John Cutliffe

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John Cutliffe during the recording of Hands Across The Water
John Cutliffe during the recording of Hands Across The Water

John Cutliffe is from Buncrana in County Donegal, Ireland but now lives in Nashville, Tennessee. John grew up playing Irish traditional and bluegrass music in the many pubs that dot the Irish countryside and has played with many pop and rock bands over the years. During his wilder days in London his Irish bluegrass band the Pyros teamed up with Frank Tovey (AKA Fad Gadget) and recorded albums on the world famous Mute Records.

John helped formed The Pyros some years earlier in his home town of Buncrana. The group developed a cult following in the North West of Ireland. Various lineups have featured the cream of Donegal musicians including Kevin Doherty (Four Men and a Dog) and Ciaran Tourish (Altan). During this time John got the chance to meet and play with some of the best musicians in the world including Altan, Gerry O Connor, Ted Hawkins and rock legends such as former Wings guitarist Henry McCullough.

John is the owner and editor of JigTime, a site that chronicles Irish and American roots music and is the Tour Manager and general U.S. "man on the ground" for Irish traditional band Altan. He is a keen photographer and his pictures can be seen on websites including Rosanne Cash's site and the MerleFest site and on album covers both in Ireland and Nashville.

Most recently John has teamed up with Andrea Zonn to produce the Hands Across The Water CD, a 16 track collaboration album between Celtic and American artists.

[edit] Bands

  • The Pyros, AKA The Pyrotechnicos - bass, guitars
  • Pluto - bass
  • Fiveskin - bass
  • Shandrum - guitar
  • Frank Tovey and the Pyros- bass, guitar
  • The Other Brothers - bass, guitar
  • Beware of the Dog - guitar
  • The Barry McGuigan Band - bass guitar
  • The Whiskey Priests - bass
  • The Bordercollies - bass, guitar
  • No River City - bass

Sources http://www.jigtime.com/pyros

http://www.fadgadget.co.uk

http://www.compassrecords.com

http://www.handsacrossthewater.com

http://www.altan.ie

[edit] Discography

  • Grand Union with Frank Tovey and the Pyros (musician, bass and guitars) (1991)
  • Worried Men In Second Hand Suits with Frank Tovey and the Pyros (musician, bass and guitars) (1992)
  • Travelling Home - Rory Mcleod (Musician, bass) (1991)
  • Beware of the Dog - Beware of the Dog (musician, guitar, vocals, songwriter)
  • Barr TrĂ¡ - Mary Custy and Quentin Cooper (inside cover photograph)
  • New Kid in Town - Ryan Holladay (cover photography)
  • Hands Across The Water (2005) (Producer, photography)
  • Down the Line - Ciaran Tourish (cover photography, liner notes)