Celtic Studio Recordings: 2003-2006

Dead Irish Blues

These recently re-mastered tracks were recorded in Johnstown, PA between the years 2003 and 2006. About half of the songs are instrumentals, the remaining are good examples of love, war, and drinking songs!

Originally conceived as a duo featuring championship fiddler Marty Faiers and guitarist/vocalist Greg Faiers (who still tour extensively as a

These recently re-mastered tracks were recorded in Johnstown, PA between the years 2003 and 2006. About half of the songs are instrumentals, the remaining are good examples of love, war, and drinking songs!

Originally conceived as a duo featuring championship fiddler Marty Faiers and guitarist/vocalist Greg Faiers (who still tour extensively as a duo), Dead Irish Blues released four self-produced CDs between 2003 and 2006. Each of these was a mix of Celtic, Blues, Hillbilly, other traditional folk styles along with original material. The Celtic songs from those CDs are included in this CD. The tracks have been re-mastered for improved sound quality.

The first CD from which this material was drawn from was Gnarly Roots (2003) and was entirely performed by Marty and Greg. Tracks from this CD include Cruiscin Lan (Greg Faiers: Guitar/Vocals/Bouzouki and Marty Faiers: Fiddle), The Star of the County Down (Greg Faiers: Guitar/Vocals/Bass and Marty Faiers: Fiddle/Mandolin), Skibereen (Greg Faiers: Guitar/Vocals and Marty Faiers: Octave Fiddle), Darwin's Follies (written by Greg Faiers, Greg Faiers: Guitar/Vocals/Bouzouki and Marty Faiers: Fiddle), and Whiskey is the Life of Man (Greg Faiers: Vocals/Noise).

In 2004, Ed Hritz and Wayne MacEwan began to perform with Greg and Marty in the greater Johnstown area (along with a few gigs in Pittsburgh and Erie). They contributed to the release of Never Here that year. Songs from that CD in this compilation are Brian Boru's March / Ray's Favorite (Marty Faiers: Fiddle, Ed Hritz: Whistle, and Greg Faiers: Guitar/Bass) and MacPherson's Lament (Greg Faiers: Guitar/Vocals/Banjo and Marty Faiers: Fiddle).

The 2005 release of "The More Things Change" saw Ed and Wayne make more contributions as heard on Campbell's Farewell to Red Gap (Ed Hritz: Electric Bagpipes, Marty Faiers: Fiddle, Greg Faiers: Guitar and Wayne MacEwan: Bodhran), Off She Goes (Marty Faiers: Fiddle, Ed Hritz: Concertina, Greg Faiers: Guitar and Wayne MacEwan Bodhran), Rights of Man (Marty Faiers: Fiddle, Ed Hritz: Whistle, Greg Faiers: Guitar, and Wayne MacEwan: Bodhran), Swallowtail Jig / Road to Lisdoonvarna (Marty Faiers: Fiddle, Ed Hritz: Whistle/Concertina, Greg Faiers: Guitar, and Wayne MacEwan: Bodhran), and the original "It's Time to Drink More Beer (Greg Faiers: Guitar/Vocals/Octave Mandolin/Finger Cymbals, Marty Faiers: Fiddle).

The remaining material was culled from Gone, which was released in 2006. Tracks from this CD include Irish Volunteers (Greg Faiers: Guitar/Vocals/Octave Mandolin, Marty Faiers: Fiddle, Ed Hritz: Whistle, and Wayne MacEwan: Bodhran and Backing Vocals), Introduction to the Second Set (Ed Hritz: Bagpipes and Greg Faiers: Percussion/Noise), Roddy McCorley (Greg Faiers: Guitar/Vocals/Bouzouki, Marty Faiers: Fiddle, Ed Hritz: Electric Bagpipes, and Wayne MacEwan: Bodhran and Backing Vocals), Lord Byron's Favorite (Marty Faiers: Fiddle, Ed Hritz: Whistle, Greg Faiers: Bass and Wayne MacEwan: Bodhran), and Trip to Sligo / Lark in the Morning (Greg Faiers: Guitars/Vocals/Bass, Marty Faiers: Fiddle, Ed Hritz: Whistle, and Wayne MacEwan: Bodhran).

Not only have these tracks been re-mastered, but this is the first time these tracks have been made available for download in any form.

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