Sean Wilson - These Tender Years
Sean Wilson
These Tender Years
HHCD013
“As Irish as an open turf fire and a creamy pint”
Derek Davis, RTE Presenter
“The original and the best”
Donal K. O’Boyle, Ireland Eye Magazine
“Sparkles like a spring morning with sun on the dew”
Jim Duncan, Cross Country Magazine and Radio 101.8 FM
SEAN’S FIRST RECORDING FOR FOUR YEARS
CD ONE features 16 songs that combine the best contemporary Irish songwriters with traditional and country repertoire. Included is Rosie, a story song about the plight of a neglected gypsy girl who triumphs over adversity, On The Road Again (not penned by Willie Nelson but by Isla Grant) about the life of a troubadour, and the title track These Tender Years which has received extensive airplay and can be watched on YouTube. Also featured are Sean’s unique arrangements of the traditional songs Shanagolden, Cottage On The Hill and The Emigrant’s Farewell plus three great songs written by Nicholas McCarthy including the tender ballad You Were Never Far From My Mind which shows Sean in a new singing style.
CD TWO is an accordion programme, which take the listener on a musical journey around Ireland that concludes with two thought provoking monologues.
Sean Wilson’s motto in life is a simple one: “Be yourself at all times and there is no limit to what you can achieve”. After selling over one million tapes and CDs during his career, the Northern Irish accordion player and singer has certainly surprised himself with his achievements.
Sean has a prolific recording and performing career. His success is easy to understand – his accordion playing and vocal warmth combine to give an authentic taste of his homeland. Even if the place names in the Irish songs mean little to them, his fans worldwide identify with his music - his clear diction crosses borders. And then, of course, those great medley arrangements are hard to resist on the dance floor. He put his success down to “being lucky – people like what I do”.
His rise to popularity in Ireland, the UK, Australia, Canada and America was a surprise to him. “I had no plans to be a professional musician. I was the type who thought a day’s work was from nine-to-five”. Sean grew up listening to Ceili house on Irish Radio on a Saturday night and as a teenager played in an accordion band with his sisters. When he left school he worked in a factory in Co.Derry, playing music as a hobby at the weekend. After marrying the boss’s daughter, Sean took up music professionally. He recorded his first album in 1991. Now, over twenty years later, as he prepares to release his tenth double album, he has no regrets for following a career as a musician.
