New Public Television Special Chronicles Irish Music’s Global Impact

Premieres nationwide on public television August and Fall 2010 (check local listings)

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Extraordinary music special features new interviews and rare footage of artists such as Black 47, The Corrs, The Cranberries, Damien Dempsey, Glen Hansard, Sinéad O’Connor, U2, Damien Rice, and The Script

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Music of Ireland — Welcome to America continues the definitive story of contemporary Irish music, focusing on the latest and greatest musical exports from the Emerald Isle.  Picking up where Music of Ireland — Welcome Home left off, this extraordinary look at the most renowned Irish musical artists, takes the viewer on a trans-Atlantic journey – from Ireland’s West Coast to the heartland of America. In Welcome Home, Liam Clancy, who was interviewed right before his death, talked about how valuable each moment of his life is. The Irish Voice heralded it as “one priceless moment in a priceless documentary.” On each stop, Music of Ireland — Welcome to America gives audiences an intimate look at who has contributed to the continuation of this glorious relationship between country and music.

Once again hosted by Clannad’s Grammy Award-winning Moya Brennan, the performance-laden documentary features six Grammy Award winners, Academy Award and Golden Globe winners, and three Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. Produced by the Elevation Group’s Denny Young – an American music and television production veteran who has produced special concert events for Duran Duran, Seal, LeAnn Rimes, Counting Crows, and many others, Music of Ireland — Welcome to America premieres nationwide on public television beginning in August and will air throughout the fall (check local listings). The program is distributed nationally by WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG and sponsored in part by Barnes & Noble and Tourism Ireland.

Music of Ireland – Welcome to America picks up the story with the emergence of U2 and their development into the greatest, live touring act today. The performance documentary continues with a detailed look at today’s very impressive singer/songwriter scene in Dublin (featuring Academy Award-winner Glen Hansard of The Swell Season and The Frames, Damien Rice and Damien Dempsey) and an intimate piece on Sinéad O’Connor, her incredible music and the now well-documented papal controversy that ultimately proved O’Connor correct. Other highlights include the PBS phenom programs Lord of the Dance and Celtic Woman as well as the great Irish rock/pop acts: The Cranberries, The Corrs, Black 47 and The Script. One of the most interesting moments in the show explores how Irish music has influenced America and American culture – as showcased by performers at the Dublin Irish Festival in Dublin, Ohio.

Brennan, Enya’s eldest sister, goes to great lengths in her interviews to get the closest look yet into what makes these great artists tick, how their musical lives have been influenced and each artist’s special relationships with both Ireland and America. Never-before-seen performances, rare clips and archival photographs highlight each segment of the show. Music of Ireland — Welcome to America is directed by four-time Emmy Award-winner Philip Marshall, a former senior producer and director at THIRTEEN/WNET and current executive producer of national productions for Maryland Public Television.

“I marvel at how this tiny country has produced so much great music,” stated Executive Producer Denny Young. “I am in awe of each one of these artists and yet it is truly amazing how down to earth they all really are. The Irish spirit shines brightly and that is something we hope the viewer takes away from the experience.”

“This has been an amazing journey so far,” commented Moya Brennan. “Never in my 40 years of working in the Irish music community had I totally recognized the impact we have all had on the world generally and in America specifically. And I must say, it has been a real treat to be on the other side of the camera talking to Glen, Damien, Paddy, Sinéad, Bono, Adam, and so many others.”

“Public television viewers have consistently supported Irish music and performers. They want to learn more of their stories,” said Gillian Rose, Head of Distribution for WNET.ORG. “Welcome to America” spotlights artists from the last 30 years, tracing the beginnings of rock sensations like The Cranberries and U2, while introducing viewers to stars on the rise like The Script.”

The Music of Ireland — Welcome to America DVD featuring bonus material and the Music of Ireland – Welcome Home CD and DVD will be available to viewers who make a donation in support of their local public television station during the broadcasts. For more information, visit musicofireland.com.

A production of the Elevation Group. Executive Producer: Denny Young. Director: Philip Marshall. A presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG. Funded in part by Barnes & Noble and Tourism Ireland.

U.K. choral sensation, Men Aloud, makes U.S. television debut

The award-winning, best-selling U.K. singing ensemble Men Aloud is about to take America by storm with its first performance special, Men Aloud – Live From Wales. Men Aloud’s big sound and high-energy choreography have captivated international audiences ever since the group’s triumphant win as Britain’s best choir in the BBC’s hit competition/reality series Last Choir Standing. But make no mistake; Men Aloud is not your typical choir. The 20 young singers are introducing audiences to the centuries-old, men-only Welsh choir tradition with their rousing repertoire of traditional and classic pop hits, from Broadway to Tom Jones.

Filmed November 2009 at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, Men Aloud – Live From Wales features special guest performances by opera star Bryn Terfel (Great Performances), musical theatre actor John Owen-Jones (Les Misérables) and pop icon Bonnie Tyler. Lush arrangements include “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “MacArthur Park,” “All By Myself,” and selections from popular musicals including Guys and Dolls, Miss Saigon and Porgy and Bess.

Men Aloud was formed in 2000 by Music Director Tim Rhys-Evans, National Choir Master to National Youth Choirs of Wales and Great Britain, to encourage younger men to get involved with the beloved Welsh tradition of male voice singing. Appearing regularly on radio and television and topping the U.K. classical charts, Men Aloud is now a bona fide sensation throughout Europe. The group has recorded two albums, each of which is certified Gold in the U.K., and their second album, Band of Brothers, won this year’s Classical Brit Album of the Year Award. With Men Aloud – Live From Wales they are poised for U.S. stardom.

Song List
“O Verona”

“It Ain’t Necessarily So” (from Porgy and Bess) featuring Bryn Terfel

“Don’t Rain on My Parade” (from Funny Girl)

Tom Jones Medley: “It’s Not Unusual,” “Green, Green Grass of Home” and “Delilah”
“MacArthur Park”
“Bridge Over Troubled Water”
“Total Eclipse of the Heart” featuring Bonnie Tyler

“All By Myself”

“Bui Doi” (from Miss Saigon) featuring John Owen-Jones

“Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat” (from Guys and Dolls)

“The Rhythm of Life” (from Sweet Charity)

A co-production of the BBC and International Media. Executive Producer: Gustavo Sagastume. A presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG.

Premieres on public television throughout August and September 2010
(check local listings or contact your local station)

Recorded July 2, 1977 and locked away in the archives of legendary promoter Bill Graham ever since, Wolfgang’s Vault Presents Day on the Green 1977 features performances by Grammy Award-winner Peter Frampton and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Produced by Bill Graham and directed by Eric Christensen, the historic concert was one of several Day on the Green summer festivals presented by Graham at Oakland Coliseum Stadium in Oakland, California from 1973 to 1991.

Wolfgang’s Vault Presents Day on the Green 1977 captures Frampton at the height of the fan frenzy that followed his record-breaking 1976 album Frampton Comes Alive, which made him a household name and remains one of the top-selling live albums of all time. His charismatic performance features hits “Baby I Love Your Way,” “Show Me the Way” and “Do You Feel Like We Do.”

Listen to “Baby I Love Your Way”

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s performance showcases the band just three-and-a-half months before the tragic plane crash that took the lives of lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist/vocalist Steve Gaines and his sister, backing vocalist Cassie Gaines of the Honkettes. Van Zant dons a Neil Young t-shirt during the set, which features a six-minute version of “Sweet Home Alabama” – the band’s response song to Young’s “Southern Man” and “Alabama,” which were both critical of southern politics, and epic closer “Freebird.” Allen Collins handles most of the five-minute solo, while Gary Rossington plays the “bird-chirp” guitar parts, which are not on the original recording, as well as the slide work on the opening riffs. Billy Powell also plays a masterful piano solo that is unique to this live show.

Listen to “Sweet Home Alabama”

This extraordinary concert event has been sealed within Wolfgang’s Vault and is now available for the first time exclusively through public television as the new broadcast special and DVD, Wolfgang’s Vault Presents Day on the Green 1977, beginning July 26, 2010.

Song List
“Sweet Home Alabama”
“Freebird”
“Baby I Love Your Way”
“Show Me the Way”
“Do You Feel Like We Do?”

Peter Frampton Band Members
Peter Frampton – lead vocals, guitar
John Simos – drums
Stanley Sheldon – bass, vocals
Bob Mayo – guitar, keyboard, vocals

Lynyrd Skynyrd Band Members
Ronnie Van Zant – vocals
Allen Collins – guitar
Gary Rossington – guitar
Steve Gaines – guitar
Artimus Pyle – drums
Leon Wilkeson – bass
Billy Powell – piano
Cassie Gaines – vocals
Jo Billingsley – vocals
Leslie Hawkins – vocals

A Public Television Rocks! presentation. A co-production of Wolfgang’s Vault and WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG.

At The Drive-In is a musical time capsule of the late 1950s and early ’60s, featuring some of the biggest hits of the era — beach tunes, teen idol ballads, and good old rock ‘n’ roll – performed on a stage transformed into a nostalgic drive-in, complete with period cars!

Fabian hosts an unprecedented lineup — Jan & Dean in their farewell concert tour, Bobby Vee and The Vees, The Surfaris, The Rip Chords, Chris Montez, Merrilee Rush, Ray Peterson, The Orlons, Dodie Stevens and the late Rick Nelson’s twin sons, The Nelsons.

At The Drive-In plays like a living jukebox for a generation, and the audience only stops dancing in the aisles long enough to grant standing ovations to The Orlons’ “Wah Watusi,” and “Don’t Hang Up;” Ray Peterson’s poignant rendition of “Tell Laura I Love Her;” Chris Montez’s performance of “Let’s Dance” and The Nelsons’ stirring tribute medley of their father’s “Garden Party,” “Travelin’ Man,” “It’s Late,” and “Hello Mary Lou.” The reverberating drums of The Surfaris’ “Wipe Out” wash over the crowd; Bobby Vee and The Vees recall the perfect Saturday night date soundtrack with a set including “Take Good Care of My Baby,” “Devil or Angel,” and “(The) Night Has A Thousand Eyes;” Merrilee Rush triggers a flood of memories with showstopping renditions of “Be My Baby” and “Angel of the Morning;” The Rip Chords reunite for “409″ and “Hey Little Cobra;” and Dodie Stevens still epitomizes teen romance with “(Tan Shoes and) Pink Shoe Laces.”

If At The Drive-In is the ultimate showcase of the “Surf City” sound, the emotional peak is Jan & Dean’s song set ­ “Surf City,” “Little Deuce Coupe,” “Dead Man’s Curve,” “Little Old Lady from Pasadena,” “Sidewalk Surfin’,” and “Surfin’ USA” ­ capturing one of the defining groups of their time in one of their last performances on the duo’s farewell tour.

At The Drive-In was taped in August 2003 at Bass Concert Hall at The University of Texas Performing Arts Center in Austin, Texas. The special premiered nationwide on PBS stations December 2003.

4TROOPS is not about the war, it’s about the warriors. The group’s positive message is for all serving troops, veterans and American citizens who are inspired by them every day. 4TROOPS was brought together by veteran Victor Hurtado, who has been part of Army Entertainment for the last 25 years, first as a soldier and music director, and later as the artistic director. Hurtado is currently the production director for the Army Soldier Show, which was established during WWI in 1918 by Sgt. Israel Beilin, better known as Irving Berlin.

Donate now for an exclusive 4TROOPS CD and DVD featuring bonus material.

4TROOPS, new vocal group featuring four U.S. combat veterans, honors soldiers, veterans and Americans in debut concert special

4TROOPS are a new pop vocal group made up of United States combat veterans who served on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan: Former CPT Meredith Melcher, Former SGT Daniel Jens, SSG (Ret.) Ron Henry and Former SGT David Clemo. While overseas, music played a crucial and very personal role in all of their lives. They would sing at everything from large military events to more intimate settings, where they would jam in their bunk after a long day in the field and try to recall a slice of home. They also used their voices at somber occasions like memorial services, where they would sing to remember those that had been lost. As 4TROOPS these veterans share their experiences as a voice for troops — honoring the sacrifices of soldiers and military families in song and creating awareness for their needs.

4TROOPS: Live from the Intrepid is the group’s debut performance special and features an inspirational repertoire of well-known patriotic and pop hits. All of the songs take on a special meaning in the context that they are performed by these four combat heroes. The concert begins with “For Freedom,” an uplifting soldiers’ tribute written by Matt Moran for his grandfather, a WWII vet. Jens sings and plays acoustic guitar on “Galveston,” No. 8 in CMT’s 100 Greatest Country Music Songs, written by Jimmy Webb and popularized by Glen Campbell. Country star Toby Keith gave his blessing for 4TROOPS’s new version of his popular and controversial post-9/11 hit “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” with lyrics revised to reflect a 2010 outlook. Other emotional performances include Melcher’s rendition of Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel;” Lonestar’s “I’m Already There,” reinvented as an evocative military homecoming; the inspirational ballad “You Raise Me Up;” and Henry’s interpretation of Luther Vandross’s “Dance With My Father,” featuring a tear-jerking spotlight dance by Melcher and her father, three-star Lt. Gen. (Ret.) David Melcher. Broadway Inspirational Voices, a gospel ensemble comprised of theatre actors, joins 4TROOPS for a solemn tribute to fallen soldiers set to “Amazing Grace” with a bagpiper, a patriotic medley featuring “Grand Old Flag” and “America the Beautiful,” and the celebratory finale “Raise Your Glasses” by Kiss and Holly Knight that brings audience members to their feet, clapping and singing along.

4TROOPS: Live from the Intrepid is a co-production of MASTERWORKS, DRW Entertainment and WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG – one of America’s most prolific and respected public media providers. “4TROOPS gives our veterans a face. We wanted to make viewers more conscious of those who willingly serve our country and celebrate those service men and women,” said Laura Savini, Vice President of Marketing, WLIW21. “Music connects people. With this concert we hope that PBS audiences will appreciate these performers and consider our troops and their service.” The concert was filmed March 15, 2010 at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City, one of America’s leading historic, cultural and educational institutions. Opened in 1982, the Museum is centered on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Intrepid, one of the most successful ships in U.S. history, and now a national historic landmark.

4TROOPS: Live from the Intrepid is sure to inspire all American citizens, regardless of politics. Engaging viewers on the emotional front lines of military life, 4TROOPS have lived the lyrics they sing, from the solitude of sleepless nights without shelter to the challenges and joys of homecomings, from the heartache of mourning fellow soldiers to the honor of patriotic service.

Song List
“For Freedom”
“Bless the Broken Road”
“Angel”
“I’m Already There”
“You Raise Me Up”
“Galveston”
Cadence with the audience
“Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (2010)”
“Dance With My Father”
“You’ll Never Walk Alone”
“Amazing Grace”
“Grand Old Flag”/“America the Beautiful”
“Raise Your Glasses”

PBS special programming invites viewers to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; hear diverse viewpoints; and take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. Viewer contributions are an important source of funding, making PBS programs possible. PBS and public television stations offer all Americans from every walk of life the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content.

Underwriters: Public Television Viewers and PBS. Producers: A co-production of MASTERWORKS, DRW Entertainment and WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG. Executive Producers: Shelley Ross, Mark Cavell, Alex Miller, David Simoné, Winston Simone, and Rick Blaskey. Producers: Pierre Lamoureux and Francois Lamoureux. Director: Shelley Ross.

Donate now for an exclusive 4TROOPS CD and DVD featuring bonus material.

New tenor trio Vai DaCapo makes U.S. debut on public television.

Vai DaCapo: Songs of Delight features performances of 70s and 80s pop hits and Grammy-winning R&B legend Patti Austin

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WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG presents Vai DaCapo: Songs of Delight, premiering nationwide March 2010 on public television (check local listings.) The new concert special marks the U.S. debut of the new tenor trio Vai DaCapo, made up of opera singers Nmon (IN-mun) Ford, Joseph Guyton and Colin Eaton. Filmed September 19, 2009 on the beautiful grounds of Germany’s picturesque Schwetzingen Castle – one of the few surviving rococo-style theaters in the world, Vai DaCapo: Songs of Delight features the tenors performing 70s and 80s pop hits, including The Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There,” Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” Bill Withers’s “Lean On Me,” Journey’s “Open Arms,” and Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All,” as well as classical favorite “Torna a Surriento.” Grammy-winning R&B legend Patti Austin guests on performances of Michael Jackson’s “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” and Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes’s “Up Where We Belong” from An Officer and a Gentleman. Vai DaCapo: Songs of Delight also features the New Philharmonic Orchestra of Frankfurt conducted by Dr. Barbara Rucha. The special is produced by Klaus Ulrich and Jürgen Hohmann of Maxi Media Entertainment Production and executive produced by Gustavo Sagastume of International Media.

The translation of the trio’s name Vai DaCapo is “to go back to the beginning” and that is exactly their mission on Songs of Delight. “We wanted to revisit music whose message might be missed these days,” explains Colin. “This is music from happier times, when songwriters addressed such topics as hope, inspiration and love, and for whom the words and the message were so very important.”

Combining the fireworks of classical singing with the easy and soulful charm of pop hits, Vai DaCapo creates new interpretations of some of the greatest love songs ever written with their powerful tenor harmonies and dynamic vocal range. By crossing genres Vai DaCapo hopes to bring opera to a new generation of audiences with Songs of Delight. “We chose music that was familiar, so that people wouldn’t be starting totally cold with only opera,” explains Nmon. “We bend the classical technique in such a way that it fits really well with the pop songs. It was very important for us to include music with strong melodies and rhythmic variety and a positive message.”

Each member of Vai DaCapo boasts an impressive musical background. Colin is a proud member of the world-famous United States Army Chorus, performing for troops in combat as far as Iraq and Afghanistan. He also served as a soloist for President Reagan’s interment ceremony. Joseph trained at New York’s famed Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia before being invited to join the Placido Domingo Young Artists Program in Washington, DC. He has also performed on opera stages across Spain, France, Italy and the United States. Nmon was the soloist on the triple Grammy Award-winning recording of William Bolcom’s piece Songs of Innocence and of Experience and the Grammy-winning Transmigrations. An award-winning pianist, writer and arranger, Nmon graduated from the University of Southern California with honors. He also provided all of the vocal arrangements for Vai DaCapo: Songs of Delight.

Delivering an exhilarating performance in Songs of Delight, Vai DaCapo’s spectacular talent, fantastic rapport and boundless charisma are sure to captivate public television audiences and fans all over the world. Joe sums it up this way: “We’ve put our life’s breath into this project because we want to bring music to the world that people not only want to hear but need to hear.”

Song List
“Greatest Love of All”
“I’ll Be There”

“Easy”

“Up Where We Belong” (featuring Patti Austin)

“I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” (featuring Patti Austin)

“My Girl”

“Say A Little Prayer” 

“Lean On Me”

“Open Arms”

“You Are So Beautiful”
“Bridge Over Troubled Water”
“Let’s Stay Together”
“Torna a Surriento”

Producers: Klaus Ulrich and Jürgen Hohmann for Maxi Media Entertainment Production. A presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG.

DVDs & CDs of this program are available when you support WLIW21.

New Public Television Special Chronicles Irish Music’s Global Impact

Premieres nationwide March 2010 on public television (check local listings)

Upcoming WLIW21 airdates | More airdates on public television

Grammy Award-winner Moya Brennan hosts, exclusive interviews and performances by The Chieftains, Riverdance’s Michael Flatley, U2, Pete Seeger, Sinéad O’Connor, the late Liam Clancy, and others

Donate now for related DVDs & CDs

Music of Ireland – Welcome Home tells the definitive story of contemporary Irish music, focusing on the Emerald Isle’s greatest musical exports, their influence on America and the music’s global impact. Hosted by Clannad’s Grammy Award-winning Moya Brennan, the performance documentary features six Grammy Award winners, Academy Award and Golden Globe winners, and three Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. Produced by the Elevation Group’s Denny Young – an American music and television production veteran who has produced special concert events for Duran Duran, Seal, LeAnn Rimes, Counting Crows, and many others, Music of Ireland – Welcome Home premieres nationwide March 2010 on public television (check local listings). The program is a presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG and is sponsored in part by Barnes & Noble and Tourism Ireland.

Beginning in 1960 with the Clancy Brothers, Music of Ireland – Welcome Home traces the origins of Irish music, and features exclusive interviews with U2’s Bono and Adam Clayton, Michael Flatley and Bill Whelan of Riverdance, Live Aid and Band Aid founder Bob Geldof of The Boomtown Rats, Sinéad O’Connor, Pete Seeger, The Chieftains’ Paddy Moloney, former Celtic Woman Órla Fallon, Black 47’s Larry Kirwan, six-time Academy Award-nominated director Jim Sheridan, the late Liam Clancy in his final U.S. television interview, and many other Irish musicians, scholars, journalists, and producers. Brennan, Enya’s eldest sister, conducts intimate interviews that weave a thread of connections and themes, both past and present, that link Ireland’s unique and sizeable contribution to both the music world and the creative arts – from rock to folk, country to classical, dance, film, and literature. Revealing stories include Seeger’s discovery of Irish music, Bob Dylan educating Bono on the Clancy Brothers and the McPeake family, the inspiration behind Van Morrison’s music and lyrics, Riverdance’s beginnings, and The Chieftains’ early days.

Never-before-seen performances by U2 and Friends, Clannad, The Dubliners’ John Sheahan, Paddy Moloney and Moya Brennan, the McPeake Family, and an authentic Dublin pub session combine with vintage clips of The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem and The Dubliners on The Ed Sullivan Show, Judy Collins playing music from the ‘old country,’ The Pogues and Van Morrison with The Chieftains on RTE’s Late, Late Show, and Riverdance’s debut at Eurovision to illustrate the full breadth of the Irish musical spectrum. Music of Ireland – Welcome Home is directed by four-time Emmy Award-winner Philip Marshall, a former senior producer and director at THIRTEEN/WNET and current executive producer of national productions for Maryland Public Television.

“This is about a country, its people, their undeniable spirit and the amazing music that has transcended generations. There is no place like Ireland,” stated Executive Producer Denny Young. “For such a small country to produce such amazing talent and the way their music defines the people, is just extraordinary. It has fascinated me for most of my life and is something I wanted more people to be in tune with.”

“This has been an amazing journey so far,” commented Moya Brennan. “Never in my 40 years of working in the Irish music community had I totally recognized the impact we have all had on the world generally and in America specifically. And I must say, it has been a real treat to be on the other side of the camera talking to Glen, Damien, Paddy, Sinead, Bono, Adam and so many others.”

Music of Ireland – Welcome Home’s companion CD is sure to provide the soundtrack for generations of Irish music, collaboration and spirit. Produced by acclaimed producer John Reynolds (U2, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, Björk, Dido), the companion CD features new material by Grammy Award-winners Moya Brennan, Sinéad O’Connor and The Chieftains, Academy Award-winner Glen Hansard (The Swell Season), Damien Rice, former Irish Tenor Ronan Tynan, Andrea Corr, Damien Dempsey, Shane MacGowan (The Pogues), The Hothouse Flowers, Órla Fallon, the late Liam Clancy, Paul Brady, John Sheahan, Donal Lunny and Andy Irvine, and a special track by Anúna featuring Moya Brennan and Afro Celt Sound System’s Iarla Ó Lionáird.

“We’ve made a great CD,” enthused John Reynolds. “We have several Grammy Award-winning and Academy Award-winning artists collaborating with each other to make a totally diverse and an extraordinarily special collection of musical tracks. I am honored to be involved with the project.” The Music of Ireland – Welcome Home CD and a DVD of the program bundled with an exclusive public television bonus CD will be available during public television broadcasts to viewers who make a donation in support of their local station. The exclusive public television bonus CD features Moya Brennan, Órla Fallon, Ronan Tynan, and others, and will also be available online at wliw.org/musicofireland.

“Public television audiences have had a long love affair with Irish music,” said Gillian Rose, Head of Distribution for WNET.ORG. “Music of Ireland – Welcome Home brings traditional artists like The Chieftains together with contemporary phenomena like Celtic Woman, Riverdance and U2 – one of the world’s biggest rock bands – to celebrate this country’s incredible contribution to music. Educating audiences while entertaining, that’s what we do best.”

A sequel to Music of Ireland – Welcome Home is planned for late 2010 spotlighting more recent artists including U2, Celtic Woman, The Cranberries, The Corrs, The Irish Tenors, and singer/songwriters like Glen Hansard and Damien Rice, as well as the rise of Irish music festivals and the use of Irish music in film and television. For more information, visit musicofireland.com.

A production of the Elevation Group. Executive Producer: Denny Young. Director: Philip Marshall. A presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG. Funded in part by Barnes & Noble and Tourism Ireland.