The Kelly Family
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Kelly Family is a European-American music group comprised of a multi-generational family (Kathy, John, Patricia, Jimmy, Joey, Barby, Paddy, Maite and Angelo), that has enjoyed considerable chart and concert success in Europe and other parts of the world, especially in Germany, the Benelux countries, Eastern Europe, Spain and Portugal. They have sold over 20 million albums since the early 1980s.
For many years, the group presented a unique gypsy image and a vagabonding lifestyle. This was emphasized by their 'ethnic' clothing (such as long floral skirts worn by the female band members), their hair (very long hair even on all the male band members), and also by their travels around Europe in a double-decker bus and houseboat. In recent years, however, they have presented a more modern look.
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[edit] Background
The group had its origins in 1966 when Americans Barbara and Daniel Kelly moved with their four children from the USA to Spain, where they traveled around the country singing at parties and local events. They became well-known enough that they appeared on Spanish television in 1975 [1].
After several years of busking, they landed a record contract in Germany in 1977.
Their first major chart hit came in 1980 with the song "Who'll Come With Me (David's Song)" which hit number 1 in the Netherlands and Belgium and was top 20 in Germany.
After the death of the mother Barbara Kelly in 1982 and the stroke suffered by father Daniel Kelly in 1990, the children (by this point partly grown ups), continued recording and performing on their own, although the father remained a leading figure in the group. In the 1990s, the group would enjoy their biggest success to date. Their 1994 album Over the Hump sold more than 3.5 million copies in Germany alone (the biggest selling pop album in German history), and 4.5 million copies throughout Europe. To promote the album, they played a concert to a Vienna audience of 250,000, in 1995. In the same year they filled the Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, nine times in a row, a feat no other musician has since accomplished. In 1996 they headlined their first Stadium Tour, filling some of Europe's largest venues. They also got a rare chance to play in Beijing, China, in front of 20,000 people. Success continued until they started to disagree on a professional basis at the beginning of the year 2000. Fan interest prompted a comeback with gigs in Germany in 2007.
The family's main residence is at Schloss Gymnich in Germany. Family members currently reside in Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Belgium and the United States.
[edit] Past and Current Band Members
- Daniel Jerome „Dan“ Kelly (11 October 1930-5 August 2002)
- Barbara Ann Kelly (2 June 1940-10 November 1982)
[edit] Children
| Name | Birth | Birthplaces | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Jerome "Danny" Kelly | 1961 | USA | has problems with his health, was never on tour |
| Caroline Kelly | 1962 | USA | works as nurse in the USA, is unmarried and have no children |
| Kathleen Ann "Kathy" Kelly | 6 March 1963 | Leonminster, Massachusetts, USA | has issue (one son), is divorced from his father and goes with her silblings on tour, gives solo concerts too |
| Paul Kelly | 16 March 1964 | USA | has recently joined the band again and has issue (seven sons and one daughter) |
| John Michael "Johnny" Kelly | 8 March 1967 | Talavera de la Reina, Spain | is married to Maite (nee Itoiz, 27 January 1975) and has no issue |
| Maria Patricia "Patricia" Kelly | 25 November 1969 | Gamonal, Spain | is married to Denis Sawinkin ( 19 February 1973 ) and has issue (two sons) |
| James Victor „Jimmy“ Kelly ) | 18 February 1971 | Gamonal, Spain | is married to Maike ( 3 November 1980 )and has issue (one daugther, the second child is expecting in summer 2008) |
| Joseph Maria “Joey" Kelly | 20 December 1972 | Toledo, Spain | is married to Tanja (nee Niethen, 25 January 1973 ), and has issue (two sons and one daughter) |
| Barbara Ann „Barby“ Kelly | 28 April 1975 | Belascoain, Spain | leaves the band in 2002, some ressources say, that she is ill and needes a nursey |
| Michael Patrick „Paddy“ Kelly | 5 December 1977 | Dublin, Ireland | sings with his family, stopped, lives now in France and studies theology in a convent |
| Maite Star Kelly | 4 December 1979 | East-Berlin, Germany | is married to Florent Raimond (6 January 1975) and has issue (two daughters) |
| Angelo Gabriele Kelly | 23 December 1981 | Pamplona, Spain | is married to Kira (nee Harms, 7 October 1979) and has issue (one son and two daughters) |
