Album Notes

The Boys of County Nashville are a three-piece Traditional Irish band made up of seasoned veterans of Nashville's recording studios and concert venues. Their instrumentation includes fiddle, accordion, guitar, penny whistle, tenor banjo, mandolin, concertina, percussion. The band is unique in that their repertoire bridges the two distinct strains in Irish Traditional music - the songs (ballads, lively pub songs, story songs, sentimental favorites) and the dazzling instrumental music (the jigs, reels, hornpipes, etc.). While this collection primarily represents the vocal side of the band, the exciting instrumental work will satisfy the most discerning connoisseur of the genre. The band has been performing regularly at Findley's Irish Pub in the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee for the past few years.

From the CD liner notes:

There is only one Prendergast in Nashville’s phone directory, but there are pages of them in Dublin’s. Francis Ensor Prendergast, the son of historian and Irish nationalist John Patrick Prendergast, crossed the ocean in 1867 to work as a civil engineer on the Transcontinental Railroad. He settled in Callifornia and raised 12 children. The family connection to Ireland took a turn when his grandson, my father, covered the ‘troubles’ there for Time magazine in the 1970’s. Now another generation of Prendergast is connecting to its Irish roots.

Irish music in Nashville, Tennessee? Not surprising - after all, country and bluegrass music come right out of the Celtic tradition. The ‘Boys’ and I, after years of free-lancing in the recording studios and concert venues of Nashville, are grateful to have the opportunity at Findley’s Irish Pub, in the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, to explore the rich and challenging Irish repertoire. As a teenager in the 60’s, I fell in love with the playing and singing of folk music, and it’s downright exciting to be back at it.

After many a rollicking night at the Pub playing jigs, reels, ballads, silly pub songs, beautiful airs and more, some clear favorites have emerged. We hope you enjoy this collection of our most requested songs as much as we enjoy playing them.

To all of you who have joined us for a fun and cozy evening of music at Findley’s Pub, here is the CD you’ve been asking for. And to the friends we’ve not yet met, y’all come see us sometime!