Stockton's Wing Beautiful Affair

Stockton's wing live at self aid concert at Dublin's RDS arena in 1986.
The music of Stockton's Wing has evolved into an exciting blend of traditional and contemporary Irish music and song, performed with power and precision by some of the finest musicians in Ireland. Back in 1977, in Ennis, Co. Clare, all-Ireland champions, Paul Roche, Maurice Lennon, Kieran Hanrahan and Tommy Hayes formed Stockton's Wing with Tony Callanan. Following their triumph at a major Guinness sponsored talent competition in Limerick, they secured a recording contract with Tara Records and released their debut album, Stockton's Wing (re-released on CD in 1998).Singer/songwriter, Mike Hanrahan, replaced Tony Callanan in 1979 and in the spring of 1980 they released their second album for the Tara label "Take a Chance" (TARA 3004). The album featured some original music and marked the arrival of a progressive force into the world of Irish music. It also featured the first studio session by Maura O'Connell, who later went on to gain international recognition with De Dannan and in her own right. Following the success of the album, they toured extensively, creating a storm of enthusiasm at major Folk Festivals across Europe.At Ballisodare Folk Festival in the west of Ireland, they met with Australian, Steve Cooney, who joined forces shortly afterwards, playing bass guitar and didgeridoo. In 1982, the Band released their third album "Light in the Western Sky" - a highly polished album, which represented a significant shift in their musical direction, focusing more on the band's creative original material. The album featured two hit singles "Beautiful Affair" and "Walk Away." It also featured a haunting composition "The Golden Stud" a combination of Aboriginal and Irish music.Percussionist, Tommy Hayes, left the band in 1983 and was replaced by Fran Breen on drums and Peter Keenan on keyboards. After listening to the band, a critic for the New York Times wrote "they were eclectic, electric, passionate, personal, innovative and powerful." In 1985, a live album "Take One" was recorded in Galway and Dublin capturing that 'eclectic, electric' sound and enjoyed major success.
Throughout the 1980's they toured extensively in America, Canada, Europe and Australia. In the summer of 1988 they shared the stage with Michael Jackson in Cork. The following year they made a guest appearance with Sammy Davis Jnr. in Dublin as part of his world tour with Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli. In 1990 Stockton's Wing went on location to take part in the Noel Pearson/Jim Sheridan film production of the John B. Keane play "The Field" which featured Oscar nominee Richard Harris and John Hurt.In 1991 Kieran Hanrahan was replaced by Davey McNevin on banjo and mandolin. Drums and bass guitar were dropped from the lineup, shifting the musical emphasis to an acoustic based sound. With the release by Tara Records of a compilation of the best of the Band's earlier work called The Stockton's Wing Collection, they renewed their contract with Tara and together with producer Bill Whelan, recorded their seventh album The Crooked Rose in January 1992. The album of original music highlights the excitement, drive and virtuosity of each individual musician and creates the sound that will keep Stockton's Wing to the forefront of contemporary and traditional Irish music.In July, 1994, Stockton's introduced to the lineup the award-winning young singer/songwriter from Omagh, Co. Tyrone - Eamon McElholm. He replaces Mike Hanrahan who retired from the Band to follow a solo career. Eamon is a recipient of the revered PRS/John Lennon Songwriters Award and reinforces the band's reputation for musical excellence with his live performances and songwriting skills. 1995 saw the release of the Letting Go album, which featured Eamon's songwriting talents.2006 saw the re-release of Stocktons Wing Live -- Take One Which was without doubt the band's best selling album. The album was recorded Live in Ireland during the mid-Eighties when the band were at their peak. Produced by their good friend Bill Whelan, who later achieved major success with Riverdance. 'Stockton's Wing Live -- Take One' will without doubt bring back many memories of their youth, to many now forty something's, who attended the almost 1500 performances across Ireland, the UK and America during that decade. The album, which has been digitally remastered for this release, also includes 3 bonus studio recordings of the band from the same period.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• stocktons
• wing
• live
• mike
• kieran
• hanrahan
• paul
• roche
• maurice
• lennon
• irish
• music
• trad
• trad/rock
• clare
• celtic

[Irishschumi]

great tin

whistle

[mulroasted]

THERE WE WERE JUST MARRIED ..A.QUIET WEDDING WAS PLANNED BUT I BOUGHT STOCTON'S WING CASSETTE THE NIGHT BEFORE JUST IN IN CASE IT WAS TOO QUIET

DINNER AND SPEECHES OVER. VARIETIES OF MUSIC PLAYED.

TOO QUIET

OUT CAME MY CASSETTE AND STOCTON'S WING YOU SAVED THE DAY

WHAT A GIGGLE AND DANCE WE HAD

[sainglain]

ah the '80's I was a teenager :-)

[CredoCatholicJournal]

Those were the days!

[angryadams]

Cant count the number of great irish bands that were only known in ireland who should have been better known. Stocktons wing i think were the fore-runner of kila.

[RockyRoader]

Class Band - took a poppy direction with Mike Hanrahan and Steve Cooney producing.

This song was just amazing - allegedly refers to a magic mushrooms experience!

[kkpht]

Blast from the past...Fantastic Stuff!!!

[kkpht]

Blast from the past...Fantastic Stuff!!!

[rian058]

class, reminds me of ollie white from dungarvan

[GLOBE2088]

I work with this guy now he is a chef in a pub!haha