The group comprised of Paddy (1922-98), Tom (1923-90) and Liam Clancy, three of nine children, from Carrick-on Suir, Co. Tipperary and Tommy Makem of Keady, Co. Armagh. After a spell in the RAF during the Second World War, Pat and Tom emigrated to America in 1948, working first in Cleveland and eventually settling in New York. They worked at various jobs, always aspiring to be actors, eventually producing and acting in a very successful productions of "Othello" and of Sean O'Casey's The Plough and the Stars. Other plays were not quite as successful and in order to pay the theatre rent, they decided to put on midnight concerts in the Cherry Lane Theatre. Folk music interest was emerging and people who are now legendary, Pete Seeger, Burl Ives, Jean Ritchie, Jack Elliott, Theo Bikel and Bob Dylan took part. Paddy and Tom also performed. Later, they teamed up with Lou Gordon to do a "Swopping Song Fair" at the Sheridan Square Theatre. These performances encouraged them to develop their Irish song repertoire and the popularity of the Irish songs gave Paddy the idea of putting out an LP on his own label, which he formed in l956 and called Tradition Records.
The Clancy Brothers were an Irish folk music singing group, most popular in the 1960s, who are often credited with popularizing Irish traditional music in the United States. The brothers were Pat, Tom, and Liam. Though born in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, Ireland, they did not begin playing together until they emigrated to the United States where, in 1955, they met Tommy Makem in New York City. For years the quartet performed as The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem.
The four were primarily vocalists, though Makem was an accomplished banjo and tin whistle player, and Liam played guitar. Pat would sometimes play harmonica. Nevertheless they often were accomplanied by other musicians, notably Pete Seeger on several occasions. They began playing at small clubs in Greenwich Village, but as their popularity grew so did their venues. By 1962 they played Carnegie Hall.
Their popularity is the result of several factors. There was already an American folk revival beginning in the United States, and men such as Ewan MacColl popularizing old songs on the other side of the Atlantic. But it was the Clancy's boisterous performances that set them apart, taking placid classics such as "Brennan on the Moor" and giving them a boost of energy and spirit (not that they took this approach with all their songs, they would still sing the true mournful ballads with due reverence).
In 1961 they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, playing a double set after the last minute cancelation of another act. They were a resounding success. Two years later they performed for John F. Kennedy at the White House.
The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem recorded more than 50 albums together, starting with The Rising of the Moon (also known as Irish Songs of Rebellion) in 1956. In 1975 the band split up. Liam and Tommy Makem reformed as a duo and released several albums, while the remaining brothers were joined by their other brother Bobby, and their nephew, the accomplished musician Robbie O'Connell. However, the original lineup did reform for special concerts, notably in 1984. The original three brothers have also recorded with other artists, notably Lou Killen.
After Tom died in 1990 he was replaced by Bobby, and the Clancy Brothers and Robbie O'Connell continued to tour the world. In 1998 Pat died. Since then Liam and O'Connell have toured as Clancy, O'Connell, & Clancy, with Donal Clancy, from the next generation of the Clancys.
The group's trademark were their cream Irish wool Aran sweaters, originally knitted by their mother, which they wore on nearly all their album covers, but not necessarily their live performances.
I was sad to hear of the passing of Liam Clancy on December 4th, 2009. He was one of the greatest interpreters of folk music. Not only did he bring to light many powerful ballads and rousing shanties, he shaped the songs he sang, selecting which verses would come when, etc. He was an innovator.
HI AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE ADD ON YOUR PAGE ...I HOPE YOU GET A CHANCE TO LISTEN TO MY SONGS AND MAYBE LEAVE A COMMENT IF YOU GET TIME...I WISH YOU WELL AND HOPE YOU ENJOY MY MUSIC ..THANKS AGAIN...YOUR FRIEND PATRICK K
With the Clancy Brothers' music filling my ears since I was a child, I've tried to fuse their sound, occasionally, with other music. Here's my Clancification of "Sin City," that great song by Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman of the Flying Burrito Brothers:
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I wrote this song in an effort to create a Clancy Brothers sound. I apologize for the low-fi audio, but I hope you'll enjoy the performance. It did happen, by the way. William the Conqueror's men were trying to cross a bridge. The enemy soldiers burned it down, the Conqueror's men captured them and William approved a gruesome punishment.
