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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Claddagh Ring is the name of a very special friendship ring made in Ireland. It is also the name of a Wichita, Kansas, area band that performs Celtic music year-round but whose busiest time is around St. Patrick's Day. They picked the name because they were just a group (circle...ring) of friends who got together to sing traditional Irish music. Then, someone told them they could actually get paid for it. That was in August of 1991, and things have been going like wildfire ever since.
The group considers its music progressive traditional, with modern influences throughout. Their current repertoire includes Irish, Scottish, French Canadian, and Galician music (in English, Gaelic, and French), and they are working on adding Welsh and Breton songs.
A versatile group, Claddagh Ring has performed at private parties, house concerts, pubs, and festivals. They also perform seasonal selections. The group can be reached by mail at P.O. Box 47054, Wichita, KS 67201-7054; by e-mail at claddagh@southwind.net; or their homepage: http://www2.southwind.net/~claddagh.
The group has two recordings: A self-titled cassette tape, and Circle of Friends, released in 1994 on CD and cassette. Each member of the group is featured with selections from their normal repertoire. Claddagh Ring is featured in the Kansas Arts Commission's touring program, and has performed at the North Texas Irish Festival in Dallas, Texas, on March 1-3, 1996.
The members of Claddagh Ring:
Devery Corteville, with a degree in music education, contributes to the musical sorcery with her guitar, bodhran, tin whistles, and hammered dulcimer, as well as various "kitchen items" she's fond of beating on. Devery's unmatched skill in masterminding the mesmerizing musical arrangements which are featured by the band is transcended only by her "achingly" exquisite voice.
Lloyd Helms, "the only guy in an all-girl band," is armed with his bodhran, tin whistles, guitar, harmonicas, and bagpipes, as well as his original poetry and song, sense of humor, and, most of all, his magnificent baritone voice.
Dean Karres, our other "only guy in an all-girl band," (how do they do that?), is a world-class bodhran player (he's been a percussionist all his life). He plays a bit of pennywhistle, and is quickly coming up to speed with his uilleann pipes. He also promises to be one heck of a songwriter.
Shannon Wright, with a degree in life sciences, is the "heart" of the group, keeping beat with her bodhran, powerfully strumming the guitar, and playing tin whistle. Shannon's astonishingly caring interpretations and vocal delivery draw acclaim from all who have surrendered to her harmonic incantation.
All members of the group sing. Their rich vocal harmonies, unique in traditional Celtic music, are considered a Claddagh Ring trademark.