Donegal Bay and Blue Stacks Festival concert in Kilcar features three top artistes.
The concert takes place in Áislann Chill Chartha on this Saturday (7th October) at 8.30 pm. Doors open 8.00 pm. Admission only €10 and refreshments will be served at the interval.
Ted Ponsonby
One of Donegal’s finest guitar players Ted Ponsonby has played with the Rascals, Dolores Keane, Van Morrison, Tommy Fleming and Seán Keane among many others and is a noted dobro and acoustic player. An in demand live and studio player he is also a highly regarded traditional music accompanist and record producer.
Brendan Quinn
Brendan Quinn has for long been regarded as one of Ireland's finest country singers. Although he had minor success with other records he became a household name in 1972 when he topped the charts with his versions of 'Four in the Morning' while lead singer with the band 'Cades County'. He followed that up with a version of Charlie Rich’s ‘Behind Closed Doors’ a song that received extensive airplay on BBC Radio 1 and made No. 3 in the Irish charts. Following a stint with the Mighty Avons in 1974 he formed the Bluebirds in 1975. He signed with Emerald Records and released his first album on that label "My Kind of Country" in 1976. Brendan had many hits in the late 70s including: ‘Bandy the Rodeo Clown’, ‘I Don’t Want the Money’, ‘After Sweet Memories (play born to lose again)’, ‘I Can Almost See My Hometown From Here’, ‘Tennessee Sunshine’, ‘I’m A Little Bit Lonesome’, ‘To Daddy’ and ‘Angeline’, the last three on Release Records that he signed with in 1979.
Brendan emigrated to Vancouver, Canada in 1982 where he and his band toured extensively throughout North America. After returning to Ireland he reformed The Bluebirds and made 5 more albums on his own ‘Deep Cove’ record label. In 1995 Brendan ‘semi retired’ from touring. The birth of his first grandson in 1996 inspired him to start writing his own songs. He formed a band with old friend and guitar wizard Arty McGlynn called ‘The Kickin Mule’ playing music they personally enjoyed to appreciative crowds in smaller venues.
Over the years Brendan Quinn has appeared at some of the world’s top country music festivals and shared the bill (and sometimes the stage) with other legends such as Merle Haggard, George Jones, Don Williams, Gene Watson and Hal Ketchum.
Sarah Cullen
Sarah Cullen is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter from Carrigart. From a musical family, she developed a respect for folk and traditional music and has performed live from a very young age. Sarah blurs the boundaries between musical styles and plays many different instruments including piano, double bass and violin. She has performed in Europe and the United States, as well as being involved in many musical projects at home in Ireland. Sarah’s influences are Country, Jazz, Blues and Trad.
