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Roger Drawdy & the Firestarters

Celtic Rock - Irish Rock - Roots Music Created with Fire and Intensity

Roger Drawdy & the Firestarters are a six-piece Irish/Celtic rock band, that formed in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the year 2000.

The band has released four studio albums, Touched By The Sun, Open Seas Empty Skies, Hallowed Ground, Pour Me Another One, as well as one live album Live Fire, and a DVD, Hallowed Ground - the Video that was originally release at the IMAX Theater within the Indiana State Museum, downtown Indianapolis. They are renown for.

Members choice TOP CELTIC ROCK GROUP for 2010 by the Irish Music Association

Biography

Roger Drawdy and the Firestarters are Irish rockers renowned for their stirring live performances full of passion and energy that engage the audience, and entice involuntary toe tapping with each song. The Firestarters repertoire includes a variety of original material, mixed with occasional classic traditional Irish pub songs. Roger Drawdy’s original songs each tell a story of life in Ireland and in general, with subjects ranging from fishing, to love, and the continuing struggles for the classic Druid harmony with our environment. The end result to a Firestarters performance is an audience shouting for more.

Roger Drawdy's west County Cork background, thoughtful lyrics and trained vocal qualities have made him a stand out within the Celtic music community. Raised near the small fishing village of Baltimore, south of Skibereen, he's fished the rough waters of the Celtic Sea and northern Atlantic for hake and cod, sheared his grandfather’s sheep, had his knuckles swatted by the Christian brothers, and experienced life within the rebel county. Heavily influenced by his grandfather who himself was known to break into song at the pub, along with being a masterful seanachi (storyteller), Roger combined those rich experiences into writing his original music and the interpretations of lively traditional pub songs. The result is very genuine music delivered with fire and intensity.

Audiences experiencing Firestarters shows have been enthralled by the enthusiastic intensity the band emanates onstage throughout their exciting original music and traditional songs specially arranged by Roger and the group.

As Jimmy Buttimer, Entertainment Director for the Savannah Irish Festival 2010 wrote: "They light up the stage with original songs, excellent musical skills and pure joy. This band is about passion and engagement with the audience. They will bring an audience of their own and win the rest."

Irish Singer/Songwriter Roger Drawdy and his band the Firestarters play a mix of Traditional and original music with a distinctive sound. "Air punching acoustic rockers" is how Irish Music Magazine described The Firestarters' intensity. Thought provoking lyrics, haunting melodies, and thunderous live performances are the keys to their success. The Firestarters formed in 2000 and have played in numerous venues throughout the US. Drawdy's prolific songwriting promises to take them to the top of the world/roots music scene. Before forming the Firestarters, Roger released two solo albums, "Longing for Home" and "Dance in the Heather." He gained international attention with the release of his track "For Erin's Sake" on the "Trees are Life" CD produced in Dublin, Ireland by the Earth Wisdom Foundation. Together with the Firestarters he has released five CD's: "The "Emancipated Hostage" in 2000, "Touched by the Sun" in 2001, "Live Fire" in 2003, "Open Seas, Empty Skies" in 2005, "Hallowed Ground" in November, 2007, and their very latest release "Pour Me Another One" in 2010. The band is back in the studio creating another album of all original music for release in 2011.

Members

Current members

The FireStarters are:

Roger Drawdy – vocals, guitar
John McBride – bodhrán, vocals
Ric Smith – violin, viola
Eric Sayer – bass, tin whistle, Irish flute, accordion
Keri McBride – vocals, tambourine
Mark Milliron – drums, percussion

Former members

Robert Pinkerton – bodhrán
Justin Lynch – guitar, vocals
Aaron Zlatkin – bass, vocals
Kathy Woods – violin, vocals

Discography

Discography: Longing for Home**, released 1998 Dance in the Heather**, released 2000 Emancipated Hostage, released 2001 Touched by the Sun, released 2001 Live Fire, released 2003 Open Seas, Empty Skies, released July 2005 Hallowed Ground, released November 2007 Pour Me Another One, released August 2010

- Roger Drawdy solo projects

Performance venues include

Rocky Mountain Irish Festival Loveland, CO Savannah Irish Festival Savannah, GA Dublin Irish Festival Dublin, OH North Texas Irish Festival Dallas, TX Dayton Celtic Festival Dayton, OH Milford Music Festival Milford, PA Painesville Party in the Park Painesville, OH Irish Summer Fest Wildwood, NJ AOH National Convention Cincinnati, OH Louisville Irish Festival Louisville, KY Ft. Wayne Highland Games Ft. Wayne, IN Fairfield County Irish Festival Fairfield, CT Kentucky Celtic Fest Eminence, KY Cincinnati Celtic Festival Cincinnati, OH Notre Dame University South Bend, IN Whitemarsh Concert Series Baltimore, MD Ohio Irish Festival Cleveland, OH Leopalooza Indianapolis, IN Shamrock Club of Ohio Columbus, OH Evening in Ireland Augusta, GA Sunshine Concert Series Mason, OH Middletown Music Festival Middletown, OH IMAX Indy Museum Center Indianapolis, IN

Irish and Celtic Festivals, Music Festivals, Folk Festivals and Events, Music Halls, AOH Special Events, and everything in between...