Topping the bill

Annette tops the bill at home in Roscommon

Country Roads
Michael Commins

ASHFORD Castle harpist and singer Annette Griffin will top the bill at a mid-summer gala concert in Donamon Castle in Co Roscommon on Wednesday evening, June 4. The venture is in support of the Divine Word Missionaries.
Annette, who hails from the nearby village of Ballymoe and who has recorded three albums over the years, will perform a selection of her favourite Irish songs as well as popular classics. This will be very much a case of returning to her home region for what should be a lovely evening of entertainment in the delightful and tranquil surroundings of Donamon Castle.
She will be accompanied by the well-known and acclaimed pianist, Brendan O’Byrne, who has acted as musical director to many prominent societies and who has performed in Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre and the National Concert Hotel.
The special guest on the concert will be Patrick Feeney from Sligo. Patrick is a well-known country entertainer on the Irish circuit and also fronted his own concert show, The Irish Collection, earlier this year. He is featured regularly on the radio stations around the country and has also performed on both RTÉ and TG4.
For Annette, a show in her home area will be a welcome contrast to her concerts around Ireland, Europe and the USA. She performs a few shows every year in America and has a special rapport with the American audiences.
Tickets for the concert are available from Donamon Castle and Eight ‘til Late in Roscommon town. Further enquiries may be directed to 0906 662222.

Streets of Baltimore still a classic after all the years

ONE of country music’s most influential songwriters over the decades was Harlan Howard. Born in Detroit, he served with the US Army before moving to Nashville in 1961.
After securing a major break when his song ‘Pick Me Up On Your Way Down’ reached number 2 in the US country charts, Harlan signed a publishing deal with Acuff-Rose, one of Nashville’s most influential talent stables at the time.
Harlan Howard was a prolific writer and his songs had cross-over appeal. Both Ray Price and Guy Mitchell had number one hits with their recordings of ‘Heartaches By The Number’ in the country and pop charts respectively. In 1961 alone, he had 15 songs that made the US country charts. He could do no wrong in those days.
Down through the years, he was the recipient of almost every award in the song-writing business and was a member of the Country Music Songwriters’ Hall of Fame. He died in 2002 at the age of 74 and is buried in Nashville cemetery.
One of his most enduring songs is ‘The Streets of Baltimore’. It is a classic country number that has been covered by numerous artists over the decades, including Bobby Bare, Gram Parsons and Nanci Griffiths. Here in Ireland, it was recorded by Galway man Des Kelly, who was with the Capitol Showband at the time, and it reached No 3 in the Irish Top 10 in 1967.
Today, ‘The Streets of Baltimore’ is still in constant demand on country music shows. It has outlived many of the chart hits that came after it …and it resonates as strong as ever in the hearts of those who appreciate a quality country song.
The Streets of Baltimore

I sold the farm to take my woman
Where she longed to be
We left our kin and all our friends
Back there in Tennessee
I bought those one-way tickets
She had often begged me for
And they took us to the streets of Baltimore

Well her heart was filled with laughter
When she saw those city lights
She said the prettiest place on earth
Was Baltimore at night
Now, a man feels proud to give his woman
What she’s longing for
And I kinda liked the streets of Baltimore

I got myself a factory job
I ran an old machine
We bought a little cottage
In a neighbourhood serene
But every night when I came home
With every muscle sore
She would drag me through the streets of Baltimore

Well, I did my best to bring her back
To what she used to be
But I soon learned she loved those bright lights
Much more than she loved me
Now I’m goin’ back on that same train
That brought me here before
While my baby walks the streets of Baltimore

Yes, my baby walks the streets of Baltimore.

Fun times in Ibiza
THE annual Fleadh Ibiza drew to a close last Thursday after two weeks of music, song and dance on the Mediterranean isle. The venture has become a mecca for many who travel back year after year to enjoy the unique atmosphere of the place and meet up with friends from around the country and overseas.
The Brose Walsh Band from Mayo performed for the first time at the Fleadh this year while the Swallow’s Tail céilí band was also out from the region. Mayo was once again the top county with Mickey Kelly from Newport leading the contingent of Mayo folk behind the county flag. We will have news, requests and photos from the Fleadh Ibiza in The Mayo News over the next two weeks.

Plenty of airplay for Danny’s album
MEET Dan the Man, no not Dan Shanahan of Waterford hurling fame but Danny Webster from down Kilkenny way! Danny has been carving out his own niche in the music business for some years but, in recent times, through his touring with the Enjoy Travel Company on their overseas promotions, he has acquired a much wider base.
Danny plays for céilís and shows around the country. While the majority of his performances are in the southern region, he has done some gigs in Julian’s of Midfield, the Belmont in Knock and other venues around these parts during the past year.
‘Songs I Like to Sing’ is the latest album from the man from the Urlingford region of Co Kilkenny. A number of tracks from the CD, including ‘Ballingarry’, are proving popular with radio listeners and are much in demand in recent weeks. Danny can be contacted at 056 8835120. He’ll be glad to hear from ye!