Biography All Music Guide Wikipedia
All Music Guide:
A founding member of the Bothy Band, fiddler Paddy Glackin left to pursue a solo career shortly before the band launched their professional career. Nevertheless, Glackin has continued to explore the fiddling of Ireland as a soloist and in collaboration with uillean pipes player Robbie Hannan, multi-instrumentalist Donal Lunny, guitarist Michael O'Domhnaill and fiddler Paddy Keenan. Glackin's fiddling can also be heard on recordings by Van Morrison, Kate Bush and John Cage. Born and raised in the small Dublin village of Clontaif, Glackin was weaned on the Donegal style of fiddling played by his father, Tom. Glackin was equally influenced by the playing of John Doherty, an itinerant fiddler from Donegal.
Wikipedia:
Paddy Glackin (born 5 August, 1954) is an Irish fiddler from Clontarf, Dublin. His father Tom Glackin was from Donegal and Paddy's fiddle style reflects his family's Donegal roots. Glackin is considered one of the leading Irish fiddlers in the late 20th/early 21st centuries. He became fiddle champion at the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil in 1973. Glackin's primary influence came from Donegal fiddlers, most prominently John Doherty the legendary travelling fiddler whom Glackin always cites as his main influence. His influences are not limited to Donegal however, he also cites fiddlers such as John Kelly, Tommy Potts and Padraig O'Keeffe as important in shaping his overall approach.
Paddy was an original member of Bothy Band when they were named Seachtar. The original line-up included Irish music legends Matt Molloy, Dónal Lunny, Paddy Keenan, Tony MacMahon, Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill and Mícheál Ó Domhnaill. When the group decided to become professional Paddy left and eventually became sports editor for RTÉ radio, Ireland's national broadcaster.
While maintaining his profession in RTÉ Paddy has continued to perform and record Irish music. He has released many recordings including seminal ones such as 'Doublin' with the piper Paddy Keenan and 'In Full Spate' with Donal Lunny, his debut solo recording 'Ceoil ar an bhFidil le Paddy Glackin' featured some tracks with his father Tom and his brothers Kevin Glackin and Séamus Glackin. Kevin and Séamus would later release an acclaimed duet recording 'Northern Lights'.
Paddy's most recent recordings are 'The Whirlwind' a duet album with the piper Robbie Hannon and 'Reprise' with his former Bothy Band colleague the late Mícheál Ó Domhnaill.
Although Glackin is quite outspoken in his preference for a pure soloists approach to the tradition he has been involved in a number of experimental recordings including 'Roaratorio' by the American avant-garde composer John Cage and 'Hidden Ground' a recording from 1980 made with the late multi-instrumentalist Jolyon Jackson which is notable for its use of synthesizers alongside Glackin's pure traditional fiddle playing. While this recording has not dated well it anticipated the trend for mixing traditional Irish music with synthesizers that continues into the 21st Century.
Glackin continues to perform and he teaches annually at the Willie Clancy Summer School in Clare.
