Although traditional singing gets little mention at The Session, we should mark the recent passing of one of the greatest of our singers. Paddy Tunney died earlier this month after a short illness in Letterkenny, county Donegal. He was in his 80s and had recently completed another book. Those of you unfamiliar with traditional singing are missing out on a wonderful art form, but, fortunately, Paddy made many recordings and there's no better place to start. He embodied for many the greatest of the English language singing traditions in Ireland -- the Ulster tradition. I was lucky enough to have heard him on a few occasions, most memorably at a session at the Buncrana Fleadh in the early 70s. Fittingly, members of his family sang that mighty song "The Mountain Streams" at the Requiem Mass.
That's very sad, he is/was my favorite singer. I'll take his sweet baritone over any others. His voice put all of that waify, pixie sopranino stuff in it's place, the rubbish-bin.
That is sad news! I do wish I had heard him sing. He was my favourite too. Such a lovely rich voice and fluid, effortless embellishments running all through the melody... and a great repertoire, it goes without saying. I've been learning songs from tapes of him lately. I'm very sorry he's gone.
Paddy Tunney RIP
Paddy Tunney RIP
Although traditional singing gets little mention at The Session, we should mark the recent passing of one of the greatest of our singers. Paddy Tunney died earlier this month after a short illness in Letterkenny, county Donegal. He was in his 80s and had recently completed another book. Those of you unfamiliar with traditional singing are missing out on a wonderful art form, but, fortunately, Paddy made many recordings and there's no better place to start. He embodied for many the greatest of the English language singing traditions in Ireland -- the Ulster tradition. I was lucky enough to have heard him on a few occasions, most memorably at a session at the Buncrana Fleadh in the early 70s. Fittingly, members of his family sang that mighty song "The Mountain Streams" at the Requiem Mass.
# Posted on December 19th 2002 by LongNote
Re: Paddy Tunney RIP
That's very sad, he is/was my favorite singer. I'll take his sweet baritone over any others. His voice put all of that waify, pixie sopranino stuff in it's place, the rubbish-bin.
# Posted on December 20th 2002 by Mad Baloney
Re: Paddy Tunney RIP
I had heard this news on trad singing discussion
list at the time of his death. Another loss to
tradtional music of a great and generous artist.
Alice
# Posted on December 20th 2002 by aliceflynn
Re: Paddy Tunney RIP
That is sad news! I do wish I had heard him sing. He was my favourite too. Such a lovely rich voice and fluid, effortless embellishments running all through the melody... and a great repertoire, it goes without saying. I've been learning songs from tapes of him lately. I'm very sorry he's gone.
# Posted on December 20th 2002 by Nell