Artist:The Irish Tenors
Song:Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears
Album:Ellis Island
Anyone who watches PBS knows that fundraising is a big part of their programming. I'm sure you all love their pledge breaks. I usually PVR shows and fast forward through the pledge breaks. Acts like Celtic Woman have been a big part of PBS fundraising for years. In 1998, PBS producers Daniel Harte and Bill Hughes were in Cannes when they got the idea of forming a trio of Irish tenors and use them for PBS fundraising. If PBS owns it then they don't have to pay anyone for the rights. They approached Irish tenor Finbar Wright but his contract with Sony wouldn't allow him to do it. Then they approached Canadian tenor John McDermott and he agreed to do it. He recruited Anthony Kearns and Ronan Tynan and the 1999 show The Irish Tenors: Live in Dublin aired on PBS and the related products raised a lot of money. They also toured. Then McDermott's mother died and Finbar Wright was brought in to replace him. Ellis Island was The Irish Tenors' third TV special in 2001. The album is available as a budget CD with a DVD of the TV show. Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears led off the show. The song is about an immigrant arriving at Ellis Island. Brendan Graham wrote the song. Mary Duff recorded it in 1997 and Celtic Woman has also recorded it. Graham co-wrote You Raise Me Up which was a big hit for Josh Groban. Ellis Island was The Irish Tenors final PBS show. They did one other TV special for RTE in Ireland. The Irish Tenors last recorded in 2010. But according to their Facebook, they are planning their annual Christmas tour. Here's The Irish Tenors performing Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears on the 2001 PBS TV special Ellis Island.
No comments:
Post a Comment