Martin Hayes (musician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Martin Hayes
Hayes in 2008
Background information
Born	(1962-07-04) 4 July 1962 (age 63)
Origin	County Clare, Ireland
Genres	Traditional Irish
Instruments	Fiddle
Years active	1980s–present
Labels	Green Linnet, Real World
Associated acts	Dennis Cahill P. J. Hayes The Gloaming Martin Hayes Quartet
Parent(s)	P. J. Hayes Peggy Hayes

Martin Hayes (born 4 July 1962) is a famous Irish fiddler from County Clare. He is known for his amazing traditional Irish music. Martin is also part of a special music group called The Gloaming.

Martin Hayes' Family and Early Life

Martin Hayes grew up in a musical family in Maghera, Ireland. His father, P.J. Hayes, was a well-known fiddle player. Martin's grandmother also played the concertina, which is like a small accordion.

Musical Roots in County Clare

Martin's father and his uncle, Paddy Canny, were both very important fiddle players. They helped start a famous band called the Tulla Céilí Band in 1946. A céilí band plays music for traditional Irish dancing. Martin's father led this band for many years, from 1952 until he passed away in 2001.

Learning the Fiddle and Winning Awards

Martin started playing the fiddle when he was just seven years old. His father was his first teacher. By the age of 13, Martin had already won his first All-Ireland Fiddle Competition. He went on to win this competition six times! He is one of only three fiddlers ever to win the senior division two years in a row (1981 and 1982). As a teenager, Martin joined the Tulla Céilí Band and played with them for seven years.

Martin Hayes' Music Career

Moving to Chicago and New Music

In 1985, Martin Hayes moved to Chicago, USA. There, he became a big part of the Irish traditional music scene. He often played at weekly music sessions with other talented musicians, like fiddler Liz Carroll. Liz Carroll once said that Martin's music was always "perfect."

To earn a living, Martin played in different kinds of music groups. In the late 1980s, he led a band called "Celtic Aires." Later, in 1989, he formed a band called "Midnight Court" with guitarist Dennis Cahill. This band mixed traditional Irish music with rock music. Martin then moved to Seattle in 1993, where he lived for many years.

First Solo Albums

Martin started recording his own music in 1993. His first album was simply called Martin Hayes. He recorded it with guitarist Randal Bays. For his second album, Under the Moon (released in 1995), he played with Randal Bays, Steve Cooney, and even his father, P.J. Hayes.

Playing with Dennis Cahill

In 1996, Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill formed a duo. They created a unique and beautiful way of playing traditional Irish music. Their style was described as "unrushed" and "lyrical," meaning it was calm and full of feeling. A reviewer from New York Times once said their music was like "stripping old reels and jigs to their essence." This means they played the tunes in a very pure and simple way, leaving space for the music to breathe.

Martin and Dennis released several albums together, including The Lonesome Touch (1997), Live in Seattle (1999), and Welcome Here Again (2008).

The Gloaming and Other Groups

Martin Hayes is also a member of The Gloaming. This is a special group of musicians from Ireland and America. Besides Martin, the group includes singer Iarla Ó Lionáird, fiddler Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, and pianist Doveman. Their first album came out in 2014 and won an award for the best Irish album of the year.

Martin also plays with other groups, like "Tríur" with Peadar Ó Riada and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh. He has toured with Kevin Crawford and John Doyle as "The Teetotalers." He was also part of the Martin Hayes Quartet.

Martin often plays with The Tulla Céilí Band, the band his father helped start. Since 2003, he has been the music director for the Masters of Tradition festival in Bantry, Ireland.

More recently, since 2019, Martin has been performing with the Common Ground Ensemble. This group includes musicians playing piano, cello, guitar, and other instruments. In 2023, they released an album called Peggy's Dream.

Awards and Recognition

Martin Hayes has received many awards for his music.

• In 2000, he won the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards for Instrumentalist of the Year.
• In 2008, he received the TG4 Gradam Ceoil, which is an award for the Traditional Musician of the Year in Ireland.
• In November 2019, the National University of Ireland Galway gave him an honorary doctorate. This is a special award that recognizes his great achievements.

Martin Hayes' Discography

Here are some of the albums Martin Hayes has been a part of:

With P. J. Hayes

• The Shores of Lough Graney (1990)

Martin Hayes albums

• Martin Hayes (1992)
• Under the Moon (1995)

Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill albums

• The Lonesome Touch (1997)
• Live in Seattle (1999)
• Welcome Here Again (2008)

Martin Hayes Quartet

• The Blue Room (2017)

Martin Hayes & The Common Ground Ensemble

• Peggy's Dream (2023)

As a member of the Tulla Céilí Band

• A Celebration of 50 Years (1996)
• 60th Anniversary Celebration (2007)

With The Gloaming

• The Gloaming (2014)
• 2 (2016)
• Live at the NCH (2018)
• 3 (2019)

Other Albums Featuring Martin Hayes

• My Love is in America (1991)
• Traditional Music from East Clare by Mary MacNamara (1994)
• John Williams by John Williams (1995)
• The Gathering Various Artists (1997)
• Celtic Sessions by William Coulter and Friends (1997)
• In Concert by Kevin Burke (1999)
• Diary of a Fiddler by Darol Anger (1999)
• Poor Man's Troubles by Bruce Molsky (2000)
• I Could Read the Sky by Iarla Ó Lionáird (2000)
• Murphy's Irish Pub with Laura MacKenzie, John Williams and Dean Magraw (2005)
• The Wildlife Album (2005)
• Sligo Live 06 (2006)
• The House I Was Reared In by Christy McNamara (2007)
• Reeling Through The Years (2007)
• Today, Tomorrow & on Sunday by Helen Hayes (2008)
• The Humours of Tulla by The Tulla Comhaltas Archive Collection (2009)
• Triúr Sa Draighean with Peadar Ó Riada and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh (2010)
• Triúr Arís with Peadar Ó Riada and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh (2012)
• Highlander's Farewell with Alasdair Fraser, Natalie Haas, and Bruce Molsky (2011)
• The Butterfly with Brooklyn Rider (2019)