A CD produced in Nashville featuring Irish and American artists was released this week to honour the significant contribution made by Irish combatants on both sides of the American Civil War. The CD, entitled The 1861 Project – Volume 2: From The Famine To The Front, features Maura O’Connell, Jerry Douglas, Connie Smith, Liam Merriman, David Olney, Ben Sands, Sierra Hull, and numerous others performing songs specially composed for the project
From The Famine To The Front is the second instalment of The 1861 Project, an ongoing series of groundbreaking releases from Nashville’s creative artists’ collective Cohesion Arts. The new CD graphically depicts the deeply moving stories of Irish immigrants during the American Civil War, through a collection of songs that draw on time-honoured Irish and American traditions to touch hearts on both sides of the Atlantic.
The CD’s producer and principal songwriter is Thomm Jutz, familiar to Irish audiences from his role as guitarist in Nanci Griffith’s band. His roots-music resume includes production and/or guitar credits with Griffith and Mary Gauthier, and Irish artists of the calibre of Liam Merriman, Tony McLaughlin and Neil White. The veteran musicians Jutz gathered around him to record Volume 2 inject Nashville heart and soul into this remarkable collection of Celtic-inspired songs, and bring real-life heroes from the past vividly into the present.
The 1861 Project, Volume 2: From The Famine To The Front brings history brilliantly and musically alive, reviving real people, real emotions, and issues that are still relevant. It is available through www.1861project.com, CDBaby, Topspin, and iTunes.
For further information see www.1861project.com
