Two Banjo Legends Gone in the one Week ...

The passing of Barney McKenna today affected me on so many levels, it's hard to know where to begin. I had the good fortune to have known him since about 1962/63 when I used to travel with Peggy Jordan to the Abbey Tavern in Howth to hear the Ronnie Drew Folk Group, as the Dubliners where known then. On one such occasion, Barney played a particularly soft and tender tune, during which a member of the audience continued a conversation with the person in the next seat. After the applause died down, Barney said ' if you two don't shut up, I'll come down there and break me fuckin' Banjo over yes 'er fuckin' heads'. He got the result he deserved, and I have followed his example ever since. I also had a much more recent experience in Barney's life when I was asked by Nashville banjoist and Producer, Tim Carter,to write a lyric for a song that Barney wanted to record about the connection, as he saw it, between Bluegrass and Irish Music. This I did, and I'm thrilled to know that Barney recorded the song in Nashville, and that it will be released, posthumously, soon. It's called When The Bluegrass Meets The Greengrass. Incidentally, although I don't think he ever did record this, Barney was so good on the Banjo, he could play what he called 'imitation 5-string in Scruggs Style' on his Tenor Banjo. For Banjo fans who never saw him do this, it involved fretting one string on the fifth fret to give him the 'ring', and a cross-picking pattern with a flat pick that have more in common with George Shuffler or Jessee McReynolds. This memory is particularly poignant when you realise that the Wold's other great Banjo innovator, Earl Scruggs died on Thursday last. Two Banjo legends gone in one week. Hey, it just occurred to me that there may well be an amazing meeting of styles in a session on high. Also,although I have no intention of joining them for a long, long time, and I'm not sure if I'd pass the audition anyway, but I am the proud owner of a wonderful John Alvey Turner 5-string, which you can admire in this photo, taken by Fiaz Farrelly in Myshall Graveyard.

Should'a Brought The Rod ....

St.Mullins in County Carlow is one of the most stunning locations in the Universe,just above where the River Barrow meets the sea. I have rarely been there without my Fishing Rod, hence the title of today's blog! Last week, as I was telling you about in my previous blog,was spent in the company of Fiaz Farrelly, a young man who hails originally from Zimbabwe via Dundalk. Fiaz was taking photos for various Pinecastle Record Company projects, and caught me sitting on a rock, dreaming about the fish I might have been catching at this very spot. Later, I decided to try charming them with my Mandolin ...............

A Winner, For sure ...

It's always a pleasure to blog with good news ! On Saturday last I had the honour of presenting this beautiful Tanglewood Acoustic Guitar to the winner of our recent competition on my Roots Freeway Radio Show on RTE Radio One. The questions were fairly difficult, but in spite of that, we had a huge response, with only two slightly incorrect answers, and my only regret was that we just had the one Guitar to give away! A panel lead by Jim Lockhart took over the duty of picking the winner, as I wanted to pick out my own name ! I want to thank Eugene and his crew at I'm In Music in Carlow Town, and all the folks at Tanglewood Guitars in Ireland for their generosity and support. Also, hats off to Producer, Aidan Butler for taking the photo, and the best of luck to our lucky winner,Emmet Byrne of Dundalk, in his career in the music business !

Images ....

I spent several days during this past week working with a wonderful Photographer and Designer, Fiaz Farrelly. In what seemed like sub-zero temperatures, we scoured Counties Carlow and parts of County Wexford in an effort to find intriguing and beautiful locations to take pictures of me, looking very warm and cosy, while fighting the urge to wear two Fur Coats to ward off the biting wind from the North ! Locations proved to be the least of our challenges, as there are an incredible number of amazing places within shouting distance of my own hall door. The cold was something else ..

We did manage, I understand, to capture many images, and you, like me, may well be saying, where are they ? Well, like me, you will have to wait a short while, but I do hope to be able to show you some of the results before next weekend. When one is working on this side of the lens, [ ie: the target ] it's always a bit of a mystery, and it just adds to the excitement of waiting to see the finished article. Of course some, maybe most, of our photos will are intended for use with my new Pinecastle Album, and I'm happy to say that I have the utmost confidence in Fiaz Farrelly and his magic lens to produce a great result. [ie: Me looking warm, happy and interesting ! ]Oh well, ok, here's a taster. Who do you think this is, walking by the Barrow, with his Guitar ?

St.Patrick's Day ....

It is probably just pure coincidence, but when I went to my Air Play Direct page today, March the 17th, I found to my amazement, and great pleasure, that NTB had rocketed into the Number One Spot on the All Time Downloads Chart in the Bluegrass/Folk category. The luck of the Irish on Paddy's Day ? What an achievement for an Irish String Band, and on March the 17th! I want to thank all the Radio Stations [ 6,500 at last count according to APD ] who have downloaded my Music in the past year, and in so doing, have put me in this coveted number one spot, in a chart which also includes many of the legendary figures of Bluegrass who have been a major influence on my own music and songwriting. Penni McDaniel of Hope River Entertainment, my PR Company in the USA, have sent out a Press Release today with all the details. It's accessible at this link :

http://hoperiver.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/irish-singer-songwriter-niall-toner-music-news-and-happy-st-patricks-day/

A colleague once said to me that he saw very little connection between Irish Music and Bluegrass, although I begged to dissagree at the time. Well, there is now !!!!

Thanks again, yours, Niall.

Radio Show Numbers 1 and 2

Hi everyone in Radio Stations around the World, I just wanted to let you know that the Radio Show I was telling you about is now available for download from Air Play Direct. It's in two sections, and they are labelled APD 1 and APD2. The duration on both is approximately 30 mins with a long 'playout' facility on both slots for local ads. The first download came from an Australian Radio Station, and I look forward to getting comments and reactions from 'down under', and over there, and wherever you are? Communications have become so easy in recent years, there's no excuse for not gettng in touch. Best, Niall.

Watch This Space .....

I have had the honour of presenting Roots Freeway on RTE Radio One, and I have often described the experience as being just like my daily routine, playing and listening to Music I love, and sharing it with an audience. If I wasn't doing it 'on air', I'd be doing it at home anyway. Rarely have I ever played my own music on that show, but now comes a new opportunity to share my Music with the entire World through the auspices of Air Play Direct in the US. My show is to be called The Roots, The Whole Roots, And Nothing But The Roots, and the first edition will be available to 6,500 Radio Stations Worldwide,shortly. Hence, watch this space ! On my first show, which is in two half-hour segments, I will be telling my own story about how I got started in Music, my influences, my inspirations, my trials and triumphs, and I'll be playing a selection of my own songs which have been recorded by some of my heroes in the music business.

Downloads of TRTWRANBTR will only be available to Radio Stations, but anybody can go to the APD site and listen ! Watch this space ..........

No Such Thing as a Free Lunch ?

I have often heard it said that there's no such thing as a free lunch, and I'm sure, as with all old sayings, there's a degree of truth in it. However, in spite of the message carried by this seanfocail, I am keen to offer free copies of my new single, Tomorrow, to the first ten applicants who ask for one through the 'Contact' page here on the site. I promise, there's no hidden agenda here, beyond the fact that I am keen to spread my music, and I'm also very curious to see from where the first ten lucky blog readers hail from ? So, it's that simple, and as a bonus, I will include a copy of my William Smith Monroe CD, and I will mail these freebies to you, wherever you may live .....

I'm waiting .....

New Single, Tomorrow, playlisted on RTE Radio One ..

It's always a good thing to begin a new Month with good news, so here goes ! I am delighted to be able to say that my new single, a song called Tomorrow, has been chosen for the RTE Radio One playlist for the week beginning Monday March the 5th. It's always a long journey from writing a song in the first place to recording a demo, trying it out at live performances and finally recording a version that passes the 'personal' test. That's only half the job, because you then have to try to get Radio DJs to want to play your song on the air, but this time 'round I am finding that I'm getting a very positive reaction. Then, that in itself is only half of the next job, because the end result we all hope for is that the listening public will share this positivity by liking the song enough to go out and buy it ! That, by the way, can be at your local record store. A good friend of mine, from whom I learned a lot about writing songs, compared the whole experience to that of raising a child. You can only do your your best with your song, or indeed with your child, then you have to 'let go', and hope that you have made your best effort possible. So, Bon Voyage, to Tomorrow, and thanks to everyone involved.

The photo was taken outside the Nashville Studio of Keith Sewell, in the Sunshine.

Monroe is always around me, and Phil Lynott too!

At the moment I am busy working on new songs and tunes for the first new album on Pinecastle Records, and the music and life of Bill Monroe is never too far away from my thoughts. As you can see from the photo, I recently surrounded myself with several of Bill's instruments, and souvenirs of his life at the Bluegrass Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky, a short drive from the Monroe homeplace in Rosine. One of the artifacts pictured is the headstock of Bill's famous F-5 Lloyd Loar Mandolin that was saved when his instrument was undergoing a major repair at the Gibson factory. I am also working on another Monroe tribute, and this time it's an instrumental, called Jerusalem Ridge Backstep. I would never claim to have the Monroe Mandolin style 'nailed', but I'm happy with the feel of the tune, and I am hopeful that it will make the cut on the new album. There will also be a few real surprises,for me as well as the listener, and a couple of really dark songs.

By the way, this photo was taken by Aidan Butler, and the T-Shirt I am wearing is one that I procured at the Phil Lynott Exibition in Dublin. Phil and I were pals back in the nineteen-digydees, mostly in the Bailey, it has to be said! I was offered a ridiculous amount of Dollars for it in Kentucky and Tennessee, but I managed to hold out, this time !

No Trains Running On This Line

Something I have come to learn about the Music Business is that you can never rest on your laurels. It seems that, especially in this digital world, as soon as you have up-dated your press pack, your website, and all of your publicity material, it's almost out-of-date by the time you have it done! Information, and news, good or bad, now travels around the world so fast, that you really need to check your stuff on a daily basis. A colleague asked me recently to account for what looked like my overnight success in the American market,[ after 40 years!] and he was quite horrified when I told him it was on account of my spending about ten hours a day for the last four years, slogging away at the computer, making sure that as many people as humanly possible were kept informed as to what I was doing with my music. Bear in mind that this was all totally apart from time spent writing and rehearsing and pitching new material. That's a whole other aspect of this business, you are expected to keep fresh, and continue to create new songs and tunes. I am eternally grateful for the fact that the inspiration seems to keep coming, and I find myself writing more and more. If you're reading this from a writer/composer perspective, believe me that the fear of drying up that we all suffer from can be kept at bay by making sure that you practice at your craft every day. Even if it's only for a short spell in the mornings or the evenings, make sure you do some writing every day, and keep your Press Releases fresh ............. In Music and Song, yours, Niall.

A Record Deal and a Banjo Giveaway

Today's Blog entry speaks for itself. This is incredible news !!!

Irish Artist, Niall Toner, Signs with Pinecastle Records

Pinecastle Records is pleased to announce that it has signed Irish bluegrass artist, Niall Toner, to its roster. Niall will soon release a new single in his native Ireland as a hard-copy CD, and in the USA through a digital release on Air Play Direct. The song called "Tomorrow," taken from his upcoming Pinecastle release which will be a new album of original material, due in the fall of 2012, in conjunction with a U.S. tour. Niall's new Album will be produced by Keith Sewell in Nashville.

Niall's most recent release in the U.S. was The Sounds of the Blackstairs Mountains, featuring his tribute to the father of bluegrass, "William Smith Monroe," which is still receiving extensive airplay on bluegrass radio.

"I am thrilled and delighted to be the first Irish artist signed to Pinecastle Records. It's a dream come true for me, and an honour to be part of a label roster that includes many of my own musical heroes, like Jesse McReynolds and the Osborne Brothers. I look forward to working with Lonnie, Ethan, Matt and the entire Pinecastle team. Onwards and upwards." - Niall Toner.

"I so enjoy your William Smith Monroe song, Niall, very well-written, and performed, and also timely in 2011, the Bill Monroe Centennial Year. Your video is also great. Very professional, and mighty good music to boot!" Greg Cahill, Special Consensus, Chicago, IL.

"It has been truly amazing to watch how the global radio community has responded to Niall [Toner] and his music. Niall has the fastest rising bluegrass album in the history of AirPlay Direct, and currently has the #2 bluegrass album of "All Time" on AirPlay Direct. http://airplaydirect.com/charts/albums/AllTime/BF This success at global radio has now translated into a record deal for Niall with Pinecastle Records... congratulations!" - Robert Weingartz, Chairman & CEO of AirPlay Direct.

"Niall makes great 'open-hearted' music, and his tributes to Monroe are just superb. His 'Ocean Of Teardrops,' composed 'in-the-style-of' the Blue Sky Boys and the Monroe Brothers, is a duet song that kills me!" Paul Williams, Songwriter and President of ASCAP.

The Niall Toner Band is an acoustic Irish bluegrass band with Celtic influences whose diverse repertoire ranges from contemporary up-tempo songs and tunes to inspirational gospel-style numbers, as well as tributes to Bill Monroe the father of bluegrass like "The Master's Resting Place" and "Bill Monroe's Mandolin." Niall formed the Band 2001 with musical cohorts Clem O'Brien (guitar) and Dick Gladney (bass). Toner credits Clem and Dick for being so supportive in the constant strive for originality in his music.

Niall's composition credits include songs recorded by artists like Bill Wyman (The Rolling Stones), The Nashville Bluegrass Band, Albert Lee, Special Consensus, Keith Sewell, The Swanson Family and more. In 2003 Toner was nominated for a Global Artist Award by the CMA. To date, Niall and his Band have recorded and released three CD albums, and they perform their original songs and tunes on a regular basis at Festivals and Venues in Ireland, the UK, Europe and the USA.

Niall was born in Dublin, Ireland and nurtured an early interest in music by tuning in to Radio Luxemburg and the AFN radio service from Germany. The Saturday night re-broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry from Nashville was his first exposure to Country music, and when a local school-friend showed up with a collection that included the music of Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, The Carter Family and Jimmy Rodgers, Niall's musical fate was sealed. Niall Toner is widely regarded as one of Ireland's leading experts on bluegrass and American country music, and he brings this knowledge of music to a wide audience, both through his live performances with The Niall Toner Band and various workshops, as well as through his radio show, Roots Freeway, which is broadcast on Ireland's national radio station, RTE Radio One. www.rte.ie/radio1/rootsfreeway/

Niall Toner - Official Website

Niall Toner at www.pinecastlemusic.com

About Pinecastle Records:
Pinecastle Records was created nearly 22 years ago as a favor to a friend and has since grown into a legendary label with nearly 250 releases in its catalog including titles from some of the most influential musicians in the bluegrass genre such as Eddie Adcock, The Osborne Brothers, Jim and Jesse and Charlie Waller & The Country Gentlemen. Pinecastle has always placed an emphasis on fostering the talents of bluegrass up and comers and has helped with the growth of the careers of Terry Eldredge, Jesse Brock, Josh Williams, and Kristin Scott Benson, among others. Today, Pinecastle is situated in the mountains of southwestern North Carolina owned by businessman and medical doctor, Lonnie Lassiter.

Heroes ...

When I look back over my blogs since the new website was launched, most of them seem to be somewhat retrospective, and the photo I'm including here is no exception ! Somebody once told me that meeting your heroes could be a dangerous thing, but I'd have to say I have found that to be untrue. Certainly, in the case of Bill Monroe, Del McCoury, Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, to drop but a few names, my experience has been the direct opposite. That was also the case when I met Larry Sparks backstage at the recent Jerusalem Ridge Bluegrass Festival in Kentucky. Larry was very willing to talk, and as you can see, he was also delighted to pose for a photo with yous truly.

This coming Saturday, myself and Clem and Dick make the welcome journey to Islandbridge in Dublin to play at the Commercial Rowing Club. I remember many fine gigs at this venue back in the 60s when they were competing with the Garda Rowing Club, just up the River from there. One such gig that left a lasting impression on me was hearing Andy Irvine do a solo show in which he performed a fine repertoire of Old Timey Country songs by the likes of Burnette and Rutherford, Charlie Poole, Grayson and Whitter and Woody Guthrie. You will be able to judge just how deep that impression on me was if you can come along on Saturday night. Doors 8.30pm and show at 9.30pm. Best, Niall.

Hospitality ...

One of the most outstanding features of my recent visit to Kentucky was the wonderful hospitality shown to both myself and my Radio Producer, Aidan Butler. There are so many people I would like to thank, that it would take up space on several blogs to include them all, but I'd like to name-check a few. Jo-Nell Patterson, of Horse Branch, near Rosine, not only provided us with superb accommodation and home-cooked food, but also secured several great interviews for our Bill Monroe Radio Documentary project for RTE Radio One. The results can be heard on RTE Radio One on Thursday the 29th of December at 2pm under the title, Rathgar to Rosine. We experienced great hospitality also from Campbell Mercer and his Family at their home, which is located at the Festival Site on Jerusalem Ridge. Campbell, who is a Vet by profession, and a Monroe fanatic by inclination, also plays Mandolin and organises the Annual Festival in honour of Bill Monroe and his music. This year Campbell also provided his Band, the Cumberland Highlanders,to perform with me on the Main stage. The entire event was televised, and will be shown on RFD TV at a later date. This photo, by Aidan Butler, shows us in the sitting room of Campbell's house, rehearsing for the show. Our sincere thanks to Campbell and Jo-Nell and all who were so welcoming in Kentucky.

Back Home

There's no doubt about the fact that getting the opportunity to play my music for the people of the Southern Appalachians was both an honour and a great pleasure for me. Everywhere I sang my songs it was as though I had been there in a previous life ! Sounds a bit weird, well maybe so, but there you have it. I made many new friends and wrote a whole bunch of new songs. Just being in the Tri-State area prooved to be an inspiration in itself. Thanks to all the good folks who made my trip such a great success. Thanks also to Mark Gines who took this photo of me 'giving it my all' at the Visitors Centre at Jonesborough during the Historic Jonesborough Bluegrass Series.

Having said all that, It's great to be back home, and I am looking forward to playing at Mick Murphy's in Ballymore Eustace on Monday the 14th of November, our first time back there since working that fine venue with the late Larry Roddy. One of the tunes I will be playing on the night will be an instrumental composed in Larry's memory called Larry's Blues. On Saturday the 26th of November we get to play the Commercial Rowing Club in Islandbridge in Dublin, giving us a chance to meet our Dublin friends. This is a relatively new venture, and is well-deserving of your support. Niall, November 4 2011.

White Horse, Black Mountain, North Carolina, Friday, October 7, 2011

Last Friday night I played at the White Horse in Black Mountain, North Carolina,high in the Appalachians, with a superb Band, No Strings Attached, who learned my all-original set of Bluegrass Songs in just a day, and played them as though we had been performing the set together for years. This photo was taken at the White Horse, and shows, from left to right, Joe Trimbauch on Fiddle, Scott Woody on 5-string Banjo,[ playing a Nechville] Yours Truly on Guitar and Vocals,Robb Parkes on Bass, and Steve Johnson on Guitar. I have to pay tribute to these guys for their dedication and musicianship, and we will be working together again !

I have never had any doubts that the way to go in this Bluegrass Music Business was to contribute original material to the genre, but if I ever needed re-assuring, I have got it in spades here in Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina. The Bill Monroe Festival at Jerusalem Ridge was an amazing experience, but with almost seventy Bands performing over six days, from a mostly predictable set list of standards, most folks found it very refreshing to hear new and original material, and have shown their preferences through very healthy CD sales. Onwards and Upwards. Niall, Irwin, Tennessee, October, 2011.

World Of Bluegrass, Nashville, 2011, Niall Toner,Jimmy Sunnebrandt, Martino Coppo warming up.

The Annual World Of Bluegrass Festival under the auspices of the International Bluegrass Music Association [ IBMA ] took place in Nashville, Tennessee last week. I performed a showcase at the Mountain Music Entertainment Suite 1814, and later that night I also performed at the EBMA suite. At fairly short notice I was joined by two amazing Musicians, Martino Coppo of Red Wine on Mandolin, and Jimmy Sunnebrandt of G2 and the James King Band on Upright Bass. They did a superb job on my original material, and both shows were a great success. Guys, I owe you one !

IBMA also provide me with a great opportunity to meet with some of my heroes in Bluegrass Music, as you can see from these photos.

RTE Radio One Producer, Aidan Butler also worked with me on two live Radio Shows from the Nashville Visitors Centre, one of which went out last Sunday night, and the second is broadcast next Sunday at 11pm under the 'IN Concert' banner. We also recorded a Documentary on the Music of Bill Monroe which will be broadcast at a future date on RTE Radio One. Niall, Jonesborough, Tennessee.

Niall Toner and the story of William Smith Monroe

We have just spent a wonderful week here in Coolasnaughta with two of our Grandsons, Kyle and Jay O'Neill, from Newbridge in County Kildare. Kyle and Jay love coming here every Summer to spend some time in the country, and we do all the usual stuff like Fishing and exploring the hills and mountains and rivers. However, of late, the boys have become very involved in making their own little movies, and posting them on YouTube under the title of supertortoisedude.com and they are proving to be very popular indeed. We thought it might be an idea to work on a documentary about my song, William Smith Monroe, which tells some of the life story of the Father Of Bluegrass, and to explain a little of what went in to the writing of the song. Kyle directed and produced, Jay acted as assistant director and wardrobe man, and also played the part of me [ and Bill Monroe ] as a young man. I think that for a first effort from a Thirteen year old director/cameraman, and his eight year old assistant and aspiring actor, this video documentary turned out pretty darn good ! However, you the listening/viewing public will be the ultimate judges, and we urge you to take a look and a listen, and please send us your comments, observations and suggestions. Niall Toner and the story of William Smith Monroe is now available to view on YouTube. Best, Niall, August, 2011.

Peer Support and Hot Press

I recently had the honour of hosting an open interview at the John Field Room in the National Concert Hall in Dublin with the Legendary Paul Williams. Paul was just fantastic, and very generous with his time, spending about an hour after the show meeting and greeting almost everyone in the audience of about 250 songwriters and composers ! He also turned the tables a little on me, by doing his research, and singing my praises as a writer. [ Swelled head here !] Paul also very kindly followed up on that by leaving a very complimentary message on my guestbook page about a song I wrote with Clem O'Brien, which is on our first CD, called Ocean Of Teardrops. I have to say that it's a great boost when it comes from someone of Paul's stature in the songwriting world.

Speaking of songs, William Smith Monroe continues it's upward trajectory with major airplay on US Radio, and BBC in Britain, as well as being play listed here by RTE Radio One. Also great to see Hot Press taking notice of string band music !!! As I always say on my blogs, onwards and upwards.

William Smith Monroe

My single release, William Smith Monroe, has been getting very positive reaction, particularly in the USA, and surprisingly, to me at least, in Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina. The market in these areas for Bluegrass is very, very crowded, to say the least, and to make any impression from this remove can prove difficult. The APD service I used for the initial launch and digital distribution has been very efficient, and has insured a very wide spread for WSM. The other result of having released WSM as a single has renewed interest in all our previous material, and the downloads to Radio Stations for Bill Monroe's Mandolin and The Master's Resting Place have been equally impressive. Another small surprise result has been the interest and downloading of my tribute song to Jimmie Rodgers from the NTB3 CD, sung beautifully by Clem O'Brien, and that's Jimmie Rodger's Dream. Maybe our next project should be a whole Album of new Tribute Songs ? Anyway, thanks to all the DJs and Radio Stations around the World for taking such a keen interest in our original Bluegrass Music from the Blackstairs. Thanks also to APD and New Cuts Of Bluegrass Volume 3. I am also looking forward to showcasing at IBMA 2011, in the 1814 Suite at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville in September with Mountain Music Entertainment.com

William Smith Monroe

Since I was a youngster in Harold's Cross in Dublin City, I have been a fan of the Bluegrass music of Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys. I had heard a version of Blue Moon Of Kentucky on Radio Luxembourg sung by Elvis Presley, and I told my friend, Fran O'Donnell how much that sound meant to me. Fran said 'wait 'till you hear the original', and when he played me Monroe's version, I was hooked ! Now here I am, about 50 years later, still stuck on Monroe's great music, and just about to release my own new tribute song to the World, on all formats. It's a bit like a dream come true. July 4th., sees the release of William Smith Monroe, hopefully to a World-Wide audience of Bluegrass/Monroe fans. The song will be available to download for 99cent from iTunes, amazon.com and my own NTB website at www.nialltonerband.com

So, off she goes, into the ozone ............ Niall, July 1 2011

Trains, or the absense of Trains ...

Recently, while I was in the West of Ireland, I came across a disused section of the old Mayo Railway. I have always been fascinated by Trains, and everyhing about them, and I found it very inspirational just to be standing in the spot where thousands of Passengers had passed over, many years ago, travelling on to so many destinations in all parts of the World. Yes, I felt another 'Train Song' coming on ! I have written quite a few in the past, including Strange Train, The Harcourt Line, Railroad Dreams and Tears Along The Tracks. I'm not sure where this one will lead to, so who knows ? Aidan Butler took a few interesting shots of me on the line. As well as being the best Music Producer and Sound Engineer in RTE, Aidan's a fair good photographer, as you can see from the attached.

A Week Of Music ...

Last week was a fairly hectic one on all music fronts. I was reporting for RTE from a field near Kiltymagh in County Mayo, interviewing and recording Bands and Solo artists featured on Westfest. Producer, Aidan Butler and I set up a temporary Studio at the Park Hotel, and managed to grab Sharon Shannon, Imelda May,Ryan Sheridan, The Coronas,Keywest and Kelvin Busher, record them, and send the results in to RTE for inclusion on Saturday Night's Roots Freeway, and on Sunday, into Jim Lochart's show from West Cork. All go, and some great music ! Thanks to all involved. Then on Tuesday we had Don Rigsby and his Band, Midnight Call, into the RTE Dublin Studios for a live session which will be broadcast on next Saturday's Roots Freeway, that's on June 11th at 11pm. The Band were in great form, and Don talked about their music and the tour in Ireland, and sang a great version of Kentucky Waltz, dedicated to Bill Monroe, whose Centennial year we are currently celebrating. [ 1911-2011] Then I was off to rehearse with some of my own new musicians. We are currently working on a new Video to go with my new single release of WSM in the USA on July the 4th. Watch this space for more details. Niall, June 8, 2011.

The Avon Ri, Blessington ...

From the perspective of any working musician/songwriter/performer, one of the most important ingredients in any performance or show is that of having a supportive promoter and an appreciative audience. Hospitality, and a feeling of being 'wanted' are also vital, and all of these qualities, and more, were present in great abundance at our gig in the Avon Ri in Blessington on Friday night last. The occasion was also important for NTB as it was the first public performance, except for my solo shows in the USA, since Clem's departure. Frankie Lane had put in a serious amount of work on my material, and the result was a superb gig to a capacity crowd. His performance on both Dobro and Flat Top Acoustic sounded as thought it had always been there, and Frank also sang great harmonies, and a couple of Monroe and Stanley Brothers classics.

The venue is a thing of true beauty, and draws it's musical support from the Blessington hinterland. That area has always been fertile for our music, and we spent many happy times playing around there under the auspices of the late Larry Roddy. One of the new instrumentals on the next NTB CD is a blues tune I composed in his memory called Larry's Blues. Watch this space ...

Meanwhile, thanks to Tom Fennelly and his team for a great night, and as they say in music circles, we will be back! Niall, May 16, 2011.

Down Interstate 40 ....

There's something about being below the Mason-Dixon line that makes me feel great. It's probably a mixture of things, but among them would be the hospitality, the climate, although that element can vary, the people, the food and the music. In a very action-packed two weeks I drove a couple of thousand miles, did some amazing gigs in wonderful places, recorded tracks in Nashville, wrote songs and heard some great music at Merlefest in Wilkesboro. I also interviewed some of my own heroes, made plans with Mountain Music Entertainments CEO, Steve Johnson, for a major US tour in 2012, and had discussions with a major record label about a possible US release for all three NTB CDs, as well as a release date for the new NTB CD, William Smith Monroe. Highpoints would have to include my show at White Horse, Black Mountain and my show at the Creekside Diner in Jonesborough, Tennessee, as well as my experience of staying at the oldest house in town.[1820s] There were too many individuals to name, so let me say a sincere thanks to all, and here's to the next time! Watch this space ............

The Moving Finger Writes ....

'The Moving Finger Writes' is the opening line from Omar Kayam's great poem about the passage of time, which is well-worth looking up, and perfectly describes in it's translation from the Turkish language,just how easily time slips by. I am reminded of that very passage of time this day, March the 25th, 2011, as today is the ninth anniversary of the formation of the Niall Toner Band in it's present line-up. It literally does feel like just yesterday when Clem and Dick and I first began writing and rehearsing together in 2002. In those nine years we have played just about everywhere, released three all-original CDs, and achieved successes beyond our dreams around the World. Today, as I write this, the Sun is shining, Spring has sprung, and Nature is celebrating. So are we, and here's to the next set of musical adventures over the next nine years.

Happy Anniversary, NTB.

Number One in the Air Play Direct Charts in the USA ...

Great news this week as NTB go to number one in the Air Play Direct chart in the USA, with an incredible 289 Radio Station downloads. We are looking forward to seeing all our American friends, and performing over there later in the year.

Best, Niall.

Athy Arts Centre

Last night, Saturday, we played a gig at the Athy Arts Centre, which is based in a beautiful old Cut-stone Presbyterian Church on the Portlaois Road just outside the town of Athy. As with most Arts Centres, it's very much a community effort with a possee of volunteers to keep things happening. They had done a great job on promoting the event, and in spite of the fact that our previous show at the same venue had been cancelled due to the snow in December last, there was a reasonable turn-out for our gig. From a musical perspective it was also an opportunity for us to try out some of our new songs, and I'm happy to report that we got a great reaction to the new material. This was the first public performance of William Smith Monroe, Too Many Guitars and Tomorrow, all of which will hopefully be on our next CD. Tea and wine were served at the half-time break, and our CDs, There's A Better Way and NTB3, sold really well, with about half the audience taking signed copies home. All-in-all a great night, and we would extend our thanks to the team in Athy, and also to everyone who travelled to hear us. Moira took the pictures ..............

Emma Miller's Fundraiser. More Photos.

Emma Miller's Fundraiser a Great Sucess.

Last night the upstairs room at Fallon and Byrne's Gourmet Restaurant and Grocery store in Exchequer Street in Dublin was very kindly given over by the owners for a Fundraiser for Emma Miller, who is very unwell. The occasion was a huge success, and it was an honour to be asked to be part of the proceedings. It was also very touching to see so many fine musicians and singers giving freely of their talent and time for the cause. Ed McGinley's Band played a storming set of originals, as did The Walls, Jerry Fish and most of the Mudbug Club, Kieran Kennedy and Maria Doyle Kennedy and Niall Toner Jnr. and Johnny Ronan. For my part I played a set with Mick O'Doherty on Guitar, Niall Jnr. on Guitar, Colm McCaughey on Fiddle and Simon Farrell on String Bass. Barbara McGinley and her team did a great job on the organising, Monty was his usual genius self on Sound, and there was a very successful Art Auction and Raffle. All-in-all a very enjoyable night, and the real bonus was meeting so many people I had not seen for so long ! As with any gathering like this, we all made promises to stay in touch, and not to leave it so long before seeing each other again. Let's keep to that promise !

Mandolin Maestro ....

Last night, Bluegrass and Traditional Country Music Maestro, Marty Stuart, and his Band, The Fabulous Superlatives, came saw and conquered a Dublin audience at the Helix. It terms of pure musical quality, this was probably, by far, the best performance I have seen from anyone. There was an equal share of Honkytonk, Gospel Songs, Drinking Songs, Cheatin' Songs and Bluegrass. Yes pure and solid Bluegrass, with serious elements of Bill Monroe's music, Marty blew the place apart with a blistering set of Monroe-inspired tunes on the Mandolin. I was so enraptured with his absolute mastery of the Mandolin, I almost forgot to take a photo, and the attached was about the best I could manage under the circumstances. It also prooved to be a great occasion to meet with many many friends from all over the Country for this great occasion. Mind you, there were also a lot of 'missing' faces, and the Concert was held in the smaller of the Helix venues. A star of this quality deserves to be playing to much larger audiences, but maybe that's a whole discussion for another day in another format. I'm going to sing off here, because as a student of the Mandolin, I now have to go and do some serious practice ! Oh yeah, the next time 'Uncle Niall' tells you not to miss something, don't miss it !

iPods,Downloads,MP3s etc ......

There have been times during the past couple of years that I was beginning to believe that my Music World was turning completely on it's head, and that everything in the future was going to be swallowed by technology. Then something comes along which restores my faith in human nature and all things musical. Last Saturday afternoon, my Radio Producer, Aidan Butler, and I made our way to the Grand Canal Theatre in Dublin to set up for a series of interviews with some of the performers taking part in the Transatlantic Sessions concert at that beautiful venue[It is truly a stunning venue ! Hats off the Harry Crosbie !] We were set up in a small office on the second floor, and a steady stream of folks came by to chat and play for us, and the results went out on RTE Radio One last night as part of our Roots Freeway series. A good time was had by all, but it was the evening concert that really blew us all away. The entire team put on a wonderful show, but the aspect of the whole thing that really restored me, was the fact that in spite of all the technology in music these days, there was a full house of fans and listeners and CD buyers who were hungry for this real music, and they showed their enthusiasm with rapturous applause all night. Well done to everyone who was involved in the night, and let's hope there will be many more of them ....A restored Niall Toner.

A Bit Negative, but a Bit Positive ...

I have to say that one of the gigs I was really looking forward to in January 2011 was our [almost] Annual appearance at John Murphy's Bluegrass/Roots mini-fest in Carrick -on-Bannow, Co.Wexford, on the 29th. I'm sorry to say that NTB have been cancelled for this particular date, and that's the negative part, but we will instead be included in the line-up for the Annual Phil Murphy Festival at the same venue in July 2011. The wonderful Colfer's Bar, run by John Murphy, himself a great Traditional Harmonica player, is the central venue for this event, which celebrates the memory and music of the late Phil Murphy. This year is also significant for us, as we mark the Centenary of the birth of Bill Monroe, [ B.1911 D.1996 ]and our programme on this occasion will reflect the debt we owe to Bill and his Bluegrass legacy.

It's also worth saying that John and his team at Colfers are super supporters of live music, and apart from running two Annual Festivals, they feature live Music at their venue throughout the year. We wish them well for 2011. Niall, January 18.

Special Consensus 35 Years of great Music ...

Today I had the honour of meeting Greg Cahill and his Band, Special Consensus, from Chicago, who are on their 10th 0r 12th tour of Ireland and England, and celebrating the fact that under Greg's guidance, they have been making quality acoustic Bluegrass music for the past 35 years. One of the things that keeps their sound so fresh is the fact that they are constantly changing, always welcoming new young talent into the Band. This is very much in the style of Bill Monroe, whose Centenary we celebrate this year. Bill had the ability to travel all over the USA and if he needed to, he could always find musicians who were competent enough to stand in at short notice. This is now probably the case with Special Consensus, who have passed so many fine players, singers and writers through their hands. The band did a fine live set for the Pat Kenny Radio Show, and also took time to record a Bill Monroe song, and a short interview for Roots Freeway which will go out on Saturday night next at 11pm on RTE Radio One. Watch out for Special Consensus on their current tour. You can check details on the bluegrassirelandblog, which will also give you details of other forthcoming Irish tours by visiting Bands from the US. Niall, January 12 2011.

One Of My Heros ...

As a Songwriter, one of my greatest thrills is when a hero of mine records a song of mine. Such was very much the case with Albert Lee. I've been a fan of his since his Heads, Hands and Feet days, long before he starred with the Everly Brothers or Emmylou and the Hot Band.In my wildest dreams I don't think I ever believed that I could get Albert Lee to record one of mine, but I persisted. I had been sending him songs for about five years, with zero results. Then in 2006 I was at his gig in Whelans of Wexford Street, and along with a mass of fans after a scorching show with Hogan's Heros, I passed my 2-song demo over the heads of folks getting autographs, and headed off into the night. Around ten Months after this I was sitting at home when the telephone rang, and a voice said 'hi, this is Albert Lee, and I'm in a studio in Los Angeles, and I'm recording one of your songs. I hope you like my version' ! I almost fell off my chair, but shortly afterwards, Albert sent me a copy of his CD on Sugar Hill Records, and his version of Working On Love is, indeed, a cracker ! Roll on next time !

Niall, January 5 2011.

A New Year .....

I have to say that I was pretty sure that Bill Monroe was finally going to be honoured in 2011 by having his visage on a US Postage Stamp. Apparently, in spite of a ten year campaign by his fans and admirers from all over the World, this is not to be,and as a serious and long time fan, I count myself among the seriously disappointed. Born in 1911, 2011 would be the Centenary of his birth, and for a man who almost single-handedly invented an American music genre, Monroe should have been on the stamp.

All over the World, fans and bluegrass music lovers are planning gigs and events and festivals to commemorate this wonderful creator, and we here at NTB manor hope to play our part. I have been working on a new tribute song to the Master, and also a Mandolin instrumental of the kind Monroe himself would have been pleased with. All going well, these should turn up on the new NTB CD, due for release to co-inside with Bill's Centenary.

I am also looking forward to meeting you all again at live shows this year. Roll on the Festival Season 2011 ............ Niall.

Wonderful News For NTB for 2011 .....

Seasons greetings to all, and health and happiness for 2011. I'm delighted to be able to announce that the Niall Toner Band are off to a flying start for the new year with the confirmation of NTBs exclusive new representation in the USA. As and from today, December the 28th, 2010, we will be booked out for American Bluegrass Festivals and all US Tours by Mountain Music Entertainment Inc., and I'm proud to say that we a sharing the roster with folks like Ralph Stanley The 2nd., Grasstowne and Karl Shiflett, to mention but a few. This signing signals a new chapter for the Niall Toner Band, and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with Steve Johnson and his team in Jonesboro.TN. Enquiries and Bookings for NTB for the 2011/2012 season in the US are already strong. Check them out at : www.mountainmusicentertainment.com

They say that one of the[very many!] keys to success in the music business is your personal contacts, and I could not agree more. I first met Steve Johnson of Mountain Music Entertainments, five years ago when we jammed together at the Bill Monroe homeplace in Rosine, Kenucky, right there on Bill's front porch ! Steve was playing Guitar, and I was using a Gibson F-5 Mandolin, loaned to me by the Gibson Company in Nashville for the duration of my visit to Kentucky and Tennessee. This was on the very day I took a walk in the woods on Jerusalem Ridge, and wrote the chorus to WSM, and new tribute song which will be on the next NTB CD, due for release to co-incide with Monroe's Centenery in 2011.

Niall, December 28, 2010.

Hark I hear a Banjo Ring ....

Wearing my RTE Radio One/Roots Freeway hat, I travelled recently to Clarinbridge in County Galway, to the home of Clareen Banjos, to present Jimmy O'Regan from Tralee, Co.Kerry, with his beautiful Clareen 5-String Banjo, which he won in a competition on the Summer Series of my Roots Freeway radio show. We were lucky enough to have been sponsored by Tommy Cussen for two beautiful instruments to give away on the show. The first prize to be won was a Tenor Banjo which I presented to the winner at the Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival in Longford last September, and the second was this wonderful hand-made Bluegrass Banjo won by Jimmy. We had an enormous entry to our competition, which was based on having to do a serious amount of research on the History of this instrument, and out of the thousands of answers we got, there were very few incorrect or inaccurate applicants. To my mind, this explodes the old myth that when you are offering prizes for a competition like this one that you have to 'keep it simple'. Sincere thanks to Tommy Cussen and Clareen Banjos for the superb prizes.

On my new series of Roots Freeway I am offering listeners the chance to win a gorgeous Martin Acoustic Guitar, so stay tuned in to RTE Radio One on Saturday nights at 11pm.

NTB on Stage at Shannon Airport ...

Shannon Airport Gig, A Triumph in every way !

One thing that every working Musician has in common is that occasionally, at the very least, is the desire that a live show should contain all the ingredients required for a really satisfying experience fro all. By this I mean both Band and Audience. Last Friday night at Shannon Airport was one such experience for NTB, and to describe the occasion as a triumph is not just me blowing my own trumpet ..... Due credit must go to the team at Shannon who organised a great Stage with wonderful back-stage facilities, as well as an overall feeling of warmth and welcome that is all-too-often missing these days. Add to that a very well planned seating arrangement, and a superb Audience of what I can only describe as music lovers, and you have the perfect storm ! Clem and Dick and I played our hearts out, and were well rewarded by the enthusiastic welcome from this County Clare crowd. Add to that the fact that I spent at least an hour after our show shaking hands with people and signing CDs. Hopefully this is just the beginning of a new live series at the Airport. Sincere thanks to Mary and Niall and the whole team. Shannon Airport, long may you prosper !   Niall Toner and Band, December the 12th, 2010. PS. If anyone got any good photos on the night, please forward to me at our website : www.nialltonerband.com

NTB, OUR FIRST EVER CANCELLATION !

If I ever had to be stuck, marooned, imprisoned, I could not be stuck in a more beautiful place than here in the foothills of the Blackstairs Mountains in Coolasnaughta, which is certainly living up to it's name this past week. For non-Gaelic scholars, the name roughly translates as 'corner of snow', and I can vouch for the fact that the name is based on some equally dramatic snow fall sometime back in History. It's a small valley in the lee of Mount Leinster, and when it snows on the Mountain, it tends to drift in the valley, and so we are well and truly snow-bound. Neighbours are, to say the very least, amazing, and supplies of food and fuel have been left at our gate, so at least we are warm and fed. However, I am madly frustrated by the fact that our NTB gig at the Athy Arts Centre, booked for tomorrow night[Saturday, December the 4th] has been cancelled due to the extraordinary weather conditions. I was really looking forward to playing there, and I am equally mad at the idea of letting people down. We will re-schedule, probably for late February, and I will post the date as soon as it's carved in stone. Meanwhile, it gives me an opportunity to get back to work on our new songs ! Dick and Clem also send their apologies about tomorrow night. As of now, our shows for next week, Shannon Airport on Friday, and the Mary B Folk Club on Saturday, are firm. [Weather permitting !] Niall, December 3, 2010.

What are you going to have, Son?

Moira and I are in Limerick for a preview of Anything But Love at the Belltable Arts Centre, starring Catitriona Ni Mhurchu, and before the show we went for a bite to eat at Luigi Malone's Restaurant in O'Connell Street. We were joined by my Brother, Colm, and his wife, Siobhain, as well as Niall Toner Jnr. and his wonderful Son, Faolainn/Jem, as you can see in this 'lucky' shot, taken on my wonky little Camera. Faolainn/Jem is all of eight Months old !!!!!![ Going on 28 ! ]

Niall, Limerick, Friday, November the 26th, 2010.

The Mercantile, Dame Street, Dublin.

When I was growing up in Dublin City, some years ago, one of my early passions was for the building and flying of Model Aircraft. I was particularly fascinated by Jet Propulsion, and the only place in town to buy kits for Jet engines, was a shop called Helys of Dame Street. I checked out what used to be Helys today, and the building is still there in all it's glory, but it's now called the Mercantile Hotel, complete with Bar and a beautiful live music venue. On Tuesday next I will be back there to play a Gig with Clem and Dick as the Niall Toner Band. Somehow it feels like 'completing a circle' of some kind, and I am hoping that lots of my friends and supporters will show up for the event. I am also very proud of the fact that our special guest on the night will be my eldest Son, Niall Toner Jnr., and it's a great opportunity for folks to come an hear Niall's great original songs. Further details are on our website, and tickets are also available from www.flattop.com

Last Sunday I attended the Funeral of a great friend and colleague, Larry Roddy, and it was very gratifying to see that he got such a send off from his multitude of friends and admirers. I had known Larry since we were introduced by Terry Woods in 1972, after a Woods Band gig in Liberty Hall. Larry wrote the sleeve notes to my first recording, First Thrust, in 1973, and promoted many gigs for me and my various Bands over the years. On Tuesday night at the Mercantile, we will be dedicating a couple of Gospel songs to Larry. R.I.P. Niall.

The Loss of a Dear Friend, Larry Roddy.

I first met Larry Roddy at a Woods Band Gig in Liberty Hall in Dublin in 1972. My wife, Moira, and I were both introduced to Larry and John Weir on the same occasion by Terry Woods, another true and mutual friend, and a fine musician to boot. I would have to say that Larry and I liked each other right from the start. I think I could describe us both as 'softies', and that's a quality I find irresistible in another person. As I say, we hit it off right away, and although we might not see each other for long periods of time, each occasion we met, it always seemed as thought there had been no gap at all. In 1973, John Weir produced an album called First Thrust, which was a kind of Folk Sampler of the time, and Larry played a huge role in that project, acting as Designer, Publicist, Manager, Booking Agent, et al, and he is featured in the sleeve notes of that rare and somewhat collectible Vinyl Album. When I first began to broadcast on RTE Radio One with shows like Country Heartland and Sunday Best, and later with Roots Freeway, Larry always stayed in touch with me to maximise any publicity he could get for the many and varied artistes he promoted on his [ usually]small but vital tours in Ireland. Some of my own most memorable gigs with Larry in Ballymore Eustace with NTB were often in venues that were never intended for live music in the first place, but with Larry in charge, there was always a sense of immense artistic satisfaction, and true audience appreciation. I'm sure I speak for many other performers who worked with Larry, when I say that he will be greatly missed in live music circles in Ireland.  R.I.P.   Niall Toner, Coolasnaughta, November 5, 2010.

RTE Radio One/Big Music Week Roots/Country Concert

The first Annual Big Music Week featured a whole series of live music events on RTE Radio One. On Saturday the 16th. of October, Niall Toner and Sandy Harsch hosted a concert at the Sean O'Casey Community Centre on East Wall Road in Dublin's Docklands. Guests included I Draw Slow, The Sick and Indigent Song Club, Miss Paula Flynn, Gerry 'Banjo' O'Connor and the NTB. Lots of original songs and tunes were performed in front of a live audience, and the entire operation was overseen by Producer, Aidan Butler. The show was Broadcast on the WWW, and reactions have been very positive, indeed. This looks like becoming a firmly established Annual event. Thanks to all the team, the folks at the Centre, and to Anne Marie Power, Editor of Music and Entertainment at RTE Radio One for coming up with the overall concept.

Alternative Entertainments Celbridge Library Gig Thursday October 21st 2010

The way they all should be ! Last night the NTB were privileged to be in Celbridge Library for the opening night of the 2010 Des Carty Sessions, organised by the boys and girls of Alternative Entertainments in Tallagh. Our Master of Ceremonies was none other than the truly amazing Sean Garvey, one of Ireland's best Sean Nos Traditional Singers in both Irish and English languages, and no mean Tin Whistle player to boot ! Sean did a wonderful job as MC, and this was one of the best-organised Gigs we have ever done. Add to that the fact that we had a full house of attentive and enthusiastic listeners, as well as copious supplies of Tea and Sandwiches supplied by the Celbridge Library Staff, and it all adds up to a perfect Storm.[Gig!] This is the kind of occasion that makes it all seem worthwhile. After our show I must have shaken hands with a couple of hundred people, and this is a night I will not forget. I've said it before, but I'll say it again. For a three-piece String Band to play all-original material to an audience like that in a wonderful venue, and to sell truck-loads of CDs, it just what it's all about, and it's the way they all should be. Long live live music! Thanks also to the Arts Council of Ireland for their continued support. Niall Toner, Thursday 21st October, 2010. Photo to follow !

Recovering from JKBF 2010 ...

Hi All, just got home from the 9th Annual Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival in Longford, which, once again, was an artistic triumph. Mounta1n Heart were just first rate, Iris De Ment was inspirational, Rodney Crowell and his Guitarist, Will Kimborough were magnificent, We Banjo Three were extremely melodic, Gerry O'Connor was mind-blowing, and as always, the hospitality was top rate and during our own NTB set, I managed to debut a couple of new songs, which were well-received by a great listening audience ! Too Many Guitars and William Smith Monroe are strong contenders for our next CD. What more can I say ? Well, probably lots ! I had a personal ball, meeting great people like Rodney and Iris, and also getting to play my songs with Mountain Heart. I also got to perform Walk On Water with them on Sunday Morning at Johnny Keenan's graveside. A very touching and emotional occasion ............ I also had to pleasure of presenting the winner of a Clareen Banjo, Pamela Williams, with her prize, which she won on my recent Roots Freeway radio show on RTE Radio One. I should also pay homage to the backing singers in Chris Meehan's Redneck Friends Band, who looked stunning, and sang beautifully. Tommy Cussen was his usual cheerful self, and his Band, Shaskeen, had them dancing on the seats ........ Chris and Kathy, I take my hat off to you and your team, and rollon 2011. Niall.