You may now enjoy recordings I made of Irish accordionist Kevin Keegan and friends in California, during the 1970s. He was living in San Francisco but these recordings were made in Fresno or at Sweet’s Mill Music Camp. Kevin enjoyed playing with a host of American Irish music enthusiasts, including Jeremy Kammerer, Cathie Whitesides, Eric Thompson, Will Spires, Kenny Hall and many more. Some of those people are with Kevin for these sessions.
Kevin Keegan was born in County Galway (1924), and moved to San Francisco in the 1970s. Kevin died at a relatively young age in 1978.
You can read fiddler Cathie Whitesides’ story of learning and performing with Kevin Keegan during the 1970s, in California. Here is an excerpt from the book Road to Sweet’s Mill.
“When I met Jeremy he’d recently been to Ireland. He was so inspired. He had met Tony McMahon (Irish accordionist). Tony told him that right in San Francisco was living the best box (accordion) player ever–Joe Cooley. He gave his phone number. Jeremy came back and we were pursuing music. After awhile he thought “I ought to just call him up.” Joe was funny and friendly and he asked if Jeremy played the music. Jeremy said he was learning it and he liked it very much. Joe said “Well you sound like you’d be good at it.” He invited Jeremy to come over on Tuesday nights to listen in on a sort of social night at their apartment, listen in on Patricia Kenelly’s accordion lesson and afterward Nancy would bring out some cakes and drinks and they would play a few tunes. It developed into a regular thing that I would never miss. Some of our Berkeley friends started to go too. It was all okay with them though I’m sure we looked as strange as can be. They were very nice. After about a half a year Joe Cooley mentioned this other lad sitting over there in the hallway who also played “the box” and we ought to have a tune from him too. He worked Kevin into it too and we made friends with him too because it became obvious after a few notes that he could play very well, though we could hear that their styles were rather different. They were friends and we made friends with both of them on slightly different terms.”
Kevin Keegan Irish accordion
Trip to the Cottage/Tatter Jack Walsh
The Maid Behind the Bar/Rolling In the Rye Grass
Father Kelly’s Reel/Cooley’s Reel
Kitty’s Rambles/The Pipe On the Hob
The Shoemaker’s Daughter (Reavey)
Frieze Britches/Queen of the Rushes
Listen to more Kevin Keegan and Joe Cooley.