NEW VIDEO: "LONG YEARS AGO"

Featuring Lillias Slade (Matthew's Grandmother) & Teresa Ennis

LONG YEARS AGO (Traditional, arranged by Matthew Byrne & Billy Sutton). Shot & Directed by Tom Cochrane.

I learned this one from Mom, who learned it from my Grandmother. It's one of my favourites from her repertoire and perhaps the happiest sounding sad songs I know. In 1976 Mom made a brilliant cassette recording of my Grandmother Slade singing at the kitchen table. She was a great singer with a wonderful repertoire of traditional songs. We used a short clip from that recording to start of this video. I often sing this one unaccompanied, as she did, but I went for a full arrangement for the CD and I was very grateful to have my good friend Teresa Ennis provide some beautiful harmonies.