The Playing of the Green: The Emerald City celebrates with Celtic music
Songs about an ordinarily obscure washerwoman, cockles and mussels, and the Battle of Aughrim take on special significance this time of year. And if you can’t celebrate in Ireland, what better place to be on St. Patrick’s Day weekend than in a town called “Greenville”? If there’s any doubt what the color green sounds like, the local music venues this weekend should be positively viridescent.
Several local musicians who don’t just break out the jigs and reels once a year share what sustains their interest in the style of music inspired by Irish and Scottish roots.
Mamie Dixon portrait by Tom Whelan.
“I grew up listening to Cajun music in Louisiana,” Mamie Dixon said. “When I moved to North Carolina to study at the East Carolina School of Music, I fell in love with Appalachian music. The strong Celtic connection, which captures the stories of people and their times with guitars, fiddles, pipes and whistles, totally captivated me.”
“I love the traditional Irish pub tunes and sea shanties,” Dixon said. “They bring people together. Everyone can join in whether they’re stamping their feet, strumming a guitar or playing the fiddle. An audience is hard pressed to be still when the band strikes up ‘The Drunken Sailor’ song.”
“Our Celtic Band, Twisted Knot, opens with a famous sea shanty, ‘The Wellerman.’ Sea shanties were sung as work songs, played aboard ships to keep the rowing steady. Because they are so rhythmic they are great crowd pleasers and very fun to play.”
Twisted Knot’s finale is “The Parting Glass.” She explained: A ‘parting glass’ was the final hospitality offered to departing guests, a final drink to fortify them for their travels. We love carrying on this time honored tradition in song, at the close of each of our performances.”
Bill Redding offered contextual reference: “The Irish and Scots migrated south from the port cities like Boston, NewYork, and Philadelphia, but also north and west from the low country in and around Savannah and Charleston. They brought with them their fiddles, pipes and tunes and lyrical ballads which melded with other forms of roots folk music to become old time, bluegrass and traditional country.”
Bill Redding
“I have many Celtic songs that I like doing and picking a few is like picking your favorite child,” Redding said. “When I think about it for a while though, I really enjoy performing ‘The Minstrel Boy,’ ‘The Fields of Athenry,’ ‘Rocky Road To Dublin’ and ‘Finnegan’s Wake.’”
“‘The Fields of Athenry’ is one of the few Irish songs I didn’t learn in childhood. When Susan and I were in Galway in 2015 we heard a band doing this beautiful song and everyone in the pub sang along on the chorus. It was a powerful and poignant song about the ‘troubles’ and I promised myself that I would learn it when I returned home.We always include it in our sets now.”
“My favorite Irish group has always been the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. They immigrated to the US In the early 1960s, began performing and recording in Greenwich Village and were very influential in the early folk scene. Liam Clancy and Bob Dylan became friends and some of Dylan’s early songs closely copied Irish tunes and lyrics.”
Ed Harris said that one of his favorite tunes to play is ‘Jock O’Hazeldean’ because of its beautiful melody.
“The lyrics come from a poem written by Sir Walter Scott,” Harris said. “There are many interpretations but the basic story line goes: A man asks a maid why she is weeping; it is for the love of John of Hazeldean. He offers to marry her to his oldest, or youngest, son if she will forsake him, and she refuses. Nevertheless, he takes her with him, and he proves to be John of Hazeldean’s father, and informs his son that he is marrying her that day.”
On the fiddle Harris enjoys playing “Drowsy Maggie/Rakish Paddy/Harvest Storm,” which he picked up from Altan, one of his favorite groups.
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He first heard ‘The Humours of Tuam Greine,’ another favorite, from a flute player “during a session a while back,” Harris said. “I also enjoy playing ‘Blackbird,’ especially when there is a step dancer present as well as‘Leitrim Fancy’.”
Harris said that a particular song that had a profound impact on him is “Come by the Hills.”
“In my life’s journey I’ve come to appreciate and cherish the moments we are blessed with and to live more ‘in those moments.’ For me, this song exemplifies that. The combination of melody, tempo, and lyrics are all so complimentary of each other that it takes me to a special place every time I hear or sing it.”
“I think it’s wonderful how traditional music has been kept alive and takes on new identities through other genres, lyrics, etc. It affirms just how universal music is on so many levels. Not only has it greatly influenced contemporary music, but it also proves unabashedly just how adaptive and versatile it can be.”
Ed Harris will be releasing his 12th solo album soon, and has been notified that he is being inducted into Akademia’s Music Hall of Fame this year. He has also been hosting a traditional Irish/Celtic Session in Wilson, meeting on the second Saturday each month at the Cups of Joy Coffee Shop to learn and play traditional music.
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Originally published in the Daily Reflector March 10, 2024
