Tommy Makem facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tommy Makem
Makem at the Dublin Irish Festival, 2005
Background information
Born	(1932-11-04)4 November 1932 Keady, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
Died	1 August 2007(2007-08-01) (aged 74) Dover, New Hampshire, United States
Genres	Folk, traditional Irish
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter, artist, poet
Instruments	Vocals, banjo, tin whistle
Years active	1956–2007
Associated acts	The Clancy Brothers Makem and Clancy The Makem Brothers Barley Bree Sarah Makem

Thomas Makem (born November 4, 1932 – died August 1, 2007) was a famous Irish folk musician. He was also an artist, poet, and storyteller. Many people knew him best as a member of the group the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem.

Tommy played many instruments. These included the long-necked 5-string banjo, tin whistle, and guitar. He also played the bodhrán (an Irish drum) and bagpipes. He was known for his special singing voice, called a baritone. People sometimes called him "The Bard of Armagh" or "The Godfather of Irish Music."

Tommy Makem's Life Story

Tommy Makem was born and grew up in Keady, County Armagh, in Northern Ireland. He often called Keady the "Hub of the Universe." His mother, Sarah Makem, was very important for traditional Irish music. Many people visited her to record her songs. His father, Peter Makem, played the fiddle and the bass drum.

From age 8, young Tommy sang in his church choir for 15 years. He sang special church music, but he learned it "his own way" because he didn't read music. At 14, Tommy started working. He was a clerk in a garage and later worked in a local pub. He also wrote for a local newspaper.

In 1955, he moved to the United States. He brought his few belongings and his bagpipes. He started working in Dover, New Hampshire. In 1956, he had an accident where his hand was hurt. After that, he moved to New York to try acting.

Becoming a Music Star

In 1961, Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers signed with Columbia Records. That same year, at the Newport Folk Festival, Tommy and Joan Baez were named the most promising new folk artists. During the 1960s, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem became very popular. They sold out concerts at famous places like Carnegie Hall. They also appeared on TV shows like The Ed Sullivan Show. The group even performed for President John F. Kennedy. Their album Isn't It Grand Boys reached number 22 in the UK in 1966.

In 1969, Tommy left the group to start his own solo music career. Later, in 1975, he and Liam Clancy played together at a festival. They decided to keep performing as Makem and Clancy. They recorded several albums together. Tommy went solo again in 1988. He also appeared on The Irish Rovers' TV shows in Canada and Ireland. In 1974, he co-hosted a show called Tommy Makem and Ryan's Fancy.

Tommy's Irish Pavilion

In the 1980s and 1990s, Tommy Makem owned a famous Irish music club in New York City. It was called "Tommy Makem's Irish Pavilion." Many musicians performed there, and it was a popular spot. Tommy often performed there himself. The club also hosted special events. For example, the party after Bob Dylan's big concert in 1992 was held there.

In 1997, Tommy wrote a book called Tommy Makem's Secret Ireland. In 1999, he started a one-man theatre show. He also helped create the Tommy Makem International Festival of Song in County Armagh in 2000.

Family and Later Years

Tommy Makem was married to Mary Shanahan for 37 years. They had four children: Katie, Shane, Conor, and Rory. They also had two grandchildren. Mary passed away in 2001. The Makems moved from New York to Ireland, but then settled in Dover, New Hampshire in 1972. Tommy became an American citizen in 1986.

Tommy's three sons, who perform as "The Makem Brothers," continue the family's folk music tradition. His nephews also play folk music.

Tommy Makem passed away in Dover on August 1, 2007, after battling lung cancer. He was buried next to his wife. He continued to record and perform almost until the end of his life. After Tommy's death, Liam Clancy said, "He was my brother in every way."

Songs Tommy Wrote

Tommy Makem wrote many songs. His performances often included his own compositions. Many of his songs became very well known. Some, like "Four Green Fields," were so popular that people sometimes thought they were old folk songs by unknown writers. Tommy was proud that his song "The Winds Are Singing Freedom" became a folk anthem in Eastern Europe when countries there were gaining freedom.

Some of Tommy Makem's most famous songs include "Four Green Fields" and "Gentle Annie." Other well-known songs are "The Rambles of Spring," "The Winds Are Singing Freedom," and "Farewell to Carlingford." It's important to know that while many people think Tommy wrote "Red is the Rose," it is actually a traditional Irish folk song.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Tommy Makem received many awards and honors. He earned three honorary doctorates from universities. These were from the University of New Hampshire in 1998, the University of Limerick in 2001, and the University of Ulster in 2007. In 1999, he received the World Folk Music Association's Lifetime Achievement Award. He was also listed among the top 100 Irish-Americans of the 20th century with the Clancy Brothers.

In 2010, a bridge in Dover, New Hampshire, was named the Tommy and Mary Makem Memorial Bridge. This honored Tommy and his wife. In 2015, a new Tommy Makem Arts Centre opened in his hometown of Keady.

Music Tommy Recorded

Tommy Makem made many recordings during his career.

Solo Albums

• Songs of Tommy Makem (1961)
• Tommy Makem Sings Tommy Makem (1968)
• In the Dark Green Wood (1969)
• The Bard of Armagh (1970)
• Love Is Lord of All (1971)
• Listen...for the rafters are ringing (1972)
• Recorded Live – A Room Full of Song (1973)
• In the Dark Green Woods (1974)
• Ever the Winds (1975)
• 4 Green Fields (1975)
• Lord of the Dance (exclusive live version) / Winds are Singing Freedom
• Lonesome Waters (1985)
• Rolling Home (1989)
• Songbag (1990)
• Live at the Irish Pavilion (1993)
• Tommy Makem's Christmas (1995)
• Ancient Pulsing Poetry With Music (1996)
• The Song Tradition (1998)

Guest Appearances

• The Lark in the Morning by Liam Clancy, Tommy Makem, Family and Friends (1955)
• Folk Festival at Newport, Volume 1 (1959)
• The Newport Folk Festival, Volume 1 (1960)
• Songs for a Better Tomorrow (1963)
• Songs of the Working People (1988)
• The Makem Brothers – On the Rocks (1995)
• Where Have All The Flowers Gone?: The Songs of Pete Seeger (1998)
• Schooner Fare – A 20th Anniversary Party (1999)
• Barra MacNeils – The Christmas Album (1999)
• Cherish the Ladies – The Girls Won't Leave the Boys Alone (2000)
• Roger McGuinn – Treasures from the Folk Den (2001)
• 25th Annual Sea Music Festival (2004)
• Barra MacNeils – The Christmas Album II (2006)

Albums Released After His Death

• Legendary Tommy Makem Collection (2007)

Videos

• The Story of the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem (1984)
• Reunion Concert: Belfast (1984)
• Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest (1965) (circa 1985)
• Tommy Makem and Friends in Concert (1992)
• Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration (1993)
• Tommy Makem in Concert With Pete Seeger and the Egan-Ivers Band (1994)
• Tommy Makem in Concert With Odetta and The Barra MacNeils (1994)
• Tommy Makem's Ireland (1994)
• A Christmas Tradition (1995)
• The Road Taken With Tommy Makem (2001)
• The Makem and Spain Brothers In Concert (2006)
• The Best of 'Hootenanny' (2007)
• Come West Along the Road (2007)

Film Appearances

• A Time to Remember (1988) - Tommy played Father Halloran in this Christmas film.