Active from 1980 | Genre Celtic | |
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Albums Christmas in a Celtic Land, The Boatman's Daughter Members Margie Butler, Paul Espinoza, Kathy Sierra Record labels ARC Music, Golden Bough Music, ARC, Arc Music U.S. Similar Noel McLoughlin, Tempest, Kieran Fahy, Rod Paterson, Aryeh Frankfurter | ||
Golden Bough is a Celtic-music band, based in California, who have been performing together for more than 30 years. The band performs at music festivals and has toured Europe several times. They are known for their acoustic musical performances of folk music and Celtic music and for their 22 albums. They are also known for their association with Lief Sørbye (a founding member) and with the band Tempest.
Contents
Current members of the band include Margie Butler (lyric soprano) on vocals, Celtic harp, penny whistle, recorder, bodhran and guitar; Paul Espinoza (folk tenor) on vocals, guitar, accordion and octave-mandolin; Kathy Sierra (folk soprano) on vocals, violin and viola.
Band origins
The band came about after some friends attended a series of concerts at the Cannery at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. The founders were Margie Butler, Margot Duxler, Lief Sørbye, and Paul Espinoza. Simon Spaulding also performed with them in the first lineup. Other artists who have been members include Florie Brown (violinist), Richard Ferry (flutist), Alison Bailey (fiddler), and Sue Draheim (violinist).
Music
The band describes their music as "rooted in" the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, The Isle of Man, French Brittany and Spanish Galicia. The group creates its own arrangements of the songs, giving them "a sound unique unto themselves." Along with traditional works they have mined such singers as Eric Bogle (Green Fields of France), Archie Fisher (Witch of the Westmorelands) and Jamie McMenemy's setting of The Blind Harper of Lochmaben. They also perform their own original compositions.
Some examples of songs they sing include: Red is the Rose, The Sea Queen of Connemara, The Wizard, Shifty Morgan, The Tailor and the Mouse, Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair, The Rattlin' Bog, Green Grow the Rashes-O, Charlie is my Darling, My Little Boat, Black Jack Davy, The Song of the Swan Maiden, Muirsheen Durkin, Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears by Brendan Graham, and perhaps even the Turlough O'Carolan tune, Carolan's Draught.
Song details
Discography
Songs
Down by the GreenwoodThe Boatman's Daughter · 1983
Song of the Swan MaidenCeltic Music From Ireland - Scotland & Brittany · 1998
Wee JackKids at Heart · 1993