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Dáithí Sproule
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Genres
Irish Traditional
Folk
Years active
c.1968 – present
Name
Daithi Sproule
Born
23 May 1950 (age 73) (
1950-05-23
)
Origin
Derry, Northern Ireland
Occupation(s)
Producer
Guitarist
Singer
Role
Guitarist · daithisproule.com
Acoustic guitar sessions presents d ith sproule
Dáithí Sproule (born May 23, 1950) is a guitarist and singer of traditional Irish music from Derry, Northern Ireland. His niece is the singer songwriter Claire Sproule.
Born and raised in Derry, Northern Ireland, at the age of 18 he moved to Dublin in Ireland, where he attended university. Growing up, he listened to Bob Dylan, Bert Jansch, the Beatles, British folk songs and traditional Irish music. It was in Dublin that he entered the music scene which was prominent in Ireland at the time. As a teenager he had met the Uí Dhomhnaill family during trips to the Gaeltacht area of Rann na Feirste in Co. Donegal, and while in Dublin they formed a band, Skara Brae who would go on to have a great effect on Irish traditional music.
Dáithí is well known as a guitarist, especially throughout America where he now lives. He was one of the first guitarists to utilize the DADGAD guitar tuning for Irish music after the originator Davy Graham. In 1992 he joined Irish supergroup Altan with whom he sings and plays guitar. Of his use of DADGAD tuning, Sproule says, it "just seemed to instantly gel with Irish music. The nature of the tuning meant that you didn't really produce anything that was terribly, drastically, offensively wrong to people. I was always a singer, but when I started playing with instrumentalists in sessions and pubs, I was able to develop a style by just playing along with them quietly and tactfully." He was deemed "a seminal figure in Irish music" by The Rough Guide to Irish Music.
Sproule is also a member of various other bands and has recorded further solo albums; he also teaches DADGAD guitar and traditional songs at the Center for Irish Music in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Solo albums
Lost River, Vol. 1 (August 15, 2011 - New Folk Records)
The Crow in the Sun (2007)
A Heart Made of Glass (1995)
Other bands
The Pinery (with Laura MacKenzie - 2009 - New Folk Records)
Seanchairde (with Tara Bingham and Dermy Diamond - 2008 - New Folk Records)
Fingal (with Randal Bays and James Keane - 2008 - New Folk Records)
Snug in the Blanket (with Jamie Gans and Paddy O’Brien - 2004)
Overland (with Randal Bays - 2004)
Trian II (with Liz Carroll and Billy McComiskey - 1995)
A Thousand Farewells (with Martin and Christine Dowling - 1995)
Trian (with Liz Carroll and Billy McComiskey - 1992)
Stranger at the Gate (with Paddy O’Brien - 1988)
The Iron Man (with Tommy Peoples - 1984)
Carousel (with Seamus and Manus McGuire - 1984)
Spring in the Air (with James Kelly and Paddy O’Brien - 1981)
Is it Yourself? (with James Kelly and Paddy O’Brien - 1979)
Skara Brae (Skara Brae - 1971)
Guest appearances
40 Acre Notch (New Folk Records) 2008 - the HiBs
The Essential Chieftains (RCA) 2006 - The Chieftains
Blue Waltz 2004 - Julee Glaub
Evidence (New Folk Records) 2003 - Laura MacKenzie
Over the Water (Heart Productions) 2002 – Ross Sutter
Little Sparrow (Sugarhill) 2001 - Dolly Parton
Lost in the Loop (Green Linnet) 2001 - Liz Carroll
Shine (Swallowtail) 2001 - Katie McMahon
Persevere 2000 - The Proclaimers
Water from the Well (RCA) 2000 – The Chieftains
Tis the Season (Compass) 1997 - Laura MacKenzie
Irish Women Musicians of America (Shanachie) 1995 - Cherish the Ladies
Heartsongs (Sony) 1994 - Dolly Parton
Mamma, Will you Buy Me a Banana? (Heart Productions) 1991 – Ross Sutter
Blue Mesa (Red House) 1989 – Peter Ostroushko
Liz Carroll (Green Linnet) 1988 – with Liz Carroll
Sean O’Driscoll (Shanachie/Meadowlark) 1987 - Sean O’Driscoll
Capel Street (Capelhouse) 1986 – James Kelly
The Streets of My Old Neighborhood (Rounder) 1983 - Peter Ostroushko
Sluz Duz Music (Rounder) 1982 - Peter Ostroushko
Compilations
Young Irish Musicians Weekend Live! 2008 - with James Kelly and Paddy O’Brien
New Folk Records Sampler 2007 (New Folk Records) 2007
Masters of the Irish Guitar (Shanachie) 2006
The Independence Suite (Celtic Crossings) 2005 - with Randal Bays
Simply Folk Sampler 3 (Wisconsin Public Radio) 2005
Festival International des Arts Traditionnels de Québec (Folklore) 2004 - with Trian
The Ice Palace – Irish Originals from Minnesota (IMDA) 2001
The Last Bar - Irish Music from Minnesota (IMDA) 2000
Alternate Tunings Guitar Collection (String Letter) 2000 - with Trian
As They Pass Through (Kieran’s) 2000
Best of Thistle and Shamrock, Vol. 1 (Hearts of Space) 1999 - with Altan
Celtic Colours International Festival - the Second Wave (Stephen McDonald) 1999 - with Altan
A Winter’s Tale (Universal) 1998 - with Altan
Gaelic Roots (Kells) 1997 - with James Kelly, Paddy O’Brien and Gerry O’Connor
Celtic Music from Mountain Stage (Blue Plate) 1997 - with Altan