WHO IS CHRISTY MOORE?
Christy Moore is an Irish native and one of the country’s best-known folk singers and songwriters. He is the older brother of Irish folk singer and songwriter Barry Moore AKA Luka Bloom, a stage name he used when he began recording in the United States.
HIS STORIED CAREER:
He began his career at the young age of 22, playing in venues in Manchester—where he had moved for work—during the late 1960s. He spent the latter half of that decade honing his skill and finding his voice. His first album, “Paddy on the Road,” was released in 1969.
It was around this time he met up with other artists Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny, and Liam O’Flynn. The foursome formed the group Planxty, playing traditional Irish music with rock undertones until their split in 1974. Moore was the lead signer of this band and also played the bodhran, a traditional one-sided Irish drum, and guitar in the group. Planxty spent 5 years apart, during which time Moore worked as a solo artist once again. This pattern of solo gigs and time spent in the Planxty would become a recurring pattern in Moore’s long and much-celebrated career.
During the early 1980s, he and Donal Lunny (from Planxty) formed Moving Hearts, a band who played Celtic music on electrical instruments. He continued solo work releasing albums throughout the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. His most recent album of new recordings was released in 2016 and is titled, “Lily.” A live recording of some of his all-time biggest hits called “On the Road,” which dropped in 2017, is his most recent release.
POPULAR TUNES:
“The Cliffs of Dooneen” (1970)
“Black is the Colour” (1978)
“Only Our Rivers Run Free” (1983)
“City of Chicago” (1984)
“Lisdoonvarna” (1984)
“Yellow Triangle” (1996)
“North and South” (2006)
“Weekend in Amsterdam” (2011)
WHERE YOU CAN HEAR HIM TODAY:
Moore has a full calendar for the remainder of 2018. He is visiting numerous venues throughout Ireland. For dates and tickets, visit christymoore.com/gigs.
You can read more about Christy Moore, including his biography in his own words, at christymoore.com.
Images shown here are from the official Facebook page of Christy Moore.