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GenresCeltic
Folk
Rock NameDavy Spillane LabelsBurrenstone music
Years active1970 – present Occupation(s)Musician, composer MoviesTraveller
Born6 January 1959 (age 56)
Dublin, Ireland (1959-01-06) InstrumentsUilleann pipes, low whistle Associated actsMoving Hearts, Andy Irvine RoleMusician · davyspillane.com Music groupMoving Hearts (Since 1981) AlbumsEastWind, Pipedreams, Out of the Air, Shadow Hunter, The Sea of Dreams
By the river of gems davy spillane
Davy Spillane (born 6 January 1959 in Dublin) is an Irish musician, songwriter and a player of uilleann pipes and low whistle.
At the age of 12, Spillane started playing the uilleann pipes. His father encouraged him and inspired him with his love of all music genres. For the next three years he played at sessions and met many prominent Irish musicians. At the age of 16, he played in Ireland, the United Kingdom and Europe. In 1978 he began to write his own music. He starred as a gypsy in Joe Comerford's 1981 film Traveller.
Moving Hearts and solo albums
He was a founder member of Moving Hearts, along with Christy Moore and Donal Lunny in 1981. Although each member had a strong pedigree of Irish folk music, the band played mostly original compositions, sometimes with a political edge and a folk-rock sound. Their final album The Storm (1985) was purely instrumental and had several slower pieces written by Spillane. He then made the surprise move of joining up with American musicians Béla Fleck, Albert Lee and others to record a "Davy Spillane" debut album of his new compositions and bluegrass and original blues, Atlantic Bridge. There was a promotional touring band which also recorded Out of the Air in 1988, essentially a live version of Atlantic Bridge. Spillane then gathered together a new set of musicians, including Rory Gallagher and Kevin Glackin to record Shadow Hunter, an album of various rock and folk styles. This was followed by Pipedreams in 1991.
Collaborations
Spillane played as special guest soloist in orchestral work in 1992 called "The Seville Suite", describing events in 1601 in Irish-Spanish history. Bill Whelan then worked for Spillane and Andy Irvine on the music album EastWind. In 1993, Spillane collaborated with Canadian Artists such as Bryan Adams (MTV Unplugged), Daniel Weaver on his album Weeds as well and Celine Dion's My Heart Will go On. In 1994, Spillane was a special guest soloist in Riverdance. Spillane also collaborated with Rory Gallagher on the tracks 'The road to Ballyalla', 'Litton Lane' and 'One For Phil' as well as with Enya on her 1988 Watermark tracks 'Exile' and 'Na Laetha Geal M'óige'.
Film Music
In 1992, Spillane composed music for Peter Kosminsky's film Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights and, in 1995, reached a larger audience with the film Rob Roy. Other compositions and guesting includes Kate Bush's Sensual World (1989), Mike Oldfield's Voyager (1996), Bryan Adams' MTV Unplugged, Van Morrison and Elvis Costello. Other films include Eat the Peach and The Disappearance of Finbar. Paul Winter's album Journey with the Sun (2002). Spillane was awarded a Grammy and also nominated for second one.
Spillane served his apprenticeship with pipe-makers Dan Dowd and Johnny Burke and now makes all his own instruments. In 2000, he recorded his only album of traditional tunes with Kevin Glackin, entitled Forgotten Days.
Moving Hearts
Moving Hearts (1981)
Dark End of the Street (1982)
The Storm (1985)
Live Hearts (1986) (recorded 1983)
Live in Dublin (2008)
Solo albums
Atlantic Bridge (1987)
Out of the Air (1988)
Shadow Hunter (1990)
Pipedreams (1991)
A Place Among The Stones (1994)
The Sea of Dreams (1998)
Forgotten Days (2001)
Deep Blue Sea (2004)
Between Longing & Belonging (2016)
Collaborations
EastWind (1992) – with Andy Irvine
Calman The Dove (1998) – with Savourna Stevenson
Forgotten Days (2001) – with Kevin Glackin
Contributions
The Piper's Rock - A Compilation of Young Pipers, Various Artists (?) - Uilleann Pipes
The Heritage Tapes: Songs and Stories from Old Tiger Bay, Various Artists (?)
Celtic Themes, Various Artists (?) - Uilleann Pipes
Irish Festival, Various Artists (1980) - Uilleann Pipes on The Old Bush/Rakish Paddy
My Very Favourite Nursery Rhyme Record, Tim Hart (1981) - Uilleann Pipes
The Drunken Sailor and other Kids Favorites, Tim Hart (1983) - Uilleann Pipes
Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, Van Morrison (1983) - Uilleann Pipes & Low Whistle
Getting to the Border, Alistair Russell (1984) - Uilleann Pipes & Low Whistle
Now and Then, The Sands Family (1986) - Low Whistle on When the Music Starts to Play