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The Prodigals Release “Belturbet Town”

April 21, 2022 by 4 Comments

“Say Hello” from The Prodigals new Album “Belturbet Town.”
The Prodigals playing in Dublin in 2022.

This coming Friday, April 29, 2022, the Prodigals will release their tenth album marking a quarter-century of performing across the United States, as well as in Ireland, Germany, and Canada. There will be two launch locations: 5 pm at An Beal Bocht in the Bronx, and 9 pm at Paddy Reilly’s Music Bar, 29th St and 2nd Ave in Manhattan. For more information email: grenemusic@gmail.com

The lead singer, accordionist, and composer, Gregory Grene, started the band 25 years ago in NYC, but spent the majority of his childhood on a small farm near Belturbet, Co. Cavan, and the new album returns to those roots. At the same time, the sound embraces the wild musical effusion of New York, with eclectic rhythmic counterparts to the traditional melodic elements, introduced with brilliantly pyrotechnical skill by Colin Forhan on guitar and Liverpool’s Eamon Ellams on percussion. Further rich textures are brought to this album by luminaries Joanie Madden on flute and tin whistle, Katie Grennan, and Grene’s nephew Alex on fiddle.

The band’s road has gone from headlining Webster Hall in New York to the House of Blues in Las Vegas to Dolan’s Warehouse in Limerick and performing at the Guinness Fleadh, Music Midtown Atlanta, and the Dublin Irish Festival. And through it all, the Prodigals have been the flagship house band at Paddy Reilly’s Music Bar, the original home also to Black 47, Eileen Ivers, Joanie Madden, John Whelan, Seamus Egan, and virtually every other iconic New York Irish act.

But perhaps appropriately, this sterling anniversary album returns to Grene’s origins in Cavan. The images on the CD are those of Grene’s childhood, including a picture on the album itself of him and his twin brother listening to his first accordion teacher, Sean Donaghue. The title track, “Belturbet Town,” is named after Gregory’s home in Ireland; the song was written for his mother when she was in her last year, and the album as a whole sings of the beautiful “ghosts on the wind” that are there for us all if we only listen for their voices.

The album contains 11 tracks including Belturbet Town, Two Sisters, Carolan’s Concerto, Black Velvet Band, Say Hello, Sam Hall, Kathleen Alex, Christmas Day, Ballad of Mattie Farrell, Francis Clement, and Rattling Bog. FOR MORE INFORMATION EMAIL: grenemusic@gmail.com 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cathryn Williams says

    April 23, 2022 at 12:13 pm

    Fabulous music. I hope we can catch them live the next time we are in NYC! Is there a downloadable version of the Album available?

    Reply
  2. Gregory Grene says

    April 23, 2022 at 2:16 pm

    Hi! Thank you so much! Yes, will be available on April 29th on Amazon, Spotify, and all the usual suspects.
    (Advance title track available now: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WCVC5F2/ref=dm_rwpmb_pur_lnd_preo_pm )

    Reply
  3. Holly Millea says

    April 23, 2022 at 3:07 pm

    I ♥️ the Prodigals! (Gregory Grene❣️) I can’t wait to see them play live at Paddy Reilly’s on the 29th. This is why I love your newsletter—if I hadn’t read it, I would have missed the show‼️Thank you!

    Reply
  4. Colin kearns says

    April 25, 2022 at 4:00 am

    Love music Gregory I live close to Belturbet and with a wee folk outfit called Celticfolklore we were in NYC on St Patrick’s week and hope when we return next year to catching up with this fantastic band.well done Gregory and the prodigals

    Reply

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