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Leahy — Brothers & Sisters |
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Written by Kurt Brighton
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Thursday, 14 February 2008 |
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Imagine the world’s longest family road trip. Remember how your annoying brother or sister did whatever that really, really annoying thing was that they did the entire way to grandma’s house.
Now makle that eight brothers and sisters, and make that day-trip to grandma’s a three-month tour, and you’ve got a snapshot of what it’s like to be in Leahy, a world-renowned Canadian octet of musical brothers and sisters. The group plays a powerful blend of Celtic music, country and folk, and they top off the act with traditional French-Canadian step-dancing. Three albums since 1997, countless tour dates and the much-anticipated release of a performance DVD has won them audiences across North America and the world.
And the truth is, according to pianist Erin Leahy, they actually get along with each other pretty well. Growing up on a farm in rural Ontario meant they had little choice but to learn how to deal with each other.
“It’s funny,” said Erin from a tour stop in Arizona, “but working together is second nature to us. When we had to work in the fields as kids, if you were ever at odds with someone, or unhappy with someone, you had to set that aside in order to get the job done. We use that. We’re like any other family — we don’t always agree, but you work it out.”
The musical group Leahy grew organically out of the family Leahy, where music and dance were always around—their father played Celtic fiddle, and their mother was a champion step-dancer who also sang and played piano. And with 11 siblings in total, there was never a shortage of people to jam with.
“We grew up on a farm in Ontario,” Erin said. “We had a dining room we never ate in — although we still called it a dining room — with all sorts of musical instruments, and three bedrooms. Our parents removed the TV early on in our lives, and so we grew up spending our time playing music, and working on the farm. The environment was naturally a musical one. It was never forced on us or anything.”
Fast-forward 20 years or so, and the group is Virgin Canada’s biggest-selling domestic band worldwide, owns a bookcase full of awards, and was the subject of an Academy Award-winning documentary film. Going on tour with Shania Twain a few years back didn’t hurt, nor did exposure to Twain’s stadium-sized audiences in nearly 200 cities.
“Her demographic is similar to ours, in that all ages of fans seem to enjoy her music,” Erin said. “Celtic music is the same as country, in that it seems to resonate with a lot of people — we have an association with it already. I suppose that’s an advantage. Folk music in Canada is huge—there’s quite an audience for it. I think it’s because we’re a young country, and so we’re not that far removed from these traditions and stories that happened not too long ago.”
And those traditions and stories come from people who settled on both sides of our northern border, which means that the music resonates with Americans as strongly as it does with Canadian audiences. Still, though, there are differences, according to Erin.
“I find American audiences are really warm and gracious,” she said. “Of course, I’m generalizing, but they seem to really want to support you. Canadians are more reserved. They might have the same emotions, but they don’t let them out quite as much. Americans have a hopeful spirit, positive. They try to build you up.”
That hopefulness is a two-way street. The sheer joy that Leahy brings to the stage is contagious — even if they do have endure that never-ending family car ride in order to get to where they’re going.
“Honestly, it’s very easy to get along,” Erin said. “People in families need much less ‘space,’ as it were. It’s nice to travel with the family.”
TO GO:
• Leahy
• 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17
• Lincoln Center , 417 Magnolia, Fort Collins
• Tickets are $30
• Call 221-6730 or go online at www.lctix.com
• Visit their Web site at www.leahymusic.com
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