Paul Kelly (Irish musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Kelly
|
|
|---|---|
Paul Kelly performing in Dublin, May 2010
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born | 1957 (age 67–68) |
| Origin | Dublin, Ireland |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Associated acts |
|
Paul Kelly (born in 1957) is a talented musician from Tallaght in Dublin, Ireland. He plays many different instruments, making him a multi-instrumentalist. Paul is known for playing various types of music. These include traditional Irish music, bluegrass, and country music. He is comfortable playing in many different musical styles.
Contents
Paul Kelly's Early Life and Music 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 also 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. There, he played with famous musicians like the Russell brothers, Noel Hill, and Tony Linnane. These experiences helped him develop his unique musical style. In 1975, Paul won the Slógadh award. This made him the All-Ireland banjo champion. Around this time, he also started playing the fiddle and performing with folk bands in Dublin.
Paul Kelly's Musical Career Highlights
In the early 1980s, Paul discovered bluegrass music. He spent four years playing the fiddle with the Sackville String Band. This was a popular band in Dublin. They performed at concerts and festivals all over Ireland. The band was started by Niall Toner in 1975. They played American traditional music, old-time songs, and bluegrass.
Many American musicians would join them on stage. This allowed Paul to play with bluegrass legends. Some of these famous musicians included Peter Rowan, Tex Logan, and Kenny Baker.
Joining New Bands and Exploring Styles
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, like The Wilf Brothers and The Fleadh Cowboys, toured regularly. Paul even played for the legendary band Fionnuisce.
In 1989, Paul joined The Fleadh Cowboys. They were one of the most popular bands in Ireland. They toured Ireland and played monthly in London. In Dublin, The Fleadh Cowboys had sold-out shows every week. They often invited guest musicians to join them on stage. Famous guests included The Waterboys, The Hothouse Flowers, Nanci Griffith, John Prine, and Joe Ely.
The Fleadh Cowboys were so popular that they opened for U2 and Bob Dylan. They also supported The Pogues on their world tour. The Pogues were very successful at that time with their song "Fairytale of New York".
Studio Work and Traditional Roots
By March 1992, Paul had become a successful studio session musician. This means he played instruments for recordings by other artists. He also composed music for the Irish movie Hard Shoulder. After this, Paul returned to his traditional Irish 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 TV special dedicated to Sharon Shannon. In 1997, Paul started his own record company called Malgamú Music. He wanted to encourage artists to mix Irish music with other styles. The company released six albums. These included music by the band Lia Luachra and fiddler Kevin O' Connor. Paul also released his own mandolin album. It received great reviews and is considered an important album for the mandolin in Irish music.
Paul Kelly's Current Activities
In 2002, Paul began teaching music at BCFE in Dublin. He still teaches there today. He has also given mandolin workshops in many places. These include Finland, the USA, Italy, Switzerland, and the University of Limerick in Ireland.
A book of 110 mandolin tunes from his collection was published in 2007. It includes some of his own songs. The book is distributed by Mel Bay.
Paul currently performs and tours with popular Irish singer Eleanor Shanley. He also plays with singer and guitarist Frankie Lane. In late 2013 and early 2014, Paul filled in for Gerry O'Connor. Gerry is the fiddler and banjo player for "The Dublin Legends." This is an Irish folk band formed by the remaining members of "The Dubliners."
Discography
Studio albums
- A Mandolin Album (1998)
Appears On
- 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)
