The great Irish folk singer, Tommy Makem, passed away last night in the USA. Makem made his name alongwith the Clancy Brothers, touring the US and Ireland and entertaining thousands with their live performances. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
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Morning Ireland gave it great coverage here.
RIP Tommy Makem – a true gentleman.
Ah, that’s sad. He contributed so much to the Irish music scene.
His sons are supposed to be performing in my town this weekend–I hope to get to hear them continue his legacy.
To my eternal shame I only really got into listening to Tommy (and the CLancy Brothers) relatively recently – after watching the Bob Dylan documentary ‘No Direction Home’ (I wonder if Mr Dylan will make an appearance at the funeral?)
A great singer.
Incidentally, the song they sang on No Direction Home was The Butcher Boy, and the YouTube link is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOWYhVbJZQg
Beautiful voice.
Sheer joy of playing the music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5-kyEC7Jc0&mode=related&search=
Very sorry to hear the sad news. My parents were great Clancy and Makem fans and I’m still a fan. Absolutely terrific voice and a great entertainer. Will be missed
My wife and I have enjoyed hearing him sing each year at a local Irish festival here in the States, as well as enjoying his sons’ group, The Makem Brothers. Tommy Makem will be greatly missed. God’s speed.
He had a deep appreciation of the very rich culture that he was born into. RIP. Will always regret never having seen TM and the Clancys live.
A real shame, he brought countless hours of pleasure to me over the eyars. His renditions of the Cobbler, Nell Cafferty’s Drake and Mary Mac are classics. Na beidh a leithead aris ann.
oldruss: I couldn’t agree more. Both Tommy and sons were/are also very good to our little ol’ local fest. He taught them well – they made him proud, I’m sure. Trócaire Dé air.
There was Pete Seeger and Tommy Makem and Ewan McColl and of these the greatest musician, singer, balladeer, poet, raconteur was Tommy Makem and neither Seeger nor McColl, were they alive today to pay tribute, would admit other.
For Tommy Makem the platitudes that ring false with others are only but apt :
Simply, the best.
We shall not see his like again.
Aislingeach,
Are you in Dublin, Ohio? We are in town for the festival also. Very sad news about Dr Makem. I had the great pleasure of talking to him in Rhode Island and Chicago in the last number of years. A sad loss indeed.
Like Cormac I only really started listening to Makem and the Clancy’s via Dylans No Direction Home.
A modest observation? In my limited experience on Slugger this is probably the only thread lacking in any vitriol, whataboutery, trolling or the general shit mist which often descends on Slugger.
As such, the affection and respect evident here is genuine tribute to a great musician and a fine man. Mahalo
This thread will continue to lack any vitriol as long as Pete Seeger doesn’t read that he’s been declared dead by Rory.
http://www.economist.com/obituary/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9615626
Stop Press. Tommy Makem made the Obit column in The Economist in a big way. Trowbridge Frod, please explain. If this is not a psyops, wahat is?????????