Gothard Sisters on Around This Town, Sept 29
By Folk Department
The Gothard Sisters will stop by the WTJU studios this Tuesday afternoon, September 29, around 4:30 for a visit to Around This Town. They will be performing at Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish in Charlottesville the following evening, September 30. (details)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=12&v=MYlutARXFWQ
Over the course of nearly 1,000 shows since they formed as a Celtic band in 2006, The Gothard Sisters – who are truly sisters – have become internationally recognized as multi-instrumentalist Celtic-influenced folk musicians, songwriters, and performers from the Pacific Northwest, USA.
Regularly performing more than 120 shows a year, the Gothard Sisters have built a loyal following by connecting with audiences in a lively, entertaining and touching way. In 2013, the Irish Music Awards presented the Gothard Sisters with Best New Irish Artist, and they were awarded with Album of the Year for Celtic Radio in 2011 for their album Story Girl. In addition to their musical endeavors, each of the sisters are highly trained in competitive Irish dance, bringing the heart-pounding rhythms of Ireland to their live shows for a dynamic surprise to keep the audience at the edge of their seats.
Summer 2015 saw the release of The Gothard Sisters’ long-awaited 3rd original album, Mountain Rose. Mountain Rose was “inspired by the love of simple, timeless and transcendent things – patience, courage, community, the beauty and adventure of nature, and most of all the feeling of comfort in being with those you love as the sun sets on Summer nights.”
The musical album features fresh, inventive and melodic violin lines, the rhythmic drive of bodhran, percussion, Irish step dance and guitar, and three-part vocal sibling harmony. There are brand new originals on this album – “It Was Beautiful,” was written by Greta Gothard about seeing appreciating simple things, “Grace O’Malley” is a story-song about a 9-year-old girl with a lot of gumption, and “The Boatman’s Call” tells a simple love story that takes place across a rushing river.
The album also features new arrangements of traditional song, like the beautiful Welsh lullaby, “All Through the Night,” Scottish anthem “Auld Lang Syne” (played with a youthful 2015 twist), covers of Andy M. Stewart’s “Queen of Argyll” and Kate Rusby’s “I Courted a Sailor” and the fiddle standard “St. Anne’s Reel.”
Of course no Gothard Sisters production is complete without several songs where the violin (or fiddle!) shines as well – energetic and spunky original tune sets like “The Bandit,” written about a dancing raccoon in the woods, “Cat in a Bush,” lovingly dedicated to the silly cat that keeps squashing the lavender bush in the front yard, “Mountain Rose Waltz,” which evokes a lovely evening community dance, and “Chaos in La Casa,” a gypsy-tinged dance jig that was written about the enjoyable chaos that occurs while in a home full of kids. The album will be released worldwide on June 23rd.
The Gothard Sisters pay respect to old traditions with folk instruments, while infusing them with a radiant joy and reintroducing them through beautiful new arrangements. Although much of the sisters’ inspiration comes with a distinct Celtic flair, hints of their western American heritage can be heard in what Irish Central calls “an earthiness that gives the songs a lively, approachable, down-home sound.”
Firmly rooted in Classical and Folk music from a young age, Greta, Willow and Solana Gothard have each developed skills on multiple instruments to express their musical ideas. “We are on a never ending path of musical discovery,” says Greta Gothard. “Where will it lead? Anywhere is fine with me as long as we stay true to ourselves and our authentic style.”
“What I love about Celtic music is how it is filled with such hope,” says Willow Gothard. “Even though the songs may be about low or difficult times, there is always that underlying optimism that is completely infectious and lifts the spirits. It’s wonderful!”
The Gothard Sisters operate independently of any music label, preferring a DIY approach in self-producing their award-winning albums, energetic live shows and imaginative music videos. In March 2015, their music video covering Simon & Garfunkel’s classic song, Scarborough Fair, reached over 1 million views on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=4&v=WIJXeMtnf4Q
