Tommy
Makem (Icon Concert)
Saturday, May 21,
7:30 PM
St Mark Presbyterian Church
10701 Old Georgetown Rd., Rockville, MD
$18 advance/$22
door
"This was the kind of old fashioned folk music performance
you don't see any more and which today’s performers could well
go to school on." A rare thing is Tommy Makem -- singer, storyteller,
actor and bard. All of those attributes can be enjoyed today, but it
is as a songwriter that he will live for ever. Tommy Makem is the son
and heir of the legendary
source singer Sarah Makem and is now regarded around the world as "The
Godfather" of Irish music. Armed with his banjo, tin whistle, poetry,
stagecraft and his magnificent baritone voice, Tommy has been mesmerizing
audiences for more than four decades. Tommy's ambition to become an
actor took him to New York where he teamed up with Liam, Tom, and Paddy
Clancy.
When Tommy appeared at the Newport Folk Festival in
1961, he and Joan Baez were chosen the two most promising newcomers
on the American folk scene. In 1969 Tommy left the Clancy Brothers to
pursue a solo career. His popularity soared, and he went on to sold
out concert tours of Australia, the U.S., Canada and the British Isles,
and all within a two year period of time. Tommy somehow found time between
concert tours to do several TV series as well. Tommy continued his concert
career on a solo basis until 1975 when he was booked for a festival
in Cleveland, OH where Liam Clancy was booked as a solo act for the
same festival. Tommy and Liam were persuaded to do one set together
and thus began Makem and Clancy, the magical combination which was to
last until March of 1988 and which garnered them an Emmy nomination
for
a TV series done with NH Public Television as well as several platinum
and gold records. Tommy continues to perform as a solist and is also
frequently accompanied by members of his family on tour.
•
www.tommymakem.com
• Advance Ticketing for this Concert Has Closed.
Tickets will be on sale at the door.
