Paul Kelly (Irish musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Kelly
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Paul Kelly performing in Dublin, May 2010
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| Background information | |
| Born | 1957 (age 67–68) |
| Origin | Dublin, Ireland |
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| Years active | 1980–present |
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Paul Kelly is an amazing Irish musician born in 1957. He comes from Tallaght in Dublin, Ireland. Paul is known as a multi-instrumentalist, which means he can play many different musical instruments. He is skilled in various music styles, including traditional Irish music, bluegrass, and country music.
Contents
Early Musical Journey
When Paul was 12 years old, he had already been playing the guitar for five years. A neighbor, Des Carty, who played the fiddle, introduced him to traditional Irish music. Des taught Paul how to play the fiddle.
As a teenager, Paul became very good at playing the banjo and mandolin. He often traveled to Fleadhs, which are Irish music festivals. He also spent many weekends in County Clare, where he improved his playing style. He played regularly with famous musicians like the Russell brothers, Noel Hill, and Tony Linnane. In 1975, Paul won the Slógadh award, becoming the All-Ireland banjo champion. Around this time, he also started playing the fiddle and performing with folk bands in Dublin.
Developing His Musical Career
Exploring Bluegrass Music
In the early 1980s, Paul discovered Bluegrass. This is a type of American folk music. He spent four years playing the fiddle with the Sackville String Band. This popular Dublin band performed at concerts and festivals across Ireland.
The Sackville String Band was started by Niall Toner in 1975. They played "American traditional music, old-time songs, and bluegrass." Many visiting American musicians would join them on stage. This gave Paul the chance to play with bluegrass legends like Peter Rowan, Tex Logan, and Kenny Baker.
Joining New Bands
After Niall Toner formed a new band, Paul joined Irish singer/songwriter Mick Hanly. Paul helped form Mick's band, Rusty Old Halo. Their only album, Still Not Cured, helped create a "New Country Music Scene" in Dublin. Many bands, including The Wilf Brothers and Hank Halfhead, started touring regularly.
Paul later joined The Fleadh Cowboys in 1989. They were one of the most popular bands in Ireland at the time. They toured Ireland and played monthly in London at famous venues like The Mean Fiddler. In Dublin, The Fleadh Cowboys had weekly sold-out shows at The Olympia Theatre. They often invited guest musicians to join them on stage. Some famous guests included The Waterboys, The Hothouse Flowers, Nanci Griffith, John Prine, and Joe Ely.
The Fleadh Cowboys were so popular that they were invited to play before U2 at The Point Theatre. They also supported Bob Dylan at the RDS. They even toured with The Pogues when that band was very successful with their song "Fairytale of New York."
Studio Work and Traditional Roots
In March 1992, Paul had become a busy studio musician. He also composed music for the Irish movie Hard Shoulder. He then returned to his traditional music roots. He joined The Sharon Shannon Band with Trevor Hutchinson and Gerry O'Beirne. They toured America and Europe that year. Their busy schedule ended with a special TV show dedicated to Sharon Shannon, who is a famous accordion player.
In 1997, Paul started his own record company called Malgamú Music. This company focused on new and exciting traditional Irish music. It encouraged artists to try different music styles while keeping Irish music at the heart of their work. Malgamú Music released six albums, including one by the band Lia Luachra and Paul's own mandolin album. His mandolin album received excellent reviews and is considered an important album for mandolin music in Ireland.
Paul Kelly Today
Since 2002, Paul has been teaching music at BCFE in Dublin. He still teaches there and has also given mandolin workshops around the world. He has taught in Finland, the USA, Italy, Switzerland, and at the University of Limerick in Ireland.
In 2007, a book of 110 mandolin tunes was published. It includes some of Paul's own songs and is distributed by Mel Bay.
Paul currently plays and tours with the popular Irish singer Eleanor Shanley and singer/guitarist Frankie Lane. In late 2013 and early 2014, he filled in for Gerry O'Connor in "The Dublin Legends." This is an Irish folk band formed by the remaining members of "The Dubliners."
Music Paul Kelly Has Released
Studio Albums
- A Mandolin Album (1998)
Appears On (Other Artists' Albums)
- The Black Family (The Black Family, 1986)
- Still Not Cured (Mick Hanly and Rusty Old Halo, 1987)
- Hi-Ace to Heaven (The Fleadh Cowboys, 1988)
- A Sonic Holiday (Engine Alley, 1992)
- No Deeper Blue (Townes van Zandt, 1994)
- Out the Gap (Sharon Shannon, 1995)
- Dobro (Frankie Lane, 1995)
- Further Along (The Dubliners, 1996)
- Lia Luachra (Lia Luachra, 1998)
- Traffic (Lia Luachra, 2000)
- You'll Never Beat the Irish (The Wolfe Tones, 2001)
- Gunsmoke at El Paso (Frankie Lane, 2003)
- Live at the Spiegeltent (Jerry Fish & The Mudbug Club, 2004)
- A Place of My Own (Eleanor Shanley with Frankie Lane & Paul Kelly, 2008)
