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Paddy Keenan | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | (1950-01-30)30 January 1950 (age 75) Trim, County Meath, Ireland |
| Genres | Celtic Folk |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Uilleann Pipes,Tin Whistle |
| Years active | 1964 – present |
| Website | paddykeenan |
Paddy Keenan (born 30 January 1950) is an Irish player of theuilleann pipes who first gained fame as a founding member ofThe Bothy Band. Since that group's dissolution in the late 1970s, Keenan has released a number of solo and collaborative recordings, and continues to tour both as a soloist, and with singer/guitarist Tommy O'Sullivan.[1][2]
Paddy Keenan was born inTrim, County Meath in 1950 to John Keenan (anIrish Traveller) and Mary Bravender Keenan (of settled descent). Though the Keenan family abandoned the Traveling lifestyle early in Paddy's life, he spent much of his youth contending with discrimination, including regular physical confrontations. His father and grandfather both played the pipes, and his father spent many nights playing along with piperJohnny Doran. When he was about six years old, Keenan was introduced to thetin whistle by his brother Johnny (a notable Irish banjo player) and began playing the pipes around age nine.
Recognizing his son's interest, John Keenan tutored Paddy, along with neighbouring children, includingFinbar Furey andDavy Spillane. During this period, the Keenan household was anongoing session. At age fourteen, Keenan played his first major concert at theGaiety Theatre, Dublin, followed by a few years of touring with a number of musicians, including his father, as "The Pavees." At seventeen, Keenan went to England in an attempt to escape the strictness of his father's household, and ended up busking around London, singing and playingblues and rock songs on guitar for most of the following four years. After nearly selling or throwing away his pipes several times, he discovered in 1971 that busking with them was far more lucrative than with the guitar, and resumed his piping career.[3][4]
Returning toDublin, Keenan played regularly with his brothers and father at folk clubs and various venues around Ireland. In 1975, he was part of a band called 'Seachtar', from the Irish word for 'seven people.' This band was the genesis ofThe Bothy Band, of which Keenan was a mainstay from its inception to its demise in 1979.
Keenan's first (and eponymous) solo album appeared in 1975, and he also duetted with fiddlerPaddy Glackin on the 1978 albumDoublin. He subsequently recorded a second solo album forGael-Linn Records,Poirt An Phiobaire, in 1983.
After rejecting the chance to joinMoving Hearts in the early 1980s, Keenan's musical career went into abeyance. However, in the 1990s he relocated to North America, rediscovered his musical talents and in 1997 issuedNa Keen Affair, recorded at Dadyeen Studios, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. Supporting musicians includeTommy Peoples andPatrick Moran on fiddle,Arty McGlynn and Tommy O'Sullivan on guitar, as well as Newfoundland musicians. This led to an ongoing musical relationship with the London-born, Kerry-based guitarist Tommy O'Sullivan. Together, the pair issuedThe Long Grazing Acre in 2001, touring jointly to promote the album. According to their respective websites, Keenan and O'Sullivan have continued to perform together periodically since 2001.
The 2008 documentaryDambé: The Mali Project tells the story of his 3000-mile cross-cultural musical adventure withLiam Ó Maonlaí (Hothouse Flowers) and friends, and features performances from theFestival au Désert.[5][6]
Upon demonstrating an aptitude for, and interest in the pipes around the age of ten, John Keenan got Paddy a full set of pipes by John Clarks.[3] Six years later, in 1966, Keenan's father bought him a full set made by the Crowley family, which (with the addition of aLeo Rowsome chanter), Paddy played until 2000.[7] At that point, Keenan received a full set from maker Dave Williams ofGrimsby, England, who died a few years later in a car accident.[8]This set, which was a copy of the previous Crowley set, remains Keenan's primary instrument. He plays a boxwood chanter made by David Quinn with this set.[9]
WithFrankie Gavin and Junji Shirota (ja)
See alsoThe Bothy Band Discography
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