The Colleen Raney Band ~ May 31st

cr 1

an extraordinary voice in the Irish tradition

We are excited to announce that celebrated traditional singer, Colleen Raney returns to SLO House Concerts for a special evening of songs and stories on May 31, at 7pm.

Raney, who recently finished up a tour with Irish-American supergroup Solas, is playing an exclusive run of shows in California, showcasing her open-hearted singing and story-telling that has led her to be regarded as “among the best in her genre” (Irish Music Magazine) and “one of America’s best Traditional singers” (Tradconnect). Her albums Linnet (2008), Lark (2011), Cuan (2011), and Here This is Home (2013) are an unparalleled collection of traditional songs and contemporary pieces that treat new and old songs alike with enchanting reverence, innovation, and love.

Born into a family where Irish music and dance were part of the fabric of everyday life, learning songs from her older siblings was a major part of Raney’s formative years. Colleen began her musical career with her oldest brother Mark, who studied with legendary singer and song collector Joe Heaney. Colleen brings that sense of familiarity, fun, and closeness to her performances, wrapping the audience in moments of warmth and meaning. She breathes new life into the old songs, finding facets in the music that haven’t been heard before and performing in the company of gifted friends who illustrate both the most delicate and upbeat aspects of her winning style. It’s earned her a following both among longtime adherents of Celtic music and younger fans who are new to the genre.

Raney is joined for this tour by Stuart Mason and Ryan Davidson.

Veteran artist Stuart Mason is known for his authentic vocals and nimble skills on guitar, mandola, and banjo. He has won awards for traditional singing (Goleta Old-Time Fiddler’s Convention), mandola (Topanga Banjo and Fiddle Contest), and songwriting (West Coast Songwriter’s Association). He is a member of the Celtic band Molly’s Revenge, and has performed at festivals in China, Scotland, Ireland, and many of the United States. He also tours with old time bluegrass band Little Black Train, and in a duo with fiddler John Weed. When not gigging, he teaches, writes, and builds websites. His music blog Fiddlefreak is nine years old. stuartmasonmusic.com

Ryan Davidson is known for his powerful vocals and soulful style of folk storytelling. Raised in Northern California, Ryan began touring the US whilst still in high school. After a decade on the road playing rock-n-roll, he studied voice and jazz at the Bob Cole Conservatory in Long Beach, California. Shortly after he was accepted into the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance in Limerick, Ireland where he studied the Irish Bouzouki and received an MA in Ethnomusicology. Since returning home after two years of living and playing traditional music in the West of Ireland, Ryan has been utilizing his extensive background to tirelessly write, play, tour and collaborate with numerous songwriters and traditional artists. ryandavidson.bandcamp.com

House Concert Details

SLO House Concerts are by invitation and reservation only. Please click here to request an invitation and indicate how many seats you would like to reserve. We will then send you an email with directions and other helpful information.

7:00pm show: Doors open at 6:30pm. Concert starts at 7:00pm.
Suggested donation: $20. ALL of the money goes directly to the performers.