Liz Carroll & John Doyle

“ … a rich and varied collection of reels, jigs, hornpipes, airs, waltzes, polkas spiritedly played with élan, care and precision. You don’t have to be Irish to value the artistry here, any more than one has to be Gaelic to appreciate the smoothness of good Irish whiskeys. And like a good shot of Bushmill or Jameson, the blended musical flavors of Carroll and Doyle goes down easy and still has a kick to it.”
- Pop Matters

“ … a duo in every sense of the word here: synaptic in communication, instinctive in reaction, tight in execution, rich in ideas, and unabashedly having a ball.“
- The Irish Echo

Separately, they are exciting performers who take Irish music in daring, inventive new directions. Together, Liz Carroll and John Doyle are a tour de force...their music fiery and passionate, cutting edge, and altogether stunning. Their concerts are a feast of gorgeous tunes, songs, and striking musicianship served with a dash of good humor and aplomb.
Liz Carroll has been amazing audiences since she won the Senior All-Ireland Fiddle Championship at the young age of 18. She first toured the U.S. with The Greenfields of America, a veritable who’s who of the best Irish musicians and dancers in the United States, including Mick Moloney and Michael Flatley. She has been a huge and revered presence ever since, performing at festivals and concerts worldwide. Liz has appeared on numerous recordings but it is her own compositions, recorded by so many others, that garner her the adoration of so many of her peers. Many of Liz’s tunes have become part of the modern repertoire of Irish music, a rare feat indeed. Her tunes have most recently been covered by Irish groups Dervish and Four Men and a Dog, by soloists Sharon Shannon, Frankie Gavin, and Michael McGoldrick, and by American Darol Anger’s American Fiddle Ensemble. Liz’s recordings include the first Cherish the Ladies album, two albums with the group Trian, and four solo albums (Liz Carroll, 1988, was chosen a Select Recording of the Library of Congress; Lost in the Loop, 1999, won the Indie Award for Best Celtic/British Isles Recording). Liz has twice been named one of Irish-America’s Top 100. In 1994 Liz was honored by the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) with America’s highest honor for traditional artists - the National Heritage Award. Given that Liz is one of the youngest people to ever receive this honor speaks to her respected place in Irish music today.
John Doyle is one of the most talented and innovative musicians (as well as one of the busiest) to come out of Ireland. With over 100 album appearances under his belt, John has soared to the top of Irish music worldwide. John is a founding member of the Grammy-nominated and twice Indie award-winning group, Solas. In 2000 John joined Riverdance star and friend, Eileen Ivers, for a series of tours, writing, and recording. Since then he has recorded two highly acclaimed solo records, (Evening Comes Early, 2001, Shanachie, and Wayward Son, 2005, Compass Records). He is widely regarded as the finest guitarist in Irish music and in recent years has become well known as a singer, songwriter, and producer with exquisite taste and skill. John’s signature driving sound is likely the most emulated in Irish music. John has toured, recorded, and/or performed with such stars as English luminaries Linda Thompson and Kate Rusby, American bluegrass/Americana and Grammy winners Tim O’Brien and Alison Brown, as well as Celtic greats Cathie Ryan, Athena Tergis, Michael Black, Seamus Egan, John McCusker, Julie Fowlis, Karan Casey - the list goes on.
In 2007 Liz and John performed in Canada, Ireland, England, Scotland, France, and Denmark. They appeared on the Violin Shop’s Fiddle Masters Concert Series, Vol. II DVD alongside fiddle greats Darol Anger, Sara Watkins, Luke Bulla, and Stuart Duncan. Their album, In Play, was The Irish Times’ pick for one of the best albums of 2005, and 2008 will mark the release of a new album from this duo.