Song:Mary and the Soldier
Album: Andy Irvine Paul Brady
These two Irish folk music legends recorded and toured together in the 70s. They only recorded one album together. But many experts hail it as an essential album. Paul Brady arranged and sang this particular song. So I will profile him and maybe do Andy Irvine at another time. Brady was born May 19, 1947 in Belfast, Northern Ireland and he was raised in the small town of Strabane in County Tyrone. His father was a music teacher. Brady played piano as a child and then learned guitar. His main influences were Chuck Berry, The Shadows and The Ventures. While attending Universty College Dublin, he played in several cover bands. Brady got interested in folk music and he joined the popular group The Johnstons in 1967. They moved to London in 1969 and then New York City in 1972. Despite some success, Brady returned to Ireland in 1974 to join Planxty. When they briefly disbanded in 1975, Brady formed a duo with fellow Planxty member Andy Irvine and they recorded the 1976 album Andy Irvine Paul Brady. They don't actually sing together. They perform traditional songs. Some are sung and arranged by Irvine and some are sung and arranged by Brady. Mary and the Soldier is Brady's contemporary arrangement of the Scottish folk song The Gallant Soldier. Brady sings and plays guitar. Irvine plays mandolin and harmonica. Donal Lunny of Planxty plays guitar. He also produced the album. Kevin Burke of The Bothy Band plays fiddle. Though this album was highly acclaimed and is today considered to be an essential Irish folk music album, Brady and Irvine each went solo and they have been very successful as solo artists. They reunited and recorded a live album in 2014 celebrating Irvine's 70th birthday. And they toured in 2017 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of Andy Irvine Paul Brady. BTW, Bob Dylan is a big Paul Brady fan. Here's Paul Brady with Andy Irvine and Donal Lunny performing Mary and the Soldier on Irish TV 1976.
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