SPRING TOUR DATES
MARCH 20 | Somerville, MA The Burren Backroom
MARCH 22 | Oxford, NY 6 On The Square
MARCH 23 | Voorheesville, NY Old Songs Community Arts Center
APRIL 3-5 | Charlottetown, PEI ECMA Showcases
APRIL 12-19 | Joanie Madden’s Folk’N’Irish Cruise New York - Bermuda
MAY 24 | Fergus, ON Fergus Grand Theatre
MAY 25 | London, ON Aeolian Hall (w/ Canadian Celtic Choir)
MAY 26 | London, ON Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club
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.