The Chieftains - The Long Black Veil (1995)

The Chieftains are a traditional Irish band formed in Dublin in November 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Sean Potts and Michael Tubridy. The band had their first rehearsals at Moloney's house, with Tubridy, Martin Fay and David Fallon. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous with traditional Irish music and they are regarded as having helped popularise Irish music across the world.

The Long Black Veil is an album by the traditional Irish folk band The Chieftains. Released in 1995, it is one of the most popular and best selling albums by the band. It reached number 17 in the album charts. The band teamed up with well-known musicians such as Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones and Van Morrison. The album went gold in the U.S. and Australia, and Double-Platinum in Ireland. One of the tracks, "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?", sung and written by Van Morrison, won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals in 1996.
Credited collaborators include Marianne Faithfull, Mark Knopfler, Mick Jagger, Ry Cooder, Sinéad O'Connor, Sting, The Rolling Stones, Tom Jones, Van Morrison and Arty McGlynn.
The Tennessee Waltz/Mazurka was recorded at Frank Zappa's studio not long before he died. There is video evidence (available as a bootleg called 'Salad Party') that additional material was recorded during this session, though The Chieftains have not released this material
Instead of changing their sound to accommodate the talents of their guests, the band plays it straight. As always, their performance is superb; what is surprising is how well the pop stars sing Celtic material. None of the guest singers sound displaced or uncomfortable, which is largely due to the sympathetic performances of the Chieftains. In fact, the pairings work so well that Long Black Veil doesn't sound like an effort to broaden their audience; rather, it sounds completely natural.

Track listing

01. "Mo Ghile Mear" (Our Hero)  (with Sting & Anúna)  - 3:22
02. "The Long Black Veil"  (with Mick Jagger)  - 3:38
03. "The Foggy Dew"  (with Sinéad O'Connor & Ry Cooder)  - 5:20
04. "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?"  (with Van Morrison)  - 4:40
05. "Changing Your Demeanour"  - 3:16
06. "The Lily of the West"  (with Mark Knopfler)  - 5:10
07. "Coast of Malabar"  (with Ry Cooder)  - 6:01
08. "Dunmore Lassies"  (with Ry Cooder)  - 5:14
09. "Love Is Teasin'"  (with Marianne Faithfull)  - 4:36
10. "He Moved through the Fair"  (with Sinéad O'Connor)  - 4:54
11. "Ferny Hill"  - 3:43
12. "Tennessee Waltz/Tennessee Mazurka"  (with Tom Jones)  - 3:58
13. "The Rocky Road to Dublin"  (with The Rolling Stones)  - 5:06

The Chieftains
Martin Fay - fiddle
Seán Keane - fiddle
Kevin Conneff - bodhrán, vocals
Matt Molloy - flute
Paddy Moloney - uilleann pipes, tin whistle
Derek Bell - harp, tiompán, keyboards

Additional personnel
Colin James - guitar, mandolin
Dominic Miller, Paul Brady, Arty McGlynn, Foggy Little - guitar
Kieran Hanrahan - banjo
Terry Tulley - Scottish pipes
Carlos Nunez - Galician pipes
Brendan Begley, James Keane, Martin O'Connor - accordion
Steve Cooney - didgeridoo
Wally Minko - piano
James Blennerhassett, Ned Mann - acoustic bass
Joe Csibi, Darryl Jones, Nicky Scott - bass
Noel Eccles, Tommy Igoe, Liam Bradley - drums
Jean Butler - foot percussion
Anuna Choir, Brian Masterson - background vocals
The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, Sting, Ry Cooder, Mark Knopfler, Sinead O'Connor, Phil Coulter, Marianne Faithfull, Tom Jones.
Producer - Paddy Moloney (with Chris Kimsey and Ry Cooder)

Notes
Release date: J anuary 24, 1995
Recorded:  1993-1994, Lake House Studio, England; Windmill Lane and Westland Studios, Dublin, Ireland; Clinton Recording Studios, New York; Utility Muffin Research Kitchen, Los Angeles, California
Genre:  Folk
Length:  58:51
© 1995

Label - RCA Victor Records