Music

The following information is from our 2011 event. Watch for updates about the 2012 Sherwood Forest Celtic Festival in April or May!

Beth Patterson
From the swamps of Lafayette, Louisiana comes Beth Patterson. Having studied music from all parts of the world, Beth’s voice is accompanied by her lively Irish bouzouki, which is mysterious yet somehow very familiar to the ear with a Celtic taste. Her poly-cultural tunes and traditional ballads are full of “savage energy”, and her sharp sense of humor will keep you laughing as she strikes up the next tune. Listen
Potcheen
These habitually-touring Celtic pirate rockers are sailing the high seas of the Celtic music scene. Land-locked Denver being their port-of-call, they sail a lovely green tour bus as their ship, ransacking all villages that lay in their path with a broadside of Celtic Jam-rock! See Potcheen rock out the Greenwoode Theatre at the end of each festival day. Listen
Clandestine
Clandestine is a hard-driving, toe-tapping Texas Celtic sound that brings you blasting tune sets, and fresh Celtic songs in three-part harmony. Al Cofrin leads on cittern, and sometimes joins piper E.J. Jones on bagpipes. Percussionist Emily Dugas captivates with her singular interpretations, and Fiddler Gregory McQueen adds firey fiddle to the mix. Listen
Poor Man's Fortune
Poor Man’s Fortune is the only band in North America which relies heavily on the Breton tradition of Celtic music while remaining firmly rooted in the music of Ireland and Scotland. The Breton music tradition embraces a range of styles from the pure-drop traditional to the intensely modern, and Poor Man's Fortune embraces them all. P.M.F. features Larry Rone on flutes and small pipes, Serge Laîne on button accordion and dulcitar, Kristen Jensen on one helluva fiddle, and Richard Keene on bag pipes. Listen
Constant Billy - Saturday only
"Constant Billy, one of Houston's longest-standing and continuously-performing acts, preserves the tradition of timeless Celtic music deep in the heart of Texas. Their lively reels and jigs keep audiences toe tapping, hand clapping and hollering for more. But it is their songs- Irish, Scottish and English ballads and their own, self-penned originals that define them and their performances. The trio- Emily Standish, Bill Galbraith and David Randall – manage to combine energy, precision and fun in a way that encourages audiences to join them in song.
"Dedicated members of the Houston music community, Emily and Bill share their extensive knowledge of Celtic music as co-hosts on KPFT’S Irish Aires radio program. So, grab a pint and sing along to the rollicking melodies of Constant Billy!" - Pete Little, KPFT Radio 90.1FM Listen
Blaggards
Playing what they call “Stout Irish Rock”, traditional Irish music mixed with rock n’ roll, informed by everything from Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley to Thin Lizzy and Black Sabbath, Blaggards are vocalists Patrick Devlin (guitar) and Chad Smalley (bass), plus fiddler Brandi Belle Clarke and drummer Michael McAloon. Grab a stout ale, and settle in for a rockin’ Stout Irish set by these rough-ridin’ Dubliners… just don’t call them “the” Blaggards and everything will be cool. Listen
Sarah Dinan
A woman of remarkable talent, Sarah has a natural aptitude and appreciation for folk music and sings in a variety of languages including French, Breton, Spanish and both Irish and Scots Gaelic. Her love of music and storytelling is evident in her performance and her voice has been described by both critics and audiences as breathtaking, crystal clear, angelic, beautiful and enchanting. Let your mind relax, and let your senses feast as Sarah Dinan’s Celtic magic takes you to far-away places. Listen
The Tea Merchants
Immortalized in gold paint on the wall of Fadó, one of Austin’s favorite Irish pubs, this lively trio will give you the straight stuff: traditional instrumental Irish music. A favorite at pubs, house concerts and Celtic Festivals since 2002, The Tea Merchants are sure to have you dancin’ a jig, or at least sloshin’ your ale to the beat. Chris Buckley on Fiddle, Charlie Branch on Bouzouki, Michelle Hedden on Bodhrán drum. Listen
Near by Far
A little percussive. A little vocal. All strung up. These three ladies are a rare trio of harp, viola, and cello; Leah Jorgenson, Kristen Coyle, and Marie Parks make up the group. “That moment, in which we ponder old tales in new light, is where Near by Far flourishes.” Bolstering their love for Scottish, Irish, and American folk music with musicality, creativity and long-nurtured skill, Near by Far reveals the hidden undercurrents of well-traveled paths while also creating entirely new ones. Listen
Harp Circle with Cindy Schaufenbuel * - Sunday only
Sherwood Forest Celtic Festival invites harp players of all ages, abilities, and instrument sizes to gather for a Harpers' Circle. Share a Celtic tune or a few, solo or with friends. This is not a performance! Rather, it is an opportunity for area harpers to meet and play for each other in a casual and supportive atmosphere. Spectators welcome. Free Sunday admission to the Festival for participants who register by September 16. Please contact Cindy Schaufenbuel at harponyou@yahoo.com for more information and to register.
Lauren Morris with Robert Mitchell * - Sunday only
Having toured with her band Celticana with great success, Lauren Morris now works as a sound composer, writing scores and creating sound effects for the thriller film community. Her keen ability to place the right sound at the right time creates a recognizable impact on these films. For Sherwood Forest Celtic Festival she and Robert Mitchell, a multi-instrumentalist in his own right, will be playing high-energy Celtic music, both traditional and original. Listen
Diane Linn *
Booked at Sherwood Forest Faire and other Renaissance Festivals as “Bard O’Neill,” Diane Linn sings in a powerful style of her own, accompanied by her bold guitar. She has played the Los Angeles Irish Festival, and other great Celtic Festivals. She embodies the Celtic Woman’s dichotomy of being both saucy and sweet, with a voice like no other. Diane’s shows are always fun and lively; come give her a listen, and she’ll leave you with a happy heart, and a sweet song in your head. Listen
Abby Green *
Abby Green unlocks the treasures of beautiful music often hidden behind the veil of languages unusual to English speaking ears. Whether the song calls for energetic rhythms or chordal choices that echo the intensity of a broken heart, Abby plays Irish Cittern (five course bouzouki) while her rich and soaring voice tells the tale in Irish, Scots Gaelic and in English. As a native Texan, her love of Celtic songs, languages and tunes has been a true journey of discovery. Based in Austin, TX, Abby is a full-time touring musician, performing at numerous festivals around the country. Listen
The Bedlam Bards *
These two scruffy bards have been delighting and frightening audiences at Renaissance Faires, Celtic Festivals, and comic conventions alike for many years. With Cedric on Fiddle, Hawke on Guitar, and both of them acting like class clowns, The Bedlam Bards provide a Celtic repertoire that will keep you tapping your feet while rolling in the aisles. At this event, they will even be free to tell all you “browncoats” all about their Sci-fi album, “On the Drift”, based on the T.V. show Firefly. Listen
Saxon Moon
Out of Houston Texas, Dave Elles & Paul Adam present the Eclectic band Saxon Moon. They created their debut CD in 2010 with traditional musical influences ranging from Celtic Northern Europe all the way down to the Tribal Middle East. Ted Scott, Ken Arthur and other cameo musicians such as Erik Jackson have completed the Saxon Moon line up in recent months. Listen
O'Malarkey
Look for this roving group of Irish musicians in the lanes of Sherwood Forest. Here’s their recipe for fun Celtic music on the run: Take one smidgen of traditional Irish tunes. Add a pinch of contemporary Celtic. Season to taste with humor and song. Blend well at high speed for 30 minutes or longer. Slam it down, chase with Scotch, and call it O'Malarkey!
Romano-Celtic Britain: A Collision of Cultures with Cohort V
Join David Wills and the Fifth Cohort, a Roman Reenactment group, for a living history workshop especially focused on the time in Celtic History when the Roman Empire occupied Britain, and the lands of the Celts. These late Roman time-travelers will be stationed in Sherwood's Children's Area "Once Upon a Time.." giving you a taste of what daily life was like in Roman-occupied Britain. they will also tell stories of the struggles between these two culture, and they will teach a lesson on the different fighting styles of the Celtic and Roman soldiers, complete with soft swords for youngsters to play at their own battles among the ramparts of Sherwood's new Kid's Castle.
Archery Village
Sherwood's Pirate Territory has been taken over by a band of Archers in Archery Village. These modern-day Robin Hoods are eager to share their passion for the sport, the art, and the science of Traditional Archery. Cecil Rupe, who plays merry man Gilbert of the White Hand at Sherwood Forest Faire, has summoned these masters of Archery and Bow-making: Texas Traditional Champion Deb Weaver, Hosting Archery Games Bow maker Arvin Weaver, AW Self Bows Arrow maker Derek Herring, Bounty Hunter Custom Arrows Period leather workers Gary Wood with Don Ferguson, Adrian Empire Come enjoy this exhibition of the ancient art of bending the bow - events throughout the day.