LENAHAN - THE BAND

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Musical Overview

Heralded as ''one of the top Celtic folk-rock bands in the world'' (The Washington Post) and acclaimed for their masterful musical fusions, award winning original songs and fiery live shows, this extraordinary group’s music combines the beauty and tradition of Celtic music with the vibrancy of North American and World roots music in a powerful, meaningful blend of cultures and continents.

Lenahan tours extensively in North America and Europe. They recently sold out two concerts at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, kicking off the prestigious ''Island: Arts from Ireland'' cultural series. The members of Lenahan perform on over a dozen different instruments in true Irish tradition including bagpipes, fiddle, bodhran and tin whistle.

Band leader Tom Lenahan's personal roots in traditional Irish music and American and World roots music influence his songwriting, resulting in original favorites like bagpipe reggae song "Islands in the Storm," "Look to the Mountains," the "Quick Chek Reel," "Dirty Lane," "Coat & Tie," "Marie," and "New York Lullabye." Tom has received five ASCAP Songwriter Awards in as many years.

Artist Overview

"A rare example of total energy...a tight, talented, rollicking...fresh & exhilarating" is how Irish Edition music critic Jamie O'Brien describes Lenahan. The band is led by singer, songwriter, guitarist & bagpiper TOM LENAHAN, who has been called one of the "founders of the American Celtic rock movement." Tom has been making waves on both sides of the Atlantic for over a dozen years.

Tom Lenahan's personal musical influences range from Irish music legend Tommy Makem to folk rockers such as Thin Lizzie, Fairport Convention & early Pogues to Blues greats Howling Wolf, Robert Johnson & Elmore James and Reggae prophet Bob Marley. One of Tom's artistic goals includes writing a song in every musical style and still having it be "Celtic." His music and stage presence are irrepressible and Time out London has said, "Wonderful...Lenahan infuses his music with a rare fire, energy and passion."

Fiddler and guitarist CLARENCE FERRARI has influenced the band with his "Fast, floating fiddle," and his diverse musical influences ranging from Bluegrass to Ethiopian to Country, Jazz and Classical. A veritable prodigy, Clarence began playing the fiddle at the age of four and won his first Old Time Fiddle contest in Nashville when he was six. He joined Lenahan at the age of nineteen and has delighted fans from London to California ever since. The New York press has called him "A fiddling flame thrower!"

Band Overview

Formerly known as The Clan, the band changed its name to Lenahan in 1994. As Lenahan, the band has released three critically acclaimed albums on Clandestine Celtic Records^TM that have sold thousands of copies nationally and internationally. Their fourth album will be released in March 2002.

The band's debut CD, "LENAHAN" reflects Tom Lenahan's musical roots, growing up Irish American in the Blues city of Chicago. With its emphasis on the fusion of Celtic roots with rock & the blues, the album has been applauded by critics in the U.S. & abroad. Irish critic John O'Regan stated, "Celtic rock & rhythm & blues delivered with a fiery attack & a passionate flair...Lenahan is a killer; beg, steal or borrow it."

1998 saw the release of "CONTRARY MOTION," a spirited, sensitive album of traditional & original Irish music about which Celtic Beat critic Joanne Gagnon said, "Superb piping... dazzling instrumentals...absolutely gorgeous...never have I heard pipes played so gently and romantically."

1999 heralded the release of the much anticipated new Celtic rock CD, "HOOLIGANS IN SUITS - LIVE IN THE U.K." Dirty Linen magazine music critic Dan Willging says of "Hooligans in Suits "...Lenahan defines the term Celtic rock...capitvating...intoxicating...Lenahan achieves a perfect balance. Simply put, Lenahan is Celtic rock."

Based in New York City, the four members of Lenahan, TOM - vocals, guitars, pipes, bodhran & whistles / CLARENCE - fiddle, guitars, mandolin / DAVE MILNER - drums, bodhran, percussion and BRENDAN O'GRADY - bass, enjoy life on the road & performing for diverse audiences of all ages. In addition, the band's Irish stepdancers, BRIDGET & MAGGIE, have won numerous national and international competitions, and are All-Ireland and North American Champions.

See for yourself why The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences asked Lenahan to perform at Grammyfest, why the Irish Echo called Tom Lenahan "a hit," at the Guinness Fleadh, and why the U.K. 's prestigious Gosport Festival said, "Simply stunning."

Discover, as thousands of people around the world have, why The Nottingham Evening Post states, "The most exciting band...I was quite awestruck...anything else was rather flat by comparison."

Main Band Photo by Darl Bickel.