NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - February 25, 2010) -
"A veritable 'Who's Who' of Irish music shows up in the stirring documentary." --Cleveland Plain Dealer
"... that gorgeous lilting sound -- entirely unique -- that has burrowed deep into the DNA of American folk, bluegrass and even rock..." --Newsday
Music of Ireland - Welcome Home, the companion CD and DVD to the March Public Television broadcast which features the biggest and most influential names in Irish music, will be released through an exclusive arrangement with Barnes & Noble. Beginning March 2nd Barnes & Noble will offer an exclusive deluxe edition combo pack of the Music of Ireland - Welcome Home CD and DVD that will only be available at Barnes & Noble stores and online at Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com). Amazon.com will be a digital music partner for Music of Ireland and will feature all the CD tracks digitally, on a 45-day exclusive basis starting March 2nd. Produced by acclaimed music producer John Reynolds (U2, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel), the disc will include new material by Grammy Award-winners Moya Brennan, host of the documentary, Sinead O'Connor, The Chieftains, Academy Award-winner Glen Hansard (The Swell Season), Damien Rice, Andrea Corr, Damien Dempsey, Shane MacGowan (The Pogues), Orla Fallon (Celtic Woman 2004-2008), the late Liam Clancy, Paul Brady, The Dubliners' John Sheahan, Donal Lunny and Andy Irvine, and a special track by Anuna featuring Moya Brennan and Afro Celt Sound System's Iarla O Lionaird. A complete CD track listing is attached.
The CD and DVD release of Music of Ireland - Welcome Home is scheduled to tie into the March nationwide Public Television broadcast of the documentary which tells the definitive story of contemporary Irish music, focusing on the Emerald Isle's greatest musical exports, their influence on America and the music's global impact. Hosted by Clannad's Grammy Award-winning Moya Brennan, the performance documentary features six Grammy Award winners, Academy Award and Golden Globe winners, and three Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. Produced by the Elevation Group's Denny Young -- an American music and television production veteran who has produced special concert events for Duran Duran, Seal, LeAnn Rimes, Counting Crows, and many others, Music of Ireland - Welcome Home premieres nationwide March 2010 on public television (check local listings). The program is a presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG and is sponsored in part by Tourism Ireland.
"We've made a great CD," enthused John Reynolds. "We have several Grammy Award-winning and Academy Award-winning artists collaborating with each other to make a totally diverse and an extraordinarily special collection of musical tracks. I am honored to be involved with the project."
Moya Brennan added, "This has been an amazing journey so far. Never in my 40 years of working in the Irish music community had I totally recognized the impact we have all had on the world generally and in America specifically."
The Music of Ireland - Welcome Home CD and a DVD of the program bundled with an exclusive public television bonus CD will be available during the public television broadcasts to viewers who make a donation in support of their local station. The CD bonus tracks include additional songs by Orla Fallon (formerly of Celtic Woman), Ronan Tynan (formerly of The Irish Tenors) and others.
"We have always had incredible sales from the Celtic and Irish music genres and are thrilled to bring this incredible documentary and music to our customers," said Steven Scott, Director of Music Marketing for Barnes & Noble. "We plan to feature Music of Ireland in a nationwide in-store promotional campaign starting March 2 that will promote the TV show and feature a special, exclusive deluxe edition combo pack of the CD and DVD. The exclusive deluxe edition will be available both in Barnes & Noble stores and online at BN.com."
Amazon.com is Music of Ireland's digital music partner and will feature all CD tracks digitally, on a 45-day exclusive basis starting March 2nd.
Newsday's Verne Gay described the documentary as representing "... in part, that gorgeous lilting sound -- entirely unique -- that has burrowed deep into the DNA of American folk, bluegrass and even rock," and goes on to quote Sinead O'Connor on camera explaining, "The whole history of your people are in those old songs. Those are the ghosts, the spirits of people who once lived." In his on-camera observation, Bono comments, "... Irish music has that sadness in it even at its most happy."
A sequel to Music of Ireland - Welcome Home is planned for late 2010 spotlighting more recent artists including U2, Celtic Woman, The Cranberries, The Corrs, The Irish Tenors, and singer/songwriters like Glen Hansard and Damien Rice, as well as the rise of Irish music festivals and the use of Irish music in film and television. For more information, visit http://www.musicofireland.com/.
As Elevation Group President and Executive Producer of Music of Ireland - Welcome Home Denny Young notes, "This is about a country, its people, their undeniable spirit and the amazing music that has transcended generations. There is no place like Ireland. For such a small country to produce such amazing talent and the way their music defines the people, is just extraordinary."
For more information, visit http://www.musicofireland.com/.
TRACK LISTING BELOW:
- Oro, Se Do Nheatha 'Bhaile -- The Welcome Home Party
- Song To The Siren -- Sinead O'Connor
- Lullaby For The Dead -- The Chieftains & Moya Brennan
- Under The Tongue -- Damien Rice
- The Parting Glass -- Liam Clancy featuring John Sheahan
- Forgotten -- Orla Fallon & Moya Brennan
- High Hope -- Glen Hansard
- Maasai Returns -- Damien Dempsey
- Oh Brother -- Andrea Corr
- Blacksmith -- Andy Irvine & Donal Lunny
- Dreams Will Come -- Paul Brady
- You're The One -- Shane MacGowan & Moya Brennan
- Is Mise 'N Ghaoth/The Lass Of Aughrim -- Anuna & Moya Brennan featuring Iarla O Lionaird
Contact Information:
Press Contacts:
Patti Conte
Plan A Media
212-337-1406 ext. 16
patticonte@nyc.rr.com
Melani Rogers
Plan A Media
212-337-2034 ext. 18
Melanirogersny@aol.com
Amanda Charney
Plan A Media
212-337-1406, ext 15
amandacharney@planamedia.com
Daria Coppock
Plan A Media
212-337-1406, ext 10
daria1521@gmail.com
Natasha Padilla
WNET
212-560-8824
padilla@wnet.org