Irvine, Andy - Devoted CD

This is an album of songs of Woody Guthrie performed by a man who has been devoted to the subject for most of his adult life - The notable list of master musicians joining Andy Irvine on these recordings includes Donal Lunny, Bruce Molsky, Michael McGoldrick, John Doyle, Rens van der Zalm and Nikola Parov. Andy spent most of his early youth searching for the music he knew existed somewhere and found it on "More Songs by Woody Guthrie and Cisco Houston". Andy was later introduced to Pete Seeger who told him about Woody being incarcerated in Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in New Jersey. Irvine was able to communicate with Guthrie in exchanges of letters thanks to Sid Gleason's assistance at Woody's bedside. This friendship led to Andy sending songs on tape for Guthrie and one letter from Sid, told Andy how Woody would sing along with the recordings. The idea for this collection has been germinating for at least thirty years. It is unique in its Irish approach with immediately recognisable connections to Woody Guthrie's playing and singing style as a result of Andy's sixty plus years of studying his works.