Biography

The Nutshell:

Dáithí Sproule, well known for his pioneering guitar styles, deep knowledge of Irish song, and his place in the internationally acclaimed ensemble Altan, is a brilliant musician and a virtual font of cultural knowledge and lore. He has been a major force behind the success of traditional Irish music in today's popular culture.

Multi-instrumentalist Laura MacKenzie has received an abundance of honors and awards for her work in traditional music, and has performed across the nation. For many years Laura has been at the heart of the revival of Irish music and dance in the Upper Midwest.

Sproule and MacKenzie have been making music together in various ensembles for decades, and now offer a wonderful concert duo, featuring a rich gamut of traditional Irish and Scottish music and song, plus Dáithí's recent compositions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More on Dáithí:

Dáithí Sproule of Derry, whose first group was the legendary Skara Brae, has lived for many years in Minnesota. He is one of Irish music's most respected guitar accompanists, and one of the first guitarists to develop DADGAD tuning for Irish music. He is also a fine singer of traditional songs in Irish and English, and is known for his innovative song arrangements. As well as his work in the Irish supergroup Altan, Dáithí records and performs with Irish and Irish-American luminaries such as Liz Carroll, Billy McComiskey, James Kelly, Paddy O'Brien, Tommy Peoples, Seamus and Manus McGuire, Randal Bays, James Keane, and many others. In addition to his performing life, Dáithí is a composer of tunes and a teacher-lecturer in subjects ranging from guitar styles and song accompaniment to traditional music, language, legend and literature. He has released a solo CD of his guitar arrangements and compositions, "The Crow in the Sun", and also an album of songs featuring many illustrious musical colleagues, "Lost River, Vol. 1", both on New Folk Records.

More on Laura:

Multi-instrumentalist and singer Laura MacKenzie has been recognized as a Master Folk Artist by the Minnesota State Arts Board, and has received numerous additional honors as a performing artist. Her musical prowess spans an array of traditional wind-powered instruments including wooden flutes, whistles, various bagpipes, concertina, gemshorn and voice. In addition to her concert performances with Dáithí Sproule, Laura performs solo, with Laura MacKenzie and the Lads, Willow Brae, Ross & MacKenzie, The Doon Céilí Band and Northern Gael. Laura has been the producer of some great shows of traditional music and dance, has recorded with Boiled in Lead, Dean Magraw, Peter Mayer, Ann Reed, Peter Ostroushko, Ann Heymann, Katie McMahon, Gary Rue, Dakota Dave Hull, Lorie Line.....and has released two of her own CDs on the New Folk Records label, "Laura and the Lads" and "Evidence".

***Both Dáithí and Laura are Archibald Bush Foundation Artist Fellows in Traditional and Ethnic Performing Arts***

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For more information on Dáithí Sproule: www.daithisproule.com

For more information on Laura MacKenzie: www.lauramackenzie.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In conjunction with concert dates, Dáithí and Laura offer clinics and workshops such as: Traditional Songs in Irish and English, Guitar Accompaniment, Irish Myth and Legend, Learning the Tin Whistle, Irish Flute Techniques, Irish and Scottish Repertoire, Piping Hot Bagpipes, and more.