Event

The McKrells

Kevin McKrell-guitar

Somewhere tonight, across the country or across the sea, a singer, sitting on a stool on a pubs corner stage, is belting out a Kevin McKrell song, and the crowd is singing along. McKrell pioneered American Celtic music beginning in 1979 with Donnybrook Fair. The original trios 1982 album Tunnel Tigers remains a landmark of the form, with its blend of Clancy Brothers swagger and upstate NY attitude. McKrell honed his powerful performance style further in the 80s with The Fabulous Newports, a rambunctious harmony group known as much for its antics, cut-up comedy and long list of eventual members as for its sweet singing.

In 1998, McKrellwho has three solo albums to his creditformed a powerhouse band under his own name, merging the Irish sensibility of Donnybrook with a steely, world class bluegrass edge. The McKrells toured harder than Donnybrook, bringing its music, with McKrells lusty vocals supported by hot string band picking, to Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Folk, Irish and Bluegrass festivals and concert venues around the country.

Offstage, McKrell, is a respected painter, with his work hanging in many of the halls hes haunted, here and in Ireland, Scotland and Italy.He is best known, though, for his indelible songsclassics like Home In Donegal, You and Me, I Miss the Rain and the eternal All of The Hard Days Are Gonewhich, in addition to the raft of pub singers mentioned afore, have been sung and recorded by artists like The Kingston Trio, from Ireland The Furey Brothers, Seamus Kennedy ,The Druids, The Dublin City Ramblers from Scotland North Sea Gas, from Australia Pat McKernan.From the US Bob Shane, Hair of the Dog, Woods Tea Company ,Get Up Jack,