If the name Andy M Steward sounds vaguely familiar to local Celtic music fans, it is because so many of the songs he has written are now staples of the local repertoire. On September 16th, there will be a unique opportunity to hear one of the true legends of Celtic music and a great artist.

"Known for his wicked wit and sterling live performances, Andy M. Stewart is among the finest singers in the Scots/Irish traditional genre, with a voice that conveys more emotion in one line than most singers do in a lifetime." (Beacon Herald)

Andy M Stewart was a pioneer. In the mid 1970's he joined up with Phil and Johnny Cunningham among others to form a band called Silly Wizard which helped to revolutionize Scottish traditional music. Like their contemporaries, the Tannahill Weavers and Battlefield Band, they helped to redefine Scottish traditional music in much the same way that Bothy Band and Planxty did for the Irish. Yet part of what set Silly Wizard apart from the Tannahill Weavers and Battlefield Band was the vocals and particularly the song writing of Andy M Stewart.

One of last CD's the band produced was at a live concert in 1988 and featured a number of Andy M Stewart pieces that are now considered classics: Rambling Rover, Queen of Argyll, The Valley of Strathmore, The Blackbird, and Golden, Golden - all of which have been recorded by Arizona performers. Not included at that performance is a song that is covered by almost half the bands, the sardonic "Take Her In Your Arms".

Over the years, Stewart has been involved in 23 albums with Silly Wizard, Manus Lunny, and most recently with touring partner Gerry O'Beirne. Gerry was involved in Andy M Stewart's last two CD's, "Man In The Moon" and "Donegal Rain".

Andy M Stewart's skill as a song writer is exceeded only by his talent as a vocalist. He is am amazing interpreter of ballads and sensitive material, yet is just as good at giving rousing pub songs. There is little doubt that he is one of the finest traditional vocalists around and a great artist.

Gerry O'Beirne of County Clare is a well know singer/song writer in his own right. He is perhaps even more famous as one of the top guitar players anywhere. Besides working with Andy M Stewart, Gerry O'Beirne performs with Patrick Street and has toured with the Sharon Shannon Band, The Waterboys, Martin Hayes, Kevin Burke and Andy Irvine. He has performed at the White House, opened for the Grateful Dead, and played electric guitar with Marianne Faithfull.

Gerry performed solo at the Irish Cultural Center two years. O'Beirne was involved in the production of Brid Dower's "Comings and Goings" album that features the Gerry O'Beirne song "Shades of Gloria" which included his guitar accompaniment.

Andy M Stewart published a now out of print book of 60 of his best known songs. It is symptomatic of his visibility as a song writer that the home page of his web site, andymstewart.com, includes a page for licensing his material. His gift as both a poet and a writer of songs is extraordinary.

It is hard to capture in print the magic the impact of his music, but it is possible to show his skill with lyrics. The great comic song, "Rambling Rover" combines a very catchy tune a perverse rhyming pattern, and the kind of wonderful silliness in a song that seems to insist on people clapping along.

Rambling Rover By Andy M Stewart - chorus: - Oh there's sober men & plenty And drunkards barely twenty There are men of over ninety That have never yet kissed a girl. But give me a rambling rover Fae Orkney down to Dover We will roam the country over And together we'll face the world. I've roamed through all the nations Ta'en delight in all creation And I've tried a wee sensation Where the company did prove kind. When parting was no pleasure I've drunk another measure To the good friends that we treasure For they always are in our mind. -Chorus There's many that feign enjoyment From merciless employment Their ambition was this deployment From the minute they left the school And they save and scrape and ponder, While the rest go out and squander See the world and rove and wander - And they're happier as a rule. -Chorus If you're bent with arthritis Your bowels have got colitis You've galloping ballicitus And you're thinking it's time you died. If you've been a man of action While you're lying there in traction You may gain some satisfaction Thinking "Jesus, at least I've tried." -Chorus

Even his more serious pieces, such as his wonderful love song, "The Queen of Argyll", tends to captivate the listener with his tight rhyming, vivid imagery, and ironic nonsense:

And if you could have seen her there Boys, if you had just been there The swan was in her movement And the morning in her smile All the roses in the garden They bow and ask her pardon For not one could match the beauty of The Queen of all Argyll

www.andymstewart.com

www.gerryobeirne.com

 

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