Album Notes

“The Red Wellies”, a new CD of traditional Irish fiddles and bouzouki, is that rarest of recordings that combines superb musicianship, great feeling, and a rock solid sense of rhythm and style. Fiddlers Beanie Odell, Duncan Wickel, and bouzouki player Vincent Fogarty have made a wonderful debut CD that will be enjoyed by any fan of Irish music. They may not be known (yet) outside their mountain home in North Carolina, but their music is in a league with the very best of Irish traditional music.

Randal Bays




Based in Asheville, NC, The Red Wellies are a straight-up Irish traditional trio that illustrates how good music can span not only continents but generations. Fiddlers Claudine “Beanie” Odell and Duncan Wickel, aunt and nephew, have been playing Irish music together for more than a dozen years, since Duncan was six. A skilled teacher, Odell has mentored All Ireland winners; she also fostered Asheville’s flourishing Irish session at Jack O’ the Woods downtown, a hub for visiting players. Wickel, all grown up now, already has many performing credentials, most recently with the Cathie Ryan Band. A fine Uilleann piper as well as a fiddler, he is currently a student at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. The third leg of The Red Wellies is musician Vincent Fogarty, a native of Tipperary steeped in the influence of Doolin, County Clare, who has lived in Asheville for nearly a decade. Known for his sensitive, evocative touch on the bouzouki, he is a sought-after accompanist with traditional players on both sides of the pond. Impeccable rhythm, an ear for gorgeous melodies, and a knack for tasty improvisations weave the talents of these three individuals together in a seamless, joyful blend of traditional music