Sonny Brogan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sonny Brogan
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Patrick Joseph Brogan |
| Born | 4 July 1906 |
| Origin | Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 1 January 1965 (aged 58) |
| Genres | Irish traditional |
| Instruments | Hohner Single-row Melodeon, "Paolo Soprani" Double-row B/C Button Accordion |
| Years active | 1930s–1964 |
| Labels | HMV, EMI, RTÉ, Topic Records |
| Associated acts | Lough Gill Quartette, Ceoltóirí Chualann |
Patrick Joseph "Sonny" Brogan (born July 4, 1906 – died January 1, 1965) was a famous Irish accordion player. He was one of Ireland's most loved traditional musicians from the 1930s to the 1960s. Sonny helped make the two-row B/C button accordion popular in traditional Irish music. He first played a single-key melodeon. Later, he used a special two-row Paolo Soprani accordion until he passed away. This accordion was a rare grey model, made by hand in 1948. Today, another accordion player named Paddy O'Brien owns Sonny's accordion.
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Early Life and Music
Sonny Brogan was born in Dublin, Ireland. He was the oldest of three children. When he was a young boy, he visited Kildare. There, he first heard Irish music played on the accordion by his great uncle, Thomas Cleary.
When Sonny returned home, his mother found a melodeon hidden in their luggage. Sonny had "borrowed" it because he loved it so much! He was allowed to keep the instrument. Sonny taught himself how to play it.
As he grew up, Sonny took piano lessons. He learned to read music. But he soon found that listening and playing by ear worked better for him. He stopped using "paper music" because his ear was his best teacher.
Sonny loved all kinds of music. He had many old records, including a huge collection from the famous Sligo fiddle player, Michael Coleman. Sonny admired Coleman more than any other musician.
Music in the 1930s and 1940s
In the 1930s and 1940s, Sonny played with a group called the Lough Gill Quartette. His close friend, Bill Harte, was also in the group. Sonny learned many tunes from Bill. He would sometimes write them down, or just remember them.
Sonny and Bill Harte were among the first to see how great the B/C button accordion could be for Irish music. They helped create and share a way of playing it. One tune Sonny recorded with the Lough Gill Quartette was "Toss the Feathers." He wrote this tune himself and was very proud of it.
Sonny went to England for a short time in the 1940s. When he came back, two musicians, George Rowley and Ned Stapleton, wrote a tune for him. They called it "Sonny's Return."
Sonny often played at The Piper's Club in Thomas Street, Dublin. He played with many other great musicians of his time. These included John Kelly Sr, Tom Mulligan, Tommy Potts, and Leo Rowsome. Sonny also had his own Céilí Dance Band in the 1940s. They played for dances in Dublin.
A well-known Irish tune called "Sonny Brogan's Mazurka" is named after him. The famous band The Chieftains helped make it popular more recently.
Influencing Musicians in the 1950s
Many musicians looked up to Sonny. Barney McKenna from The Dubliners admired him and even took lessons from Sonny. Barney learned the tune "The Swallow Tail Reel" from Sonny.
When young accordion player Tony MacMahon first came to Dublin in 1957, he wanted to meet Sonny Brogan. Tony had heard great things about Sonny. Tony and Barney often visited Sonny for lessons. Tony MacMahon always spoke highly of Sonny at his own concerts.
Sonny taught other students too. He always told them to find their own style of playing. He didn't want them to just copy others. Tony MacMahon and Sonny Brogan are still seen as important influences by musicians today, like Mick Mulcahy.
Sonny spent a lot of time with another Irish accordion player, James Keane, in the 1950s and 1960s. They often played together at 'The Fiddlers' club in Dublin. Many other famous musicians played there too, like Finbar Furey and Seán Keane.
Sonny also often visited John Kelly's shop in Dublin. They would talk about the details of different tunes.
Later Years and Legacy (1960s)
In 1960, Sonny was chosen by Seán Ó Riada to play music for a play. This led to Sonny becoming one of the first members of the famous group Ceoltóirí Chualann.
In 1963, Sonny wrote an article about traditional music. He shared his thoughts on older playing styles compared to newer, modern styles. He felt a bit unsure about the new style. However, he also saw the "bright musical tone" of the new style. This was attracting many skilled young players.
Sonny also helped his friend Brendan Breathnach with a book about Irish Dance Music. Sonny shared many tunes from his amazing memory for this book. One of the tunes, "Éilís Ní Bhrógáin," was named after Sonny's daughter, Éilís.
Seán Ó Riada said that Sonny was one of the few players who could make his instrument sound truly like Irish music. He praised Sonny for focusing on the traditional parts of the music.
On February 19, 1963, Sonny recorded several tunes at RTÉ Studios in Dublin. These included "Gorman's Reel" and "Morrisson's Jig." Some of these recordings were later released on an album called Our Musical Heritage.
In May 1964, Senator Edward Kennedy visited Ireland. He made a surprise visit to a pub in Dublin. Sonny Brogan played the accordion there with other musicians, including Ronnie Drew and Barney McKenna.
Tributes to Sonny Brogan
Sonny Brogan passed away on January 1, 1965. He was buried the next day. Many people, including Ronnie Drew, traveled in bad weather to attend his funeral.
After Sonny's death, many people shared their respect for him. Seán Ó Riada said that Sonny "was a library of Irish Music." He meant that Sonny knew so many tunes and their histories.
James Keane, Sonny's young friend, started a branch of Comhaltas (an Irish music organization) in Sonny Brogan's honor.
John Kelly, the fiddle player, said Sonny was the best musician he had ever heard. This was because Sonny knew so many tunes. He could remember all the different versions and names of each tune.
Éamon de Buitléar created a special radio program about Sonny Brogan on Radio Éireann. Ciarán Mac Mathúna also often played Sonny's recordings on his radio shows and spoke highly of him.
Seán Ó Riada wrote a special tribute after Sonny's death. He remembered meeting Sonny in 1960. Sonny was part of the first group of traditional musicians to play for a play at the Abbey Theatre. This group later became Ceoltóirí Chualann.
Ó Riada said that Sonny had an amazing memory. He could remember many versions of tunes. Sonny loved the pure, simple sound of tunes. He was also an outstanding accordion player. Ó Riada described Sonny as a loyal, witty, and reliable friend. He ended his tribute with "Beannacht Dé lena anam," which means "God's blessing on his soul."
Images for kids
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Sonny Brogan, a famous Irish accordion player.
