On the Rocks by Seamus Kennedy

The singalong became so popular that the bar owner

offered to pay Seamus to do it on a regular basis. So, he turned pro. As

he says: "I was getting paid for doing something I loved, and I wasn't

getting knocked about on the field. It was a lot easier on my body."

He eventually migrated to Boston with a fellow U.C.D. alumnus, Tom

O'Carroll, as a duo called the Beggarmen. The group broke up in 1978 and

Seamus, by that time appearing regularly in the D.C. area at Matt Kane's

legendary Bit o' Ireland, the Dubliner, and other spots, decided to

relocate.

He brought his family to Maryland in 1983 and has been happily settled

there ever since. For ten years he was the "house-band" at Pat Troy's

Ireland's Own Pub and Restaurant in Alexandria, VA, and he calls these

years "the best training any young performer could have had." Seamus has

been selected to perform before Pope John Paul II at Trinity College

(Washington D.C) and on one memorable St. Patrick's Day, President

Ronald Reagan showed up to catch his act at Ireland's Own. In fact, the

President joined the act when he came up on stage and did ten minutes of

Irish stories for a very surprised full house.

As the nation's capital, D.C. draws visitors from all over the world so

word of Seamus' talents began to spread. He began to tour frequently

outside the region. Today, he is one of the hardest working musicians

around, doing over 250 dates a year and it is a rare weekend that finds

him performing close to home.

Continual interaction is a Seamus Kennedy trademark. He talks directly

to his audience and isn't a bit flustered if they decide to talk back!

He loves to see people really having a good time, and he will encourage

making requests, singing along or acting out choruses. With his vast

repertoire and rapier wit, he has the ability to make folks forget their

cares for a while, to relax and enjoy themselves.

He has an endless supply of rib-tickling jokes, stories and one-liners

which can leave an audience breathless with mirth. But the Irish have

their serious side too, and when Seamus performs a more

thought-provoking ballads such as Phil Coulter's "The Town I Love So

Well" or Pete St. John's "Dublin In The Rare Old Times" the hush that

descends on the room is one of the greatest compliments an audience can

extend to a performer.

Seamus sings the music of his native land with emotion born of knowing

it's history and conflicts firsthand. But he is far from simply a

singer of Celtic songs. While he loves to perform the traditional and

contemporary tunes of Ireland and Scotland, he is equally proficient

with American music, whether it be folk, country, pop or bluegrass. He

can cut loose on a Texas swing number, follow it with a parody and segue

into a heart-rending ballad from Australia.

This diversity is also reflected in his nine recordings, many of which

were taped before live audiences, and which feature something for

everyone, from the silly to the serious, from instrumentals to a

capella vocals, with a healthy dose of humor thrown in.

He has specialty albums of children's material and Christmas songs, and

his recordings are carried on the Internet by songs.com where he has

been amongst their top 10 sellers since joining the site several years

ago.

His strong entertainment skills and his ongoing interaction with his

audiences help Seamus create an exceptionally loyal fan base everywhere

he goes. And they in turn demonstrate a willingness to follow where he

goes. Several years back, he started guiding a bus tour to Ireland once

a year. It proved so popular that a second tour was added and both of

these now sell out well in advance. Seamus also started putting together

seasonal shows (Christmas, St. Patrick's Day) in theatres. His December

Celtic Christmas in Bethlehem, PA sold out in October its first year and

his shows at the Avalon Theatre in Easton, MD have been SRO since their

inception!

The intense dedication Seamus inspires in people is not lost on music

presenters. He is frequently hired by organizations, including police,

firefighters, Celtic societies and military groups, to do fundraising

shows for them. The fact that these events quickly become annual

activities speaks for itself.

Seamus has won nine WAMMIES (the prestigious Washington Area Music

Association Awards) for "Best Irish Male Vocalist." Although he doesn't

place much importance in awards and ceremonies, he values the WAMMIES

because the recognition comes from his fellow performers and musicians.

Seamus' ability to combine a total command of the music with humor makes

him unique in the industry. Festivals that generally rotate their

performers often decide to have him return year after year because they

cannot find anyone else to fill his niche. In addition, his broad

range of material makes him equally suitable for both Scottish and Irish

events. He headlines at both and the performers with whom he has shared

the stage reads like a Who's Who of Celtic stars. On the Irish side,

they include The Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem, Liam Clancy, the Irish

Rovers, Danny Doyle, Altan, Paddy Reilly, Craobh Rua, Hal Roach, the

John Whelan Band and many others. At Scottish festivals, he has appeared

with Alex Beaton, Alasdair Fraser, Ed Miller, Seven Nations, Tempest and

Natalie MacMaster, to name a few. At the Celtic festivals that embrace

several heritages (including Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany and

Canada), he has been billed alongside Men of Worth, Clandestine, Neil

Anderson & Full Circle, Golden Bough, the Glengarry Bhoys and Hadrian's

Wall.

Nancy Hathaway Noyes, critic for Music Scene Magazine puts it best:

"Kennedy is a consummate and professional entertainer, who knows how to

gauge his audience's moods and desires and produces something to fit.

One of his talents is to make this seem effortless, thanks to years of

experience and a lightning-quick intellect on top of solid musical

talent, both in the use of his smooth baritone voice, and in the

instrumental work he creates in accompaniment. The well performed music

is always actively interspersed with jokes, stories and snappy repartée,

resulting in a lot of fun."

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