Robbi McMillen

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Robbi McMillen
A Singer of Songs in the Celtic Traditions
Origin	Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Years active	2002 - 2006
Genres	Celtic, Irish Traditional, Indie

Robbi McMillen is a singer/songwriter from West Belfast in the Northern Ireland. He was born into a mainly Gaelic speaking community, in the Shaws Road Gaeltacht area. He was a member of small Belfast quartet, Cabéal, who sadly broke up after one last concert in 2005. Having worked with Róise Nic Chorraidh in Belfast's traditional music scene's hotspots he went solo, as did Róise, who is still singing at big events, and representing her country at many big occasions. Robbi enjoys many types of music, but his debut album, concentrated more on the Irish Traditional side of things. He tried putting his emotion into the songs.

"Tiocfaidh an Samhradh, and the three songs that I had written are most appealing because of their backing vocals and stories, but the other songs each represent an aspect of human life. For example, 'Mo Mháire' represents love, and 'Thíos Cois na Trá Domh' represents age."

Robbi, who used the Gaelic rendering of his name for this album, finally decided to write three songs.

Robbi is also a member of Dublin-based band, 'Back to the Road'. They are led by fiddler and singer Anna-Mary Donaghy. Her parents are from Galway and Derry, and she now lives in Dublin. Anna-Mary has brough many things into Robbi's musical life, including a wide range of musical choices, and the art of how to mix two different genres.

Robbi hopes to start working and recording with 'Back to the Road', who's album 'Vertical Horizons' is still in negotiation. He works with another Dublin band 'MacTamhlacht', and has rejoined the band, and will soon be joining them on their Irish and Scottish tours. MacTamhlacht's latest album 'Chantlines' was released earlier this year. Robbi is their lead-vocalist and harpist.

In June 2006, his new single 'Silver Inches' was released. So far it's been a massive success - more successful than the album! Robbi has just finished writing new material for his own new album, so things may later become more quiet where performing is concerned, as Robbi will be keeping himself closed from the public eye to lasso his own, thoughts and ideas.

[ This Press Biography was used with permission. You can download it in RICHTEXT or DOC formats from the Official Robbi McMillen website at www.robbimusic.com ]