Well, I got to meet THE MAN, Paddy Keenan! What a wonderful experience, what a lovely person and an incredible concert. At the end he called us all up to play a string of reels I didn’t know, heard them but didn’t know them on the pipes, we did play a few jigs I played along with, but sitting on stage with Paddy Keenan, man as the beer commercial says, “it don’t git no better’n this!”
I once played on stage with Bill Monroe whan I played bluegrass, this ranks up along side with that. I am still buzzing! Just wanted to share with you, my pipering friends.
That is the coolest thing, great that you got a picture of the two of you. He’s coming to Silver Spring MD on the 10th but I doubt if I’ll be playing with him. I’ve seen him once before and he was amazing.
I’ll second what you said. Paddy is a ‘true character’ and a ‘true musician’ not just his understanding of Irish music but his respect for others who choose to study the art (regardless of their ability). I also got a sense of a great ‘love for humanity’ in the man’s character as well. Although I never got to play on stage with Paddy (I declined an invitation), I did share a few tunes with him the next day. It was a great experience.
I played with Paddy Keenan too! On Tuesday, in Charlottesville. He was giving a “workshop,” and there were only two of us who went to it, me and a beginner piper. Paddy philosophized about piping and pipes, and we (he and I) just had some tunes. It was cool.
I didn’t play on stage with him, although he did invite me after the workshop.
I said I would, but then when the time came, he mentioned a couple other guests by name, and then said something like, “and if there’s anyone else who wants to come up and play, come on up.”
And he looked over at me, but I knew there were several other musicians in the audience, none of whom were getting up, and I didn’t want to look like I was the only one presumptuous enough to think I was good enough to play with Paddy Keenan, so I stayed put.
A little session broke out after the concert, and Paddy played a few tunes with us on low whistle. It was a fun night.
it was great to meet you. paddy is indeed a character. i decided whilst sitting next to you that listening to cleek up there was better than hauling my crap up there for some tunes i could have anytime.
you sound great though, and sorry i did not make it back in time to have some tunes with you. glad there are others in virginia who are keeping virginia for pipers.
Yeah, nice to have met you too! Maybe we’ll get to have tunes another time, like if I can make it to one of the more southerly tionols. Cleek is indeed a great fiddler, and I don’t get to play with him very often. It was nice to get to do that a bit.
Now Timmy, I just have to ask… which tunes did you play with The Supreme Master and had you been in the sauce prior to that photograph being snapped?
We played most of the old Bothy Band set The Kesh Jig / Give Us A Drink Of Water / Famous Ballymote, then he went into some I didn’t know… and no I aint liquored up, he didn’t seem to be either. As for whether I was worthy to go up, I wasn’t going to pass up the oppourtunity, worthy or not, and no I wasn’t worthy!
