style.
Kevin often traveled to Ireland to visit his family. There, he spent time soaking up the local Sligo music. By the time he was thirteen, he was already playing with Irish music groups!
A Career in Music
Kevin Burke joined a céilí band called the Glenside. They played music on weekends at Irish dance halls in London. In 1966, the Glenside band competed at the All-Ireland Fleadh in Boyle, County Roscommon. They won the competition!
In 1972, Kevin met American singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie in a pub in Milltown Malbay, County Clare. Arlo was very impressed with Kevin's fiddle playing. He invited Kevin to Los Angeles to play on his album Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys (1973). Meeting other musicians in the United States, like accordion player Joe Burke and fiddler Andy McGann, inspired Kevin. He decided to make playing music his full-time job.
In 1974, Kevin moved to Dublin. There, he teamed up with singer-songwriter Christy Moore. Christy used to be in the Irish band Planxty. Kevin, Christy, Jimmy Faulkner, and Declan McNelis played music all over Ireland for a few years.
In 1976, Kevin Burke joined the famous Irish traditional music group The Bothy Band. This band was active for three years in the late 1970s. They were known for their energetic and highly skilled performances. Kevin took over the fiddle spot from Tommy Peoples. He quickly became a key member of the group. He played on three of their albums: Old Hag You Have Killed Me (1976), Out of the Wind – Into the Sun (1977), and After Hours (Live in Paris) (1979).
Kevin became good friends with the band's guitarist and singer, Mícheál Ó Domhnaill. Soon, they started performing together as a duo. When the Bothy Band broke up in 1979, Kevin and Mícheál toured the United Kingdom and Europe. They recorded the album Promenade (1979). In 1980, Kevin and Mícheál moved to the United States. They toured across the country before settling in Portland, Oregon. There, they recorded a second album, Portland (1982).
In 1985, Kevin Burke joined the "Legends of Irish Music" tour. He played with Irish musicians Andy Irvine (who played vocals, bouzouki, mandolin, and harmonica) and Jackie Daly (accordion). Together, they formed a new group called Patrick Street. Over the next twenty years, Patrick Street released nine albums. Some of these include Patrick Street (1987), Irish Times (1990), and On the Fly (2007).
In 1992, Kevin recorded his solo album Open House. He played with Mark Graham (harmonica, clarinet, vocals), Paul Kotapish (guitar, mandolin, cittern, bass), and Sandy Silva (percussion). These three musicians became the main members of his band, Open House. As Open House, they recorded two more albums: Second Story (1994) and Hoof and Mouth (1997).
In the early 1990s, Kevin Burke also started touring and recording with Scottish fiddler Johnny Cunningham and Breton fiddler Christian Lemaître. They formed a group called the Celtic Fiddle Festival. Together, they released six albums, such as Celtic Fiddle Festival (1993) and Live in Brittany (2013).
In 2002, Kevin Burke received the National Heritage Fellowship. This is the highest award given in the United States for folk and traditional arts. In recent years, Kevin has worked with Ged Foley to record In Tandem (2006). He also teamed up with film composer Cal Scott for the album Across the Black River (2007) and its follow-up Suite (2010). In 2007, Kevin started his own record company, Loftus Music, to release his recordings. Kevin continues to tour around the world, even performing in Australia in 2013.
In 2016, Kevin Burke won the "Gradam Ceoil" (Musician of the Year) award. This is a big honor in traditional music, given by the Irish-language TV channel TG4.
He currently lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and two children.
Kevin's Fiddle Style
Kevin Burke's way of playing the fiddle was greatly influenced by the Sligo style. This style was played by famous fiddlers like Michael Coleman, Paddy Killoran, and James Morrison. Kevin describes the Sligo style as "the best of both worlds." He means it combines the strong rhythm of the Donegal style with the smooth, flowing sound of the Clare style.
While his playing is "based on" the Sligo style, Kevin also says he's been influenced by many other types of music. For example, one special thing about his playing is the "strong backbeat" he adds to many reels. He emphasizes every third note with an up-bow, which is different from the traditional way. He also makes the strong beat stand out by playing a nearby open string as his bow digs in.
Instruments and Gear
Kevin Burke currently plays a fiddle made by Michiel De Hoog. Michiel is a Dutch violin maker who works in Dublin. In 2000, Kevin's old Tony Martin fiddle was getting wobbly and hard to play, even after many repairs. He needed a more stable instrument for touring. So, he went to his friend De Hoog, who had just finished making a new fiddle. Kevin tried it in the shop, bought it, and has been playing it almost all the time since then. Sometimes, he still plays his old Tony Martin fiddle or one made by Jeff Manthos from Oregon.
Kevin uses Obligato strings made by Pirastro. He uses rosin made by Gustave Bernadel. The bow he uses all the time was a gift from his brother, Noel Burke, who is a bow maker. Noel gave it to him in 2000 for his fiftieth birthday. Kevin carries his fiddle and gear in a Maurizio Riboni case from Cremona, Italy. To make his instrument louder, Kevin uses an MBC-603 condenser microphone on a stand. Sometimes, he also uses a Swiss-made Kurmann Soundpost pick-up along with the microphone.
Music Albums (Discography)
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See also
- Folk music of Ireland
- Irish fiddle
- Music of Ireland
