Ireland's Clannad Ushers in St. Patrick's Day With Career-Spanning 2-CD Set, TIMELESS

NEW YORK, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Grammy Award®-winning Irish family band Clannad – the original Celtic artists who introduced their native Gaelic tongue into contemporary pop as far back as 1970 – will be the focus of attention on St. Patrick's Day this year, as PBS stations across the north­east broadcast "Clannad – Live from Christchurch Cathedral."  In advance of the PBS broadcast, a new 30-song, double-CD collection has been compiled, spanning the past three decades of Clannad's recording career.  TIMELESS will be available at all physical and digital retail outlets starting March 6th through RCA/Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20060130/LEGACYLOGO )

The PBS special, produced and directed by Cathal Watters, premieres on St. Patrick's Day, Saturday, March 17th.  Airings will continue through­out the month (please check local listings).  The concert was recorded at the ancient Irish cathedral on January 29, 2011, as part of the annual Temple Bar Tradfest.

The release of TIMELESS and the broadcast of "Live from Christchurch Cathedral" set the stage for Clannad's first North American tour in almost 20 years, to commence in September.  Dates will be announced in the months ahead via their website, www.clannad.ie.

Clannad's rich heritage is as deep as their own roots in rugged, secluded Donegal, the most northwestern county in Ireland, and their hometown of Gaoth Dobhar (pronounced 'Gweedore').  They were originally known as An Clann as Dobhar, 'the family from the townland of Dore,' which was compacted to Clannad (pronounced clan-ehd). 

The five-member group comprises the three singing and song­writing Brennan siblings, Moya (the eldest, known for her distinctive lead vocals and evocative harp playing), Ciaran (pronounced Kieran, adept on piano, guitar and bass), and Pol (Paul, the youngest, also on tin whistles and flutes); along with their older twin Duggan uncles, Padraig (pronounced Porric, on mandolin, guitar, harmonica, and vocals) and Noel (on guitar and vocals).

Between 1973 and 1980, they recorded six traditional albums, each of which helped to shape and refine the band's now unmistakable sound.  In 1979 and '80, they brought out 18-year old Eithne, aka Enya – the fifth of the nine Brennan siblings – on keyboards and background vocals for two albums, Crann Ull and Fuiam.  This marked the start of Enya's multi-platinum recording career (though her first solo album did not appear until 1986).

In 1982, Clannad recorded "Theme from Harry's Game" for the Granada series of the same title set in Northern Ireland.  The song hit #5 on the Irish chart and won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Soundtrack from the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters, the UK's most prestigious music honor.  (The song was also nominated for the British BAFTA Award that year for Best Television Music.)  It was included on Clannad's album, The Magical Ring (1983), which became their first gold-selling disc in the UK.  Years later the song brought them success in America when it was used in a major advertising campaign for Volkswagen.

Clannad also created the music for the highly popular UK television series "Robin Of Sherwood," which aired from 1984-86.  Their Legend album was compiled from the soundtrack music which won the BAFTA Award for Best Original Television Music of 1984.

Clannad's growing worldwide popularity brought U2's Bono into the studio to record "In a Lifetime" with them, a top 20 UK single included on their 1986 album, Macalla.  Encouraged by Jackson Browne and members of Toto, Clannad recorded their next album in Los Angeles.  Sirius (1987), co-produced by Russ Kunkel and Greg Ladanyi, included guests J.D. Souther, Steve Perry of Journey, Bruce Hornsby, and others.  The album led to Clannad's first world tour the following year and two high-profile UK soundtrack albums: Atlantic Realm (1988, for a BBC documentary about the Atlantic Ocean) and The Angel And the Soldier Boy (1989, for a short animated film). 

1990-91 was a breakthrough year for Clannad, hinged on the success of their album Anam, which included "Ri Na Cruinne (King Of The Universe)," composed overnight (literally) for the global One World One Voice campaign.  Filmed and broadcast by the BBC to an international audience estimated at 200 million, One World One Voice put Clannad in the company of Afrika Bambaataa, Laurie Anderson, the Chieftains, Peter Gabriel, Bob Geldof, Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd, Gipsy Kings, Eddie Grant, Chrissie Hynde, Mali's Salif Kieta, the Kodo drummers of Japan, the Leningrad Symphony Orchestra, Lou Reed, Robbie Robertson, Dave Stewart, Sting, Little Steven Van Zandt, Suzanne Vega, and others.

Released on Atlantic in 1992, Anam's success was assured as it added both "In a Lifetime" (with Bono) and "Theme from Harry's Game" to the tracklist.  "Ri Na Cruinne" subsequently won the Billboard Music Award for World Music Song Of the Year.

The four Atlantic album releases continued with Banba (1993, Clannad's first Grammy Award®-nominated album, including "I Will Find You" from the movie The Last Of the Mohicans); Lore (1996, their second Grammy Award® nomination, including "Croi Croga," originally written for Braveheart); and Landmarks (1998).  The latter won Clannad their first Grammy Award® (Best New Age Album), and was the last record they released together as a group before embarking on various solo projects that continue to this day.  In 2007, Clannad received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Ireland's Meteor Awards, comparable to the Grammy Awards®, the UK's BRIT Awards and Canada's JUNO Awards.

With worldwide sales of more than 10 million records, Clannad has maintained a presence on the concert and festival circuit.  After 14 years they are finally back in the studio working on a brand new Clannad album for release in September. It is fascinating to consider that what today is so widely regarded as Celtic music was first called "Clannad music."  There is perhaps no greater testament to the impact of this groundbreaking group than that simple fact.  It all begins with Clannad.

TIMELESS by CLANNAD
(RCA/Legacy 88691 95775 2)

CD One:

1.  I Will Find You [Theme from The Last Of The Mohicans] (from Banba, 1993)
2.  In A Lifetime - Duet with Bono (from Macalla, 1985)
3.  You're The One (from Anam, 1990)
4.  Something To Believe In – Guest vocal, piano and accordion: Bruce Hornsby (from Sirius, 1988)
5.  Robin (The Hooded Man) [Theme from Robin Of Sherwood] (from Legend, 1984)
6.  Almost Seems (Too Late To Turn) (from Macalla, 1985)
7.  Broken Pieces (from Lore, 1996)
8.  Closer To Your Heart (from Macalla, 1985)
9.  Why Worry? (from Anam, 1990)
10. Mystery Game (from Banba, 1993)
11. A Bridge (That Carries Us Over) (from Lore, 1996)
12. The Hunter (from PastPresent, 1989)
13. White Fool - Guest vocal by Steve Perry (from Sirius, 1988)
14. There For You (from Banba, 1993)
15.  Let Me See (from Landmarks, 1998)

CD Two:

1.  Ri na Cruinne (from Anam, 1990)
2.  Theme From Harry's Game (from Magical Ring, 1983)
3.  Caislean oir (from Macalla, 1985)
4.  Newgrange (from Magical Ring, 1983)
5.  Buachaill on Eirne (from Macalla, 1985)
6.  Fado (from Landmarks, 1998)
7.  Anam (from Anam, 1990)
8.  Coinleach Glas An Fhomhair (from Magical Ring, 1983)
9.  Na Laethe Bhi (from Banba, 1993)
10.  Of This Land (from Landmarks, 1998)
11.  Ta' Me Mo Shui (from Magical Ring, 1983)
12.  Poison Glen (from Anam, 1990)
13.  Uirchill an Chreagain (from Anam, 1990)
14. The Bridge of Tears (from Landmarks, 1998)
15. Banba Oir (from Banba, 1993)

Visit www.clannad.ie and www.legacyrecordings.com.

SOURCE Legacy Recordings