In this interview, Andy Irvine chats with Ruth Hazleton about Australia, songwriting, traditional song and his lifetime passion for the songs of Woody Guthrie. It features three songs: ‘Gunshot Creek’, ‘Banks of Bann’ & ‘Polly on the Shore’.

From his website:

“ANDY IRVINE is one of the great Irish singers, his voice one of a handful of truly great ones that gets to the very soul of Ireland. He has been hailed as “a tradition in himself”. Musician, singer, songwriter, Andy has maintained his highly individual performing skills throughout his over 50-year career. Andy has been at the helm of legendary bands like Sweeney’s Men in the mid 60s, to the enormous success of Planxty in the 70s, and then Patrick Street, Mozaik, LAPD (Dónal Lunny, Andy Irvine, Liam O’Flynn and Paddy Glackin) and recently Usher’s Island.

Andy has been a world music pioneer and an icon for traditional music and musicians. As a soloist, Andy fills the role of the archetypal troubadour with a show and a travelling lifestyle that reflect his lifelong influence, Woody Guthrie.

To quote the Irish Times, “Often copied, never equalled”, his repertoire consists of Irish traditional songs, dexterous Balkan dance tunes and a compelling cannon of his own self-penned songs”.

Featured image by Julianne Rouquette

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