Joe Derrane

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Joe Derrane (born 16th March 1930) is an American accordion-player.

Joe Derrane was born in Boston, MA, to Irish immigrant parents[1]. His father was an accordion-player and his mother was a fiddler. In 1940 he started playing a 10-key melodeon, with Gerry O'Brien, who had arrived freom Kinsale, County cork, Ireland. By the age of 14 he was involved with a "house party" scene. He upgraded to an D/C# 2-row diatonic button accordion and became known at the age of 17 at the ballroom on Dudley Street, Roxbury. This brought him exposure on radio. In 1947-8 he recorded 8 78rpm singles (16 sides) of Irish dance tunes. His playing was vigorous and accurate. The records were widely admired.

By the late 50s ballroom dancing was dead. Derrane had family responsibilities. In order to gain some kind of income he switched to a piano accordion and tried to present a smooth "pop" version of Irish music, with little success. He also played Jewish music and Italian music. He retired from music in 1990. This would have been the end of the story except that Rego Records issued the 16 cuts on a CD called ""Irish Accordion" in 1993. In 1994 Derrane was invited to the Wolf Trap Festival in Vienna, Virginia. He borrowed someone else's accordion and prepared himself for what he thought was the last performance of his life. The audience of 1,200 gave him a rapturous response. He stood on the stage, in tears hardly believing what was happening.

Since 1994 Joe Derrane has recorded two solo albums and four collaborations with prestigious players. He has been on radio and television many times, including "The Pure Drop" on Irish TV (RTE). Frank Ferrel presented a documentary called "As Played By Joe Derrane". He has toured Canada, Switzerland and the Netherlands, and appeared with The Chieftains at Boston Symphony Hall. In 1998, Derrane was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Éireann North American Province, for his contribution to Irish Traditional Music. In 2004 The National Endowment for the Arts annually awarded him a Heritage Fellowship. In 2006 he appeared at the National Folk Festival (USA).

Contents

[edit] Discography

Solo albums.

  • "Irish Accordion" (1993, resissued 1995) (singles from the 1940s)
  • "Give Us Another" (1995)
  • "The Tie That Binds" (1998)

Joe Derrane and Carl Hession.

  • "Return To Inis Mor" (1996)

Joe Derrane, Frankie Gavin and Brian McGrath.

  • "Ireland's Harvest" (2002)

Joe Derrane and Jerry O'Brien.

  • "Irish Accordion Masters" (1996)

Joe Derrane, Séamus Connolly and John McGann.

  • "The Boston Edge" (2004)

Anthology - Tulla Ceili Band, Joe Derrane, Tom Doherty et al.

  • "Baby Let Me Squeeze Your Box" (2007)

Anthology - Deanta, Capercaillie, Altan, Joe Derrane, Kornog, Eileen Ivers, Silly Wizard et al.

  • "Green Linnet Records: 25 Years of Celtic Music" (2006)

[edit] Bibliography

  • "See You At the Hall: Boston’s Golden Era of Irish Music and Dance" by Susan Gedutis (2005)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Joe Derrane a National Treasure

[edit] External references

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