Multi Grammy winner Tim O’Brien has traveled the world for the past 50 years with his own mix of American folk, bluegrass, blues, and Celtic sounds. Now O’Brien and his wife, mandolinist and singer Jan Fabricius team up with iconic traditional players Seamie O’Dowd and Dermot Byrne.
O’Brien is a preferred sideman for people like Mark Knopfler and Steve Earl, and his original songs have been covered by Garth Brooks and the Dixie Chicks. Notable recordings include the Dylan covers of “Red on Blonde”, the Grammy winning folk of “Fiddler’s Green”, and the Appalachian / Irish collaboration “The Crossing”. In recent years his main performing and songwriting partner is his wife Jan Fabricius who adds her vocals and mandolin to O’Brien’s guitar, fiddle, and vocal. Their sweet vocal blend and co-written songs feature prominently on the recent O’Brien releases “He Walked On” and “Cup of Sugar”. A new recording of songs co-written with veteran songsmith Tom Paxton is currently in production.
Joining the Nashville duo are renowned Irish musicians Dermot Byrne on accordion and Seamie O’Dowd on guitar, fiddle, bouzouki and vocals. O’Dowd, from Sligo, and Byrne, from Donegal, grew up in musical families and went on to renown in the trad world in their collaborations with Dervish (O’Dowd), Altan (Byrne), and a veritable who’s who of the genre. In concert, the quartet features selections from O’Brien’s extensive repertoire of traditional and original music, with regular steps into the spotlight by Byrne, Fabricius and O’Dowd.
Letterkenny Trad Week is presented by the Regional Cultural Centre & An Grianán Theatre with the kind support of Donegal County Council & Arts Council Ireland.