THE CHIEFTAINS Come To The Roy Thomson Hall On 3/17

THE CHIEFTAINS are, without question, the world's most popular traditional Irish band. And Toronto surely has the "Luck of the Irish" this year, as the Chieftains will be at Roy Thomson Hall on Tuesday, March 17 at 8 pm to help us all celebrate St. Patrick's Day. The occasion also marks the last stop and only Canadian date on the band's 21-city 2009 North American tour. Members Paddy Moloney, Matt Maloy and Kevin Conneff are joined on tour by guitarist Jeff White and fiddler Deanie Richardson; and as usual with The Chieftains' shows, there will be pipers, dancers, stories, jokes and special surprise guests.

With a career that spans more than 40 years and 43 albums, the Chieftains are not only Ireland's premier musical ambassadors but also the most enduring and influential creative force in establishing the international appeal of Celtic music. They have captivated audiences around the world with their exhilarating and definitive style and their distinctive sound. Their unique musical texture features a variety of Irish instruments, including the bodhran, uillean pipes, fiddle, tin whistle, tiompan, flute and harp.

The Chieftains were formed in 1962 by front man Paddy Moloney, a uillean piper from Dublin. The group's first four albums, recorded between 1963 and 1974, established their international reputation although they continued to perform on a semi-professional basis. Their first concert as a full-time act was a sold-out show in 1975 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Also In 1975, The Chieftains recorded the soundtrack to Stanley Kubrick's movie, Barry Lyndon, featuring the hit single "Women of Ireland," and for which they won an Academy Award. This was followed by extensive touring, a string of successful albums, and television appearances, all of which enhanced their status as Ireland's premiere musical export.

The Chieftains were the first-ever Western group to perform on the Great Wall of China in 1983; they were the opening act during the Pope's visit to Ireland in 1979 before a crowd of more than one million at Phoenix Park in Dublin; and they performed at Roger Waters' "The Wall" concert in Berlin in 1990. The group has also collaborated with some of the biggest names in classical, rock, pop and traditional music. In 1988 they joined forces with fellow countryman Van Morrison on "Irish Heartbeat," and have subsequently recorded albums with James Galway, Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, The Rolling Stones, Sting, Tom Jones, Sinead O'Connor, Linda Ronstadt, Los Lobos, Ry Cooder and many others.

The Chieftains have received a wealth of awards and tributes. Their music for the Canadian film The Grey Fox won a Genie Award, and their work on the soundtrack for the documentary The Long Journey Home: The Irish in America won an Emmy. They have released more than 40 albums, won six Grammy Awards (among 18 Grammy nominations), and have had five #1 Billboard Top World Music Albums. In 2002 they received a Lifetime Achievement Award from BBC Radio 2.

This concert is presented by rbi productions

The Chieftains on St. Patrick's Day!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009, at 8 PM / Roy Thomson Hall / Toronto
$69.50 - $49.50 - Call 416-872-4255 or online at www.roythomson.com
or visit the Roy Thomson Hall Box Office at 60 Simcoe St., Toronto