Named after a traditional Irish jig, Cherish the Ladies initially won recognition as the first and only all-women, Irish-American traditional Celtic band. In a relatively short time, the group's members soon established themselves as musicians and performers without peer. With their unique blend of virtuosi instrumental talents, beautiful vocals, captivating arrangements and stunning step dancing, this powerhouse group combines all the facets of Irish traditional culture and puts them forth in an immensely humorous and entertaining package. Cherish the Ladies has been chosen "Best Musical Group of the Year" by the BBC and has recorded a dozen highly acclaimed albums, including the Grammy-nominated Celtic Album, a collaboration with the Boston Pops Symphony.

When describing Cherish the Ladies – the critics say it best…

They have grown from a one-time concert concept to an Irish traditional music sensation, literally the most successful and sought-after Irish-American group in Celtic music. Organized by folklorist/musician Mick Moloney and sponsored by the Ethnic Folk Arts Center and the National Endowment for the Arts, they began as a concert series featuring the brightest lights in Irish traditional music.

Joanie Madden (flute, whistles & harmony vocals)

JOANIE MADDEN is the Grammy Award winning whistle and flute player who has been the leader of Cherish the Ladies since its inception. Born in New York of Irish parents, she is the second oldest of seven children raised in a musical household; her mother Helen, a dancer of traditional sets hails from Miltown Malbay, County Clare and her father Joe, an All-Ireland Champion on the accordion, comes from Portumna in East Galway.
Joanie received her musical training early in life listening to her father and his friends play music at family gatherings and social events. She began taking lessons from Jack Coen, and within a few short years she had won both the world Championship on the concert flute and whistle. During that time, Joanie also became the first American to win the coveted Senior All-Ireland Championship on the whistle.

She has many awards and citations to her credit including; the youngest member inducted into the Irish-American Musicians Hall of Fame, recipient of the Wild Geese Award, voted one of the Top 100 Irish-Americans in the country and Traditional Musician of the Year, all for her contributions to promoting and preserving Irish culture in America.

She is in constant demand as a studio musician and has performed on over a hundred albums running the gamut from Pete Seeger to Sinead O'Connor. Joanie has played on three Grammy award-winning albums and her involvement on the Hearts of Space labels’ “Celtic Twilight” CD led to a platinum album with over 1,000,000 sales. In the past year she has toured with the Eagles’ Don Henley and was also a featured soloist on the final Lord of the Rings soundtrack.

She has recorded three highly successful solo albums; "A Whistle on the Wind", "Song of the Irish Whistle" (named the most successful whistle album in history selling over 280,000 copies) and "Song of the Irish Whistle 2".

Kathleen Boyle (piano)

IKathleen Boyle, from Glasgow, comes from a family steeped in the traditional music of Donegal. Her father Hughie is a talented musician and handed down his love of music to her. Kathleen is a talented pianist and accordion player and has won All-Scotland and All-Britain titles on both instruments. She has won All-Scotland and All-Britain titles on the accordion and piano. In 1999, she earned a degree from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama, becoming the first graduate of traditional music in Scotland. She now teaches at that revered institution. Kathleen tours with four bands, including Cherish The Ladie

In 1999 she made history as the first graduate of the traditional music academy in Scotland, receiving her degree from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Dance where she now lectures. Kathleen is also in demand as a tutor, regularly teaching at Feisean, Plockton Traditional Music school of Excellence, Comhaltas workshops and adjudicating Irish music competitions. A consummate performer, when not on tour with Cherish the Ladies, Kathleen can be found touring with other groups like Dochas, Tirconnail and St Roch's ceili band.

She has extensively toured the UK, America and Canada having performed at Festivals in Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Austria and Czech Republic. This past year, Kathleen released her first solo album An Cailin Rua which as been released to rave reviews.

Mirella Murray (accordian)

MIRELLA MURRAY grew up in Claddaghduff, near Clifden, on the north west coast of Connemara. Her father John Joe, a notable sean nós dancer, comes from Inishark Island and has a deep understanding of, and love for, traditional music. Mirella learnt the piano accordion from Mary Finn, herself a great player from the musical Finn family of Ballymote, Co. Sligo. She met up with fiddler Liz Kane from Letterfrack, and they played and learned a lot of their music together going through the Fleadh Cheoil competitions. They won the All-Ireland duet in 1995, while Mirella gained the title on the piano accordion that same year. The pair performed together for years and toured in France and in North America with Comhaltas. They formed the Hydledoodles, a short-lived band which featured at the Fiddle and Accordion festival in Shetland and returned to the Folk Festival there the following year.

Later Mirella teamed up with the great fiddle player Tola Custy from Co. Clare, since the pair have played all over Ireland and Europe on various tours and festivals. After many year of being coaxed by people they went on to make an album "Three Sunsets" which has received many rave review and was voted top five albums of 2002 by The Irish Times, they were one of the nominee's as 'Best Newcomers' by the Irish Music Magazine in 2003.

Mirella has also toured Austria with the Bumblebees; performed with harper Laoise Kelly at the International Women's Day Festival in Moscow; featured in the Galway Arts Festival 2001,2002 and 2003 with Laoise and young fiddler Michelle O'Brien; toured with various line-ups in Scandinavia, Switzerland, Spain and France; and also recorded with Laoise on the Geantraí Christmas Special 2001, TG4. From September to November 2002 Mirella joined up with the late Johnny Cunningham to perform in the theatrical production, "Peter & Wendy", winner of two OBIE Awards which Johnny composed the music and lyrics for this adaptation of J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan".

Mirella also has a flair for teaching, and it is a credit to her musicianship that two of her pupils have gained All-Ireland titles. She has accumulated a vast store of tunes from her travels, and musicians such as Sharon Shannon, Lunasa and the Bumblebees credit her as a source for many uncommon melodies.

Mary Coogan (guitar, banjo, mandolin)

MARY COOGAN was born in New York and also raised in a musical household. Her mother is from County Roscommon and her father is a first generation Irish-American accordion player. Mary is a self taught guitar, mandolin and banjo player. She began playing at an early age listening to various types of acoustic music and is a highly sought after accompanist.

She has just finished a recording with her father Jim titled "Passing Time" featuring renditions of tunes both old and new. Her first solo recording, "Christmas" has received rave reviews from fans and critics alike. In addition to her musical talents, she also holds her masters degree in education, and is named in Whose Who Among American Teachers and also holds her masters degree in education, and is named in Whose Who Among American Teachers.

Roisin Dillon (fiddle)

ROISIN DILLON was born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and has relocated to the United States. Her interest in music was mainly inherited from her father, Eamonn, who taught her the whistle at the tender age of 11. At the age of 13, Roisin placed 2nd in the All Irelands Competition on the tin whistle and was just picking up the fiddle as a primary instrument. At 15 she placed first in the Oireachtas Competition again on the tin whistle but since then she has been playing the fiddle exclusively. At 18 Roisin came to America for three months with a tour of musicians sponsered by "The International Fund for Ireland", and within a few years had decided to move permenantly to the U.S.
Since then she has had the fortune to share the stage with many great musicians and singers including Scottish born singer John MacDermott and the well known fiddler James Kelly. Her main musical influence has been the Northern style of fiddle playing from such greats as Johnny Doherty, Tommy Peoples, and Cathal Hayden.

 

Michelle Burke (vocals)

MICHELLE BURKE is the newest member of Cherish the Ladies. She grew up in the village of Ballynoe in East County Cork into a musical household where Irish ballads and folk songs were the norm. Her father had a local band that played weddings, dances and parties and as soon as Michelle was old enough she was traveling and singing with him.

Her love of music brought her to renowned music college University College Cork where Michelle graduated with a degree with honors in music and went on to further achievements when she earned her Masters degree in Traditional Irish Music and Song in University College Limerick. She now makes her home in Edinburgh, Scotland where she continues to perform with pianist James Ross whom she has toured extensively with. She continues to delve into other musical styles as she studies jazz singing, while teaching workshops to adult community groups and young folk where she develops their singing and confidence.

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