Artist Name: Cherish The Ladies
Genre:
Celtic,
Irish Traditional
Country:
Ireland,
United States
Artist Bio:
Taking its name from a traditional Irish jig, Cherish the Ladies is an all-female Irish traditional group based in the United States, which first came together in 1985 to perform at a one-off concept concert. Championed by the Chieftains' Mick Moloney and sponsored by the Ethnic Folk Arts Center and the National Endowment for the Arts, Cherish the Ladies showcased not just the coming of age of female virtouosos in Irish traditional music - but of Irish-American talent, as well.
Led by native New Yorker Joanie Madden - a former All-Ireland tin whistle champ - Cherish the Ladies has evolved into one of the most influential and beloved traditional Irish music acts on either side of the Atlantic. The Ladies' ever-changing roster has included some of the most impressive women in Irish traditional music, from all over the Irish diaspora - including Cathie Ryan, Aoife Clancy, Liz Knowles, and Marie Reilly - and the ensemble has been both an incubator and a launch pad for these artists.
Though Cherish the Ladies have put out eleven critically-acclaimed albums since their self-titled 1995 debut (most recently 2005's Woman of the House), it's their frequent live performances that have cemented their reputation. The group's shows are more like an evening of craic in a pub than a traditional concert: warm, intimate and often humorous homecomings that often include displays of traditional Irish dance and frequent guest appearances from some of the biggest names in Irish music. But none of this diminishes the first-rate musicianship or the diligent research into the deep well of Irish traditional music that the Ladies put into their craft.
Over the past 20 years, Cherish the Ladies has been showered with honors - including a Grammy nomination for their 1999 collaboration with the Boston Pops Symphony , and an invitation to play the White House - and toured the globe. The group has shared stages with everyone from James Taylor, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger and Emmy Lou Harris to The Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem and The Chieftains. - Tom Pryor
