The Chieftains: Reinventing Irish Music

Together for more than fifty years and recognized for reinventing traditional Irish music on a contemporary and international scale, The Chieftains’ music remains as fresh and relevant as when they first began. They have performed with many symphony and folk orchestras worldwide, and have broken many musical boundaries by collaborating and performing with some of the biggest names in rock, pop and traditional music in Ireland and around the world. The six-time Grammy Award winners’ ability to transcend musical boundaries to blend tradition with modern music has notably hailed them as one of the best known Irish groups in the world.

Never afraid to shock purists and push boundaries, in their nearly 50 years together The Chieftains have amassed a dizzyingly varied resume. They have been involved in such historic events as being the first Western group to perform on the Great Wall, became the first group to give a concert in the Capitol Building in Washington, DC, and in October of 2001, Paddy performed at a Ground Zero memorial service in New York for the victims of September 11th. On top of their six Grammy awards, they have been honored in their own country by being officially named Ireland’s Musical Ambassadors.