Tommy Makem

Tommy Makem shuttled into the States in the 1950s with his guitar and the history of Ireland tattooed on his rich, soulful voice. In the 1960s, as the folk music boom hit full stride, there was a spot at the end of the bar for Makem's brand of reimagined, but true-to-its-roots Irish tradition. His frequent collaborations with the Clancy Brothers would further his fame and the combo would grow into a musical juggernaut leading to regular shots on Ed Sullivan and famous concerts at Carnegie Hall. Makem would continue to sing his homeland far and wide practically up until his passing in 2007 at age 74.