Davey Arthur

Davey Arthur is an Irish-born folksinger who has enjoyed a decades-long career, both as a solo artist and in association with The Fureys. Born in Donegal, Ireland, he spent most of his childhood Scotland, and became interested in music from an early age -- he began playing the guitar at age eight. Arthur later returned to Ireland and, from the age of 12 on, was a close friend of the Dublin-based Furey family, whose siblings Eddie and Finbar, had been playing folk music professionally in England and Ireland since the 1960s. A highly proficient guitarist (who also played mandolin and banjo) and songwriter, Arthur initially joined with the younger Furey siblings, Paul and George, who had begun working on their own as the Buskers. When the four brothers, joined by Arthur, linked up at the 1978 Cambridge Folk Festival, everyone was happy enough with the results so that the Furey Brothers & Davey Arthur became a permanent performing unit. They soared in popularity beginning in 1979, and saw a string of international successes over the next 13 years, including "The Green Fields of France" and "When You Were Sweet Sixteen." Although their repertory leaned toward the pop side of folk music, including new interpretations of standards such as "The Twelfth of Never" and "Annie Song," their standard of singing and playing always distinguished the group's work. Arthur parted company with the Fureys in 1992 in order to pursue a solo career, and has since recorded music in a more traditional vein, casting Celtic music in a modern context without abandoning its roots and origins. He remains a highly respected player on the Irish music scene and has led various lineups, within the context of traditional Irish players (sometimes billed as Davey Arthur & Co.) on albums and tour into the twenty-first century. In 1999, he was inducted into the Irish Music Hall of Fame, joining the ranks of U2, Sinead O'Connor, and the Chieftains. In addition to his work as a musician, Arthur has also appeared as a raconteur. In 2005, he re-united with the Fureys, and they'd been working together ever since, and has also been active promoting Irish and Celtic culture at home and around the world. In 2009, in addition to his continued work with the Fureys, he organized a Celtic super-group of sorts, the Davey Arthur Band, featuring some of the best players on the Irish music scene. ~ Bruce Eder