January 14, 2004
CONTACT: LISA WOSKE
805/756-7110
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Canadian Celtic Band Comes to Cal Poly February 3
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA -- Leahy, the awe-inspiring eight-member
brother and sister act from Canada, are a whirlwind triple threat of
fiddle-driven Celtic music, dance, and vocals.
Cal Poly Arts presents the celebrated group on Tuesday, February 3, 2004
at 8 p.m. at the Christopher Cohan Center.
"Ferocious and extremely energetic…FOUR STARS!" (Chicago Sun-Times)
At the center of the group is oldest brother Donnell, who is
internationally-proclaimed as one of the best fiddle players on the
music scene today.
The Leahy Clan grew up in Lakefield, Ontario. Each of the Leahy children
learned to play fiddle from their father, while their mother -- a
champion step-dancer born and raised in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia --
taught them to sing, dance and play piano.
The siblings gained popularity touring as the "Leahy Family,"
and their
recognition increased with the release of a student documentary about
the family, entitled "Leahy: Music Most of All." The film won
an
Academy Award in 1985 for Best Foreign Student Film.
In 1996, the group made their mark on the Canadian recording scene with
the release of their debut self-titled CD. Subsequent touring earned
Leahy a total of three Juno Awards – as Best Instrumental Group
and Best
New Group in 1997, and an award for Best Country Group or Duo in 1998.
It was during the 1998 Juno Award telecast that Leahy’s live performance
was seen by pop/country star Shania Twain, who invited the group to
join her upcoming two-year worldwide tour.
Leahy was catapulted into an international spotlight, performing in
stadiums and amphitheatres where they were rewarded with standing
ovations every night. Leahy played 175 tour dates with Twain
and appeared on her two U.S. television network specials.
In 2001, Leahy released their second CD, "Lakefield," which
reached
sales over 400,000. Leahy will release their third studio album next
month, "In All Things," which showcases the group's genuine
love of a
diverse range of music and their unique creativity.
"The title 'In All Things,' refers to music," explains Erin
Leahy. "It
is our spirit, it is how we are connected, it is a reflection of our
experiences throughout life."
Tickets for the performance range from $22 - $34, with student discounts
available, and may be purchased at the Performing Arts Ticket Office,
10
a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. To order by
phone, call 805/756-2787; to order by fax: 805/756-6088. Order on-line
at www.pacslo.org.
Sponsored by L.R. Baggs and KCBX 90.1 FM.
For audio and video samples of Cal Poly Arts events, visit
www.calpolyarts.org.
- 30 -