The Elders were founded in 1998 by six individuals with a passion for music rooted in Americana and Celtic folk rock. From the beginning The Elders seemed to be channeling something ancient and enduring – something unaffected by fads, trends and the giant maw of mind-numbing commercialism. Their ability to bring together the art of story telling with elements both musically progressive and rooted in tradition, has won them a broad international fan base, as well as critical acclaim in numerous publications such as PASTE Magazine, Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange, Music Row Magazine, Goldmine Magazine, TRAD Magazine (France), Chicago Sun-Times, Kansas City Star and many more.
Story Road, the 7th studio album, builds upon The Elders song writing reputation. The songs reflect delightful and often educational story lines, with vibrant narratives that explore history, legends, tall tales and true life experiences. In addition to band’s trademark mesh of styles & textures, and lush, soaring vocals, the album features three barn-burning instrumentals.
Their critically acclaimed albums serve as reflections of the group dynamic, but fans who are wild about The Elders can tell you that the real magic happens on stage, where their powerful personal and musical chemistry forges a deep sense of community with their audience. During the upbeat numbers, everyone is shouting gleefully, singing along and dancing as the band stirs up their latest moment of wild abandon. During the historical story songs, the crowd is rapt, hanging on singer Ian Byrne’s every turn of poignant or whimsical phrase. There are mournful ballads along the way, but the crowd always knows there will be redemption in the end.
The Elders have headlined major Celtic Festivals in North America and Europe. For the past 12 years they have sponsored a tour of Ireland in which fans are invited to join in on an extraordinary 13 day excursion visiting historical and geographical sights during the day and gathering at a local pub or ballroom at night for pints and performances by the band.
THE ELDERS ARE:
Diana Ladio – fiddle
Brent Hoad – vocals, keyboards, fiddle, guitar
Norm Dahlor – vocals, bass, guitar, banjo
Kian Byrne – drums, bass, mandolin
“The key to the band’s success is in its flawless blending of the Celtic storytelling tradition with contemporary instrumentation and, perhaps more importantly, their ability to write original songs that sound as timeless and authentic as the ancient jigs and reels that have inspired them.” – Paste Magazine
