OHR Presents: Seamus Egan

Ozark Highlands Radio

This week, traditional Irish musician, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Seamus Egan recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park. Also, an interview with Seamus. “It’s hard to think of an artist in traditional Irish music more influential than Seamus Egan. From his beginnings as a teen prodigy, to his groundbreaking solo work with Shanachie Records, to his founding of Irish-American powerhouse band Solas, to his current work as one of the leading composers and interpreters of the tradition, Egan has inspired multiple generations of musicians and helped define the sound of Irish music today. As a multi-instrumentalist, he’s put his mark on the sound of the Irish flute, tenor banjo, guitar, mandolin, tin whistle, and low whistle, among others. As a composer, he was behind the soundtrack for the award-winning film The Brothers McMullen, co-wrote Sarah McLachlan’s breakout hit, ‘Weep Not for the Memories,’ and has scored numerous documentaries and indie films since. As a bandleader, Solas has been the pre-eminent Irish-American band of their generation for the past 20 years, continuously renewing Irish music with fresh ideas, including a collaboration with Rhiannon Giddens on their 2015 album. As a performer, few others can make so many instruments or such wickedly complex ornaments seem so effortless.” - https://seamuseganproject.com/about Seamus is joined in this performance by Owen Marshall. “Vogue magazine calls musician Owen Marshall ‘A guitar/mandolin/banjo player rivaled in character only by the occasional three-pronged carrot’ (Vogue 2009). With the music traditions of Quebec and Nova Scotia just over the border from his home in Vermont and the strong Irish musical scene of Boston to the south, Owen was immersed in the various textures and sounds of the Celtic music from an early age. In addition to touring with acts such as The Press Gang, Copley Street, Haas, Marshall, Walsh, and dance band Riptide, Owen is in demand at music camps throughout New England and the U.S., where he shares his approach to accompanying traditional music.” - www.owenmarshallmusic.com In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark originals Bob & Melissa Atchison performing the traditional tune “Miss Miranda” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives. In this week’s guest host segment, renowned traditional folk musician, writer, and step dancer Aubrey Atwater explores shape note singing and the haunting “Abolitionists Hymn.”