Sons of famous musicians reign in US with ballad CD

AN Irish ballad group taking the US by storm will launch its music collection here this week.

The High Kings — featuring the sons of some of Ireland’s best known performers — will carry on the tradition of great Irish music when they unveil their new CD on Friday.

Finbarr Clancy, son of Bobby Clancy; Martin Furey, son of the renowned Irish piper and singer Finbarr Furey; Brian Dunphy, son of Seán Dunphy; and Darren Holden, who toured with Riverdance, are back on home soil this week rehearsing for their first US tour in April.

Their self-titled debut album is number two on both the world music chart and the new artist chart, debuted at number 13 on the top internet album chart, and at 154 on the top 200 album chart.

The all-male Irish music group recently filmed a special show for a national broadcaster which was screened across the US earlier this month.

They also spent two weeks promoting their CD and are embarking on a 41-city nationwide tour which kicks off in Louisville and includes stops in Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, and several California cities.

Details of an Irish tour will be announced soon.

Ian Ralfini, of Manhattan records, said the performers have brought vibrancy and energy to their music.

“Coming from a long lineage of legendary Irish performers that preceded them, it is already clear that The High Kings will honour that legacy in a contemporary style while preserving the integrity of the music,” he added.

Clancy, from Carrick-on-Suir, who made his name as half of a duo with his sister Peg, later joined The Clancy Brothers after Tommy Makem split from the group.

Furey, who lives in Co Kilkenny, has played all over America and Europe as a solo artist and as a duo called Bohinta with his sister Áine.

Dunphy, from Dublin, was a featured soloist with Riverdance. He was also one of the Three Irish Tenors.

Meanwhile, Co Kilkenny man Holden, who began his career as a singer/songwriter, toured with Riverdance before landing the lead role of The Piano Man in the Broadway production of the Billy Joel musical Movin’ Out.

The four men joined forces to create one of the most exciting Irish ballad groups to emerge since the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem electrified the worldwide folk revival of the 1960s.

The four-part vocal harmonies are backed by accordion player Martin O’Connor, Nollaig Casey on fiddle, Dave Keery on guitar, Paul Moore on double bass, Ewan Cowley on guitars and master percussionist Robbie Harris.