The Drovers aren’t an easy band to pin down. Their “Celtic rock” is a combination of rock ‘n’ roll and updated traditional music driven by both rockabilly and Irish rhythms.
All six of these Chicagoans are either Irish or Irish-American, but their commitment and individual connections to traditional music are more than just an accident of birth. While Moore and O’Shea are the only Drovers who grew up in Ireland, the other members of the band have devoted much time and effort to learning the craft of Irish music.
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Cleland and Kirkpatrick express wonder at the response their music has drawn from local club audiences. “The things that’ll really get people moving are the traditional tunes,” says Kirkpatrick, “Sean will start up on a reel and the dance floor just fills up.” While it isn’t unusual to see some step dancing at a Drovers show, anything goes on the dance floor.
A few songs stand out among the Drovers’ dozen original works: “Leave It All Behind,” a fast-paced reel sung by O’Shea, “Cailin Alainn,” a powerful song with Gaelic lyrics, also sung by O’Shea, and the plaintive “See You Below in the Morning,” with Moore on lead vocals.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): photo/John Sundlof.
