June sees the launch of Cork family trio Greenshine’s third album. Coming from musical families themselves as well as the broader family of music (Noel and Mary have appeared on the albums and worked in studio with artists as diverse as The Republic of Loose, Dr. Strangely Strange and Christy Moore, while Ellie has sung on projects including Ger Shine’s ‘All The While’ and Grandfather ‘Paddy Greene’s Family Album’) they thought it only natural that Greenshine’s third release should be called ‘FAMILY’, especially in light of the fact that some of those beloved family members have passed away leaving a musical legacy that is coming to light through the current Greene-Shine generations.
The song ‘Little J’ was written by Mary to mark the passing of her brother Jason at the age of 48 and it’s followed on the album by a song he wrote called ‘Ricochet’ which he sang and played on a demo he made in the band’s studio a couple of years before he died. It was just a little sketch of a song he was working on and is very short and very sweet. After he passed away Mary went back and put harmonies to it. That time was difficult in the family’s life as Mary’s father Paddy died the week before Jason. A number of years prior to Paddy’s death the whole family made an album called ‘PADDY GREENE’S FAMILY ALBUM’. He was a wonderful singer and Mary can hear echoes of his voice in her own, her brother Willie’s and sometimes Ellie’s.
The 12 song collection is largely self penned and sees the emergence of Ellie as a songwriter, co-writing 2 tracks with Mary. Another co-write was ‘Brother’ which Mary wrote with Cormac O’Caoimh.
The album is dedicated to families in all their forms and features material which runs the gamut of emotions from happiness to grief. It also includes well chosen songs from some of the groups’ favourite songwriters including legends of American songwriting John Prine and Townes Van Zandt.
Two singles released in advance of ‘FAMILY’, ‘Dandelion Seed’ and ‘The Good is Gone’ were co-written by Ellie and Mary and both songs hit the No. 1 spot on RTE Radio 1’s Airplay list where they rested for several weeks, emulating the success of previous single ‘THE GIRL IN THE LAVENDER DRESS’ which also went on to be third most played Irish track on RTE Radio 1 in the year of its release.
Hallmarks of ‘FAMILY’ are the tight family harmonies and multi instrumental work for which the trio is renowned and features guest singers Sadie Shine and Jason Greene, Pat Crowley on piano, Eithne Willis on violin and viola, Karen O’ Halloran, cello, Martin Leahy on drums, bass and pedal steel and David Murphy on pedal steel. Christy Moore described Greenshine as: “…the sound of a family immersed in music, tight in harmony, in love with song,” – a fitting tribute to a family who has made music their life.
The launch of Greenshine’s third album ‘FAMILY’ will be celebrated with a series of concerts and festivals which takes them all over Ireland throughout the Summer. For more details on the ‘FAMILY’ nationwide tour visit www.facebook.com/greenshinepeople
Greenshine Tour Dates:
Fri. 14 June 9pm DC MUSIC CLUB, CAMDEN ROW, DUBLIN
Sat. 15 June 6pm THE CORNER HOUSE, CORK
Sun. 16 June 1.30pm DOOLIN FOLK FEST, HOTEL DOOLIN, CO. CLARE
Sat. 22 June 8pm TOONS BRIDGE, MACROOM, CO. CORK
Sat. 29 June 8pm EILEENS’ TEA ROOMS, CASTLEBLANEY, CO.
MONAGHAN
Sat. 6 July 8pm TAY LANE CHURCH, CELBRIDGE, CO. KILDARE
Thurs. 18 July 8.30pm GALWAY ARTS FEST, BLACKGATE CULTURAL CENTRE
Fri. 26 July 8pm THE LOBBY AT THE GOLDIE, NANO NAGEL CENTRE, CORK
Sat. 27 July 8pm THE HIGH TIDE CLUB, CASTLETOWNBERE, CO. CORK
Sun. 28 July 5pm THE MALLOW ARTS FEST
Sun. 4 Aug 10pm SPRAOI FEST, JORDAN’S, WATERFORD
Fri. 23 Aug 9pm THE WEIR FOLK CLUB, WALLIS’ BAR, MIDLETON, CO. CORK
Sat. 24 Aug 8.30pm MOY RIVER FOLK CLUB, CLOONACOOL, SLIGO
