Celtic music

I mentioned in my previous post that Clannad had a song on the Last of the Mohicans soundtrack. The entire song can be heard on their Banba album. There’s something about that song and lots of Celtic music that just speaks to me. I don’t know if it’s because I have family roots in Ireland or it’s the beauty and rich history of the music, but every time I hear Celtic music I stop and listen. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stopped at one of those music sample players in Target or Wal-Mart and punched the button for the Celtic selection. I found Clannad after hearing “I Will Find You” on the Last of the Mohicans soundtrack, but now I have both their Banba and Landmarks CDs.

Probably the first Celtic music purchase I made though was an Enya CD. Enya used to be a part of Clannad. I just love to sit and listen to her beautiful music. I see she has a new CD out — Amarantine.

I honestly can’t remember how I came upon Loreena McKennitt, but I’m glad I did. Her Book of Secrets is great. It even has the poem “The Highwayman” set to music. I can see it as if it were a movie playing on a screen. I’m wondering if I came upon her CD at one of the Scottish Highland Games I’ve attended. I love those too, by the way, particularly the competitions between the pipe and drum bands and the marketplace tents.

I do remember how I came upon Steve McDonald’s “Sons of Somerled”. It was playing in a shop in the tourist town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee when I was there on a vacation visiting the Great Smoky Mountains. The Appalachian Mountains, of which the Smokies are a part, have a deep Scots-Irish heritage, so you can find lots of books, CDs and other items in the area that have a Celtic or Highland feel. Listening to songs like “Sons of Somerled”, “Scotland the Brave” or “Wild Mountain Thyme”, you can almost believe you’re in the Scottish Highlands rather than the Appalachians.

I love the combination of Celtic and rock, and my favorite band in this area is Seven Nations. I’ve seen them in concert at the Glasgow Highland Games in Kentucky, and you just can’t beat great music and guys dancing around on stage in kilts with bagpipes. I LOVE bagpipes. Oh, I just checked their Web site and they’re coming back to the Glasgow Highland Games this year! Guess who’s going.

So, any other Celtic music lovers out there?

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