Ronnie Drew has died, it happened 16 August 2008 at Saint Vincent's hospital Dublin.
Ronnie was a founder member of The Dubliners who were formed in 1962 along with Barney McKenna and Ciaran Burke, joined later by the late Luke Kelly John Sheehan and Bob Lynch, Ronnie was born in Dunlaoire Dublin in 1932, his wife Deirdre passed away 2007.
Ronnie's time with the Dubliners was from 1962-1974 and from 1979-1995 also dropping in to join the lads on a few special occasions in between.
With Ronnie on vocals with Seven Drunken Nights which launched The Dubliners career with their appearance on Top Of The Pops in 1967.
His rendition of Phil Coulters song ''Donegal Danny'' sums up Ronnie Drew for me, an absolute brilliant version. all The Dubliners songs can be found on my site which has videos,,just Google Martin Dardis songs
He recorded songs with many of Ireland's finest singers and musicians including The Pogues with ''The Irish Rover'' Christy Moore, Eleanor Shanley with ''A Couple More Years'' The Dropkick Murphys to name a few.
In February this year The Ballad Of Ronnie Drew was released and the single went straight to No 1 in the Irish charts, The song was written by Robert Hunter of The Grateful Dead along with the members of Irish rock group u2.
Singers on the single were -Christy Moore, Sinead O'Conner, The Chieftains, The Dubliners, Ronan Keating, Robert Hunter, Kila, Paddy Casey, Damien Dempsey, Mary Black, Paul Brady, Mundy, Declan O'Rourke, Bob Geldoff.
Kilkenny Castle
1 comment:
Was never impressed by the song about Ronnie, way too much of a pop music influence in the writing.
If your were asked to write a tribute to a folk singer, would you write a pop song ? no you would not, even as a pop song it not great, marks out of 10 is 1.
Even when all the singers were preforming it on The Late Late Shop they looked embarrassed to be there,
''We Love You Ronnie Drew'' , what a terrible line, and with such a hugh wealth of talent doing the singing and playing the music perhaps they could have come up with something better.
The Luke Kelly song tributes were of a much higher class, folk songs written for a folk singer in the folk music style, the two that spring to mind are The Dublin Minstrel and Long Lonely Road by Pete St.John and recorded by The Dublin City Ramblers.
Now they are what I call tribute songs to a balladeer.
Post a Comment