NUMBER ONE IN NENAGH!

Great to see in the figures gathered by Irish Music Magazine that the CD was the number one best-seller last month in McQuaid's Music Shop in Nenagh, Tipperary. Judging by it's web site, McQuaid's looks like a excellent music shop with an extensive range of musical instruments as well as CDs. Nice to know that such shops are thriving around the country.

In another sign of the fine musical tastes in Tipperary, Noel Fahy has also being playing tracks from the CD on his programme 'The Crooked Road' on Tipperary Midwest Radio.

Of course, Tipperary has a close link to the album anyway as the legendary blues singer, Red Peters, was born in Tipperary town and features on four tracks.

JOHNNY NORRIS - GUITARIST EXTRAORDINAIRE

It has been very interesting to follow the progress of the album on radio stations across the world - from Tipperary Mid West Radio to 2XXFM in Canberra, Australia and many points in between - and to hear what tracks are chosen by particular presenters. One of the aims of the album was to try and reflect the diversity of different musicians and types of music that were featured at the club so I'm very pleased that all 36 tracks from the CD have been played on a radio station at some point.

However it is also interesting to hear which recordings have attracted particular attention and to see that among the musicians one might expect to get a lot of plays, like Luke Kelly, Andy Irvine, Ronnie Drew, Al O'Donnell, etc, the solo guitar tracks of Johnny Norris have been getting a lot of air time.
In particular, his Ragtime Medley, which is a combination of (at least) three ragtime tunes and ends with a blistering version of 'Bill Bailey', has clearly grabbed many listeners attention. On this track the speed and technical virtuosity of his playing is amazing.
As far as I know, this piece and the other track with Johnny singing and playing 'All My Friends Are Gone' (another masterpiece) are the only available recordings of him playing solo.

He also appears on the album with the terrific acoustic blues band, Dirty Dozens, which included another great guitarist, Gerry Doyle, one of Ireland's greatest blues singers, Red Peters and the wonderful harmonica player, Shay Fogarty.

Along with other musicians like Brian Fry, Ed Deane and many more, the blues scene is Dublin in the 1960s and 70s undoubtedly included many highly talented artists (some still playing, I'm pleased to note).

HAVE CD WILL TRAVEL

The 'Live at Foxrock Folk Club' CD is continuing to spread the musical word around the globe. Recently copies have been sent to Alaska, Hawaii, Australia, Japan, Venezeula, the Irish Embassy in Buenos Aires and throughout Europe. Incidentally, it's also selling well in Foxrock!