The High Kings: Darren Holden & Brian Dunphy cover art

The High Kings: Darren Holden & Brian Dunphy

The High Kings: Darren Holden & Brian Dunphy

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Gerry Browne and Mick O’Brien launch the very first episode of Two Auld Folkers with two men who have spent years bringing Irish folk music to audiences around the world, Darren Holden and Brian Dunphy of The High Kings.It is a fitting way to start the series. Four musicians, a room full of stories, a few songs and plenty of slagging along the way.Darren and Brian take Gerry and Mick back to life before The High Kings, and both have stories worth hearing.Darren spent four years on Broadway performing the music of Billy Joel in the hit show Movin’ Out. He remembers landing the role after hundreds of performers had auditioned and the intense work which followed.Brian's early career contains another great "what if?" moment. At 19, he received a call from Louis Walsh asking him to join a new Irish boyband. The band was Boyzone. Brian said no. Then Darren reveals Louis had approached him too. He also said no. Two future High Kings had independently turned down Boyzone before they even knew each other.The conversation moves through Riverdance, Broadway, musical theatre and Brian's memories of growing up around his father, Sean Dunphy, who represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967.Darren and Brian then take us inside the formation of The High Kings. They remember the huge production behind the original show, the world-class musicians who joined them on stage and a project initially aimed at audiences across America and Canada.When the economic crash changed the scale of the production, the four members made a decision which helped shape the future of the band. They picked up the instruments themselves, worked hard on their harmonies and started building new arrangements around classic Irish songs.Those songs became an introduction to Irish folk music for a new generation.The lads also talk about life on tour. The High Kings have played more than 150 shows a year, with long stretches spent crossing America. A day off often means a travel day, and some journeys between shows stretch to 16 hours.There are great gigs, tough gigs and one Cleveland venue which left Darren and Brian wondering what they had signed themselves up for.Brian explains why Grace holds such a personal connection for him and remembers singing the song with his father. Darren talks about finding their own approach to Ride On and The Town I Loved So Well. The pair also share what The Parting Glass means to them and why audiences keep asking for the song night after night.One story about The Town I Loved So Well starts with an elderly gentleman crying in the front row of Birmingham City Hall and ends somewhere Darren certainly wasn't expecting. Mick then reveals an extraordinary piece of history linking Luke Kelly, the same song and the very same venue.Gerry has stories of his own, from Tinker’s Fancy and the Dublin ballad scene to working with Brendan O’Carroll during the early days which eventually led to Mrs Brown’s Boys.There is live music too. Darren, Brian, Gerry and Mick perform Grace and Ride On before The High Kings finish the episode with Leaving of Liverpool.Four musicians talking about the songs they love, the gigs they remember and the stories collected over a lifetime in music.Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YG7fzRwcCaEFollow The High Kings:Website: https://www.thehighkings.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehighkings/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehighkingsofficial/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehighkingsofficialFollow the Two Auld Folkers:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twoauldfolkers/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twoauldfolkers/Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/twoauldfolkers/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twoauldfolkers_X: https://x.com/twoauldfolkers YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twoauldfolkers Produced By Graco Studios:Website: https://gracostudios.comIrish Folk Music, The Music Of The People.#TwoAuldFolkers #TheHighKings #IrishFolkMusic #GracoStudios Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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