The Irish Rovers

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Biography

The Irish Rovers is a Canada|Canadian Folk music of Ireland|Irish folk group created in 1963 and named after the traditional song " The Irish Rover ". The group is best known for their international television series, and contributing to the popularization of Irish Music in North America. Best known for songs " The Unicorn (song)|The Unicorn ", "Wasn't That A Party", " The Orange and the Green ", " Whiskey on a Sunday ", " Lily the Pink (song) |Lily The Pink ", and " The Black Velvet Band ".

The primary voices heard in the group's early songs were Will Millar (tenor), Jimmy Ferguson (baritone), George Millar (singer)|George Millar and Joe Millar, and in the last twenty years, also John Reynolds and Ian Millar.

All of the band members are from Ireland. Founding member George Millar and his cousin Ian are both from Ballymena , long-time group member Wilcil McDowell is from Larne , Sean O'Driscoll from Cork (city)|Cork , with John Reynolds (musician)|John Reynolds and percussionist Fred Graham both from Belfast rounding out the lineup.

The Irish Rovers have represented Canada at five World Expos.

History

Ireland

Brothers, George Millar (singer)|George Millar and Will Millar were both born in Ballymena , County Antrim , Northern Ireland . He was 16 in 1963, according to official web site. The children grew up in a musical household as their father Bob played played button-key accordion for several bands throughout the years. Their cousin Joe Millar, who also sang, took part in the family kitchen parties playing button-key accordion and harmonica. As children, George and Will performed with their sister, Sandra Beech as "The Millar Kids" in Ireland, before the family emigrated to Canada.

The Early Years

In 1963, George Millar met 23-year old Jim Ferguson, who had also emigrated from Northern Ireland, at an Irish function in Toronto . They sang together until dawn, and the Irish Rovers were launched. The name "The Irish Rovers" was suggested by George's mother. The traditional Irish song about a sailing ship had been a song from their kitchen parties in Ballymena. According to a Calgary Herald article in 1971, "George and Jimmy formed the first Irish Rovers for an amateur variety show in Toronto and won". George’s cousin, Joe also soon emigrated to Canada and was recruited as he stepped off the plane. According to a newspaper in the Millars' home town in Ireland, "The folk singing 'boom' in the United States and Canada proved profitable for three young Ballymena men who form the nucleus of a popular, Toronto-based group who call themselves 'The Irish Rovers'.” George's father Bob, became the band's first manager. George, Jimmy and Joe were joined by Vic Marcus and Doug Henderson. For the next several months Bob Millar guided the new band and booked them several engagements including folk song festivals, clubs, hootenanys, The Port o' Call, and Toronto's Royal Alexandra Hotel.'Irish Rovers are Digging out those old Folk songs', By Ballymena Weekly Editor, Ballymena Weekly Telegraph, N. Ireland - Aug. 20, 1964

In 1963, Will Millar|Will Millar , performed in Toronto with a Calypso group before moving to Calgary. He formed an Irish folk trio in Calgary along with another Ulster man, Derek Swinson, calling themselves The Irish Rovers. Will's trio in Calgary, after a year of college concerts, disbanded.

George, Jimmy and Joe left Toronto for Calgary to stay with brother Will. Will, had been singing in folk clubs, Phil's Pancake House, and also performing on a daily children's TV show, "Just 4 Fun".

George was enrolled in a local Calgary high school and Jimmie found work at a local Calgary slaughter house. Jimmy's job would last but a few hours. George soon quit school and Will's home became home base for the band.

The Irish Rovers became regulars at Calgary's, Depression coffee house, a folk club operated by John Uren that also contributed to the start of Joni Mitchell 's career.

"Americay"

Will introduced the group to his manager Les Weinstein who became the band's full time manager.

The Rovers drove to California in 1966, hoping to perform in the folk clubs there. On the way, their car broke down on northern Californian coast, at an Italian restaurant owned by two Irish immigrants. The boys were given room and board and an introduction to a booking agent who helped them secure an appearance at The Purple Onion in San Francisco where they played for five months. The group was then booked at other folk clubs across California.

In 1966, the Rovers signed a recording contract with Decca Records and recorded their first album, " The First of the Irish Rovers " at The Ice House in Pasadena. The album was successful enough to warrant another album, which included their first hit which was from a song originally written and recorded in 1962 by Shel Silverstein , The Unicorn (song)|The Unicorn . Glen Campbell played guitar on the original recording. After recording the album, Joe Millar left the band for a more 'reliable' income for a family man. It was at this time that they invited All-Ireland Champion Wilcil McDowell to join the band. After the success of The Unicorn hit, Joe returned to the band. The album included the Irish tunes " The Orange and the Green ", and " The Black Velvet Band ".

Starting in the late 60s, the The Irish Rovers performed on various North American television programs including several appearances on the TV western The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian , as well as The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour , The Mike Douglas Show , The Dating Game , The Pig And Whistle , and The Beachcombers .

In 1968, they were named “Folk Group of the Year” by the predecessor of the JUNO Award s, and in 1969 they received a Grammy Award nomination for "Folk Performance of the Year".

Television

In 1971, The Irish Rovers were offered their own CBC-produced television series, The Irish Rovers . While entertaining a family audience, the show promoted Ireland and Irish music to Canadians. Guest stars included their friends The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem , Johnny Cash , Carl Perkins , Bobby Darin , Glen Campbell , Vera Lynn and Anne Murray . Visits from Shari Lewis and her puppets, including Lamb Chop (puppet)|Lamb Chop , were audience favourites. There were regularly taped visits to Northern and Southern Ireland, Scotland, England, New Zealand, P.E.I., Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Banff and even Alert-at the tip of Ellesmere Island-the farthest, northerly inhabited base in the world.

"The Irish Rovers Show" ran for 7 years, winning an ACTRA Award for Best Variety Performance. Brothers Will and George Millar co-wrote the majority of their original Irish compositions. Ken Gibson and Michael Watt were producer and director for the show, and often hosted special effects technicians from L.A. who were learning the new green screen technology, which were used for comedic leprechaun segments featuring Will, George and Jimmy. The Rovers then continued with another television series on the Global Television Network in conjunction with Ulster Television in Ireland.

Although the majority of their music focuses on the band's Irish roots, in the early 1980s, The Irish Rovers recorded an unknown novelty Christmas song written by Randy Brooks. Record producer Jack Richardson (record producer)|Jack Richardson produced The Rovers' album, "It Was A Night Like This". The single release of Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer rose to the top 20 in Canada within a week of airplay. Exposure of the music on television no doubt also added to the popularity of their music. In 1980 their crossover hit recording of Tom Paxton 's ''Wasn't That A Party'', which was inspired by the boys' own after-show partying, put them at the top of the charts again. In 1981, the group starred in their second Canadian TV series: The Rovers Comedy House , a 7-part CBC series of comedy and boisterous Irish music. For most of the 1980s the band was known as The Rovers and followed up hits with songs such as " Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy ", and "No More Bread and Butter."

Their third television series, Party With The Rovers ran from 1984 to 1986 with Jack Richardson (record producer)|Jack Richardson as Musical Director. The show was set in a traditional pub setting featuring music sessions with the band performing together with Liam Clancy , Tommy Makem , John Allan Cameron , Kenny Rogers , Lonnie Donegan , Andy Gibb , Rita Coolidge , Ronnie Prophet , and many others. The series was produced for Global Television in conjunction with Ulster Television in Ireland, and was syndicated around the world.

Band members became Canadian citizens after Canada’s Prime Minister, Pierre Elliott Trudeau asked them to do so, in order to officially represent Canada around the world. By 1989 they had represented Canada at five world Expos: Montreal (1967), Osaka, Japan (1970), Okinawa, Japan (1976), Vancouver (1986), and Brisbane, Australia (1988). In recognition of their quarter century of contributions of Canadian music to the International music world, they were awarded Canada's top music honor, the Performing Rights Organization's (PROCAN) Harold Moon Award. With their double album 25th Anniversary Collection in 1989, which featured the backing of The Chieftains and songs written by, amongst others, Randy Bachman , Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance , the band was, once again, officially known as The Irish Rovers, but many fans still refer to them as The Rovers.

Rover Records and Touring

The present line-up of George Millar, John Reynolds, Wilcil McDowell, Ian Millar, Sean O'Driscoll and Fred Graham continues to tour Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Will Millar left the group in 1994 and has become a successful artist. Founding member Jimmy Ferguson died in 1997, and Joe Millar retired from the band in 2005 when his son Ian took up the family ranks.

In 1993 the band formed their own record company, Rover Records, which allowed them artistic freedom that as a younger band they could not afford. Founding member George Millar continues as the songwriter for the band, with Rover Records producing their last sixteen albums including "Celtic Collection", "Come Fill Up Your Glasses", "Down by the Lagan Side", " Still Rovin' After All These Years " and their Greatest Hits albums, "40 Years a-Rovin'", and "The Irish Rovers' Gems". Their Irish homeland continues to be the primary subject of their music as in, "Erin's Green Isle", "I'll Return", "Dear Little Shamrock Shore", " Dunluce Castle ", "Home to Bantry Bay ", "The Dublin Pub Crawl" and " Gracehill Fair ". Recently, their recording of " Drunken Sailor " reached a younger audience on YouTube .

In 2010, The Irish Rovers marked their 45th anniversary with the release of the CD, “Gracehill Fair” which won a local music award on their home base of Vancouver Island. For a return to television they band filmed a television special, "Home In Ireland". Locations for the special included Dunluce Castle , Carnlough Harbour, Portglenone and various spots along the northeast coast of Northern Ireland . The show broadcast in 2011/12 across the PBS Network in North America.

The band returned to the World Music charts in 2011 with their album, Home In Ireland .

In 2012, their single, "The Titanic", released from their Drunken Sailor album, focused attention on Belfast and the Harland and Wolff shipyard that built Titanic a century ago. The song was also featured in a Canadian documentary which aided in returning the credit of building the ship, to the Northern Ireland shipyards of Belfast .
The album was produced in response to YouTube activity.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Chart Positions
Year	Album	CAN	CAN Country	US	US Country	US World
1966	The First of the Irish Rovers	—	—	—	—	—
1967	The Unicorn	—	—	24	—	—
1968	All Hung Up	—	—	119	—	—
1969	The Life of the Rover	—	—	—	—	—
1969	Tales to Warm Your Mind	—	—	182	—	—
1971	On the Shores of Americay	73	—	—	—	—
1972	The Best of the Irish Rovers	—	—	—	—	—
1972	The Irish Rovers Live	—	—	—	—	—
1973	Emigrate& #33; Emigrate!	—	—	—	—	—
1974	Greatest Hits	—	—	—	—	—
1976	Children of the Unicorn	—	—	—	—	—
1976	The Irish Rovers in Australia	—	—	—	—	—
1979	Tall Ships and Salty Dogs	—	—	—	—	—
1980	The Rovers	26	1	—	—	—
1980	''Wasn't That a Party	—	—	157	38	—
1981	No More Bread + Butter	—	—	—	—	—
1982	Party Album	—	—	—	—	—
	Pain in My Past	—	—	—	—	—
	It Was a Night Like This	—	—	—	—
1984	Twentieth Anniversary	—	—	—	—	—
1985	Party with the Rovers	—	—	—	—	—
1989	Hardstuff	67	—	—	—	—
1989	Silver Anniversary	—	—	—	—	—
1992	The Boys Come Rolling Home	—	—	—	—	—
1993	Years May Come, Years May Go	—	—	—	—	—
1994	Celebrate& #33; The First 30 Years	—	—	—	—	—
1995	Celtic Collection: The Next Thirty Years	—	—	—	—	—
1996	''The Irish Rovers' Gems	—	—	—	—	—
1998	Come Fill Up Your Glasses	—	—	—	—	—
1999	Best Of The Irish Rovers	93	—	—	—	14
1999	Songs of Christmas	—	—	—	—	—
2000	Down by the Lagan Side	—	—	—	—	—
2002	Another Round	—	—	—	—	—
2003	Live in Concert	—	—	—	—	—
2005	40 Years a-Rovin	—	—	—	—	—
2007	'' Still Rovin' After All These Years	—	—	—	—	—
2010	Gracehill Fair	—	—	—	—	—
2011	Home In Ireland	—	—	—	—	11
2011	Merry Merry Time Of Year	—	—	—	—	—
2012	Drunken Sailor	—	—	—	—	—

Singles

Year	Single	Chart Positions
Year	Single	CAN	CAN AC	CAN Country	IRL cite web	US cite book	US AC	US Country
1967	"Orange & Green"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1968	Unicorn (song)>The Unicorn "	31	—	—	5	7	2	—
	"Whiskey on a Sunday (The Puppet Song)"	34	—	—	—	75	—	—
	"The Biplane Evermore"	50	—	—	—	91	—	—
1969	"Lily the Pink"	38	7	—	—	113	—	—
	"Peter Knight"	98	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Did She Mention My Name"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1970	"Rhymes and Reasons"	76	11	—	—	—	—	—
1970	"Years May Come, Years May Go"	92	9	—	—	—	—	—
1972	"Lord of the Dance"	—	26	—	—	—	—	—
1973	"Morningtown Ride"	83	58	—	—	—	—	—
1974	"The Gypsy"	—	30	—	—	—	—	—
1980	"Wasn't That a Party"	3	1	9	—	37	—	45
1981	"Mexican Girl"	—	6	43	—	—	—	—
1981	"Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy"	—	10	—	—	—	—	—
1982	"Pain in My Past"	—	—	39	—	—	—	77
	"People Who Read People Magazine"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	" Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer "	—	20	—	—	—	—	—
1985	"Everybody's Making It Big but Me"	—	10	38	—	—	—	—
1989	"Other Side Of The Evening", "Finnegan's Wake"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1989	"All Sing Together", "Paddy On The Turnpike"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2012	"The Titanic"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2012	"Whores and Hounds"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Copyright Citations

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