Remembering Curly

Story

Paula, a fiddle student in one of my classes at the Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp, asked me to 'make a tune' in honour of her late father, Curly. Paula really wanted to play something new at the student concert which was to be held at the end of the week of classes. I agreed at the time, but somehow managed to forget her request until one afternoon, I awoke from a nap in a panic. I had only then remembered my promise to Paula, and then panicked more. Never having known Curly or anything about him, it was not easy to make a tune for him. However, I did take out my fiddle and gave it a few strokes. Happily, I began to get some ideas into my head of what 'Remembering Curly' might sound like. With some shape to the tune, Paula was able to play it at the concert.

A more complete version of the tune is heard on this track, with my good friends the late John McGann playing guitar and Gabriel Donohue on keyboard. John was very involved with the transcription of the tunes for this project but, alas, he left us too soon. So in John's memory, perhaps 'Remembering Curly Remembering John McGann' might be a perfect title for this tune. Thanks, John, for all the music, stories, laughs, and friendship.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
07-37_Remembering_Curly-Air.pdf
Some transcriptions are based on historical source recordings. More info.

Song & Tune Type

Part of:

Citation

Connolly, Séamus (fiddle) (composer), McGann, John (guitar), and Donohue, Gabriel (keyboards), “Remembering Curly,” The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music, accessed December 8, 2024, https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/401.