James Byrne

James Byrne was widely considered the premier modern exponent of the rich fiddle tradition of Ireland's County Donegal. Born An Beirneach in the southwest coastal town of Glencolmcille on January 1, 1946, he learned fiddle at the feet of his father John, a noted player in his own right -- both Byrnes adhered to the native Glencolmcille traditions of the 19th century, favoring the classic Donegal style with its aggressive bowing and emphasis on the bow's upward movement. The legendary fiddler John Doherty, who occasionally visited the Byrne family farm, was also a profound influence on James' musical evolution. Although Byrne followed family tradition and worked his entire life as a farmer, in his spare hours he continued refining his strong, technically precise fiddle playing. However, by the 1980s the old masters of Doherty's generation had died away and Donegal music was largely confined to a handful of regional pubs, even as acts including Planxty and the Bothy Band emerged as torchbearers for a new generation of traditional British and Irish folk. Word of Byrne's prowess nevertheless spread to Derry-born fiddler Dermot McLaughlin, producer of the Claddagh Records compilation The Brass Fiddle: Traditional Fiddle Music from Donegal -- the acclaimed 1988 album heralded Byrne's first official recording session, bringing him and fellow fiddlers Vincent Campbell, Con Cassidy, and Francie Byrne to worldwide attention. Byrne's first solo LP, The Road to Glenlough, followed in 1990, and around that same time, the Donegal folk group Altan, fresh off the success of its breakthrough effort, The Red Crow, adopted a number of his songs into their own repertoire. Byrne's commitments to his family and farm restricted him from touring, and for the most part his live performances were confined to local pubs -- he did appear at London's Return to Camden Town Festival, and was a regular contributor to the annual Glencolmcille arts project Ceol sa Ghleann. Alongside fellow Irish fiddler Tommy Peoples, Byrne also held master classes at Cairdeas na bhFidléiri Donegal Fiddlers Summer School, and in later years he and longtime partner Connie Drost launched their own summer fiddle program. Byrne died of a sudden heart attack on November 7, 2008. ~ Jason Ankeny