Arty McGlynn

Celtic folk guitarist Arty McGlynn was born in Omagh, Co. Tyrone in Northern Ireland; his first musical instrument was the accordion, and by the age of five he was already playing reels with considerable skill. Given his first guitar six years later, McGlynn found early inspiration in jazz artists Wes Montgomery and Barney Kessel, and by age 15, he was performing professionally. Only during the late '70s did he turn to traditional Irish music, recording his debut solo album, McGlynn's Fancy, in 1979. A sought-after sideman who recorded and toured in support of Van Morrison, Christy Moore, Planxty, and countless others, in 1989, McGlynn teamed with his wife, fiddler Nollaig Casey, for the duet collection Feed the Knave, followed in 1995 by Causeway. Celtic Airs appeared in 2000. ~ Jason Ankeny