Solas
Solas (Irish for "light") formed in New York City in 1996 and quickly became one of the most admired groups in Irish traditional music, mixing reels and old songs with original writing shaped by country, rock and Americana.
- Formed
- 1996, New York City
- Founder
- Séamus Egan (flute, banjo, whistles, guitar and more)
- Original lineup
- Séamus Egan, Karan Casey (vocals), Winifred Horan (fiddle), John Doyle (guitar), John Williams (accordion)
- Status
- On hiatus from 2017; returned in July 2024, with a 30th-anniversary tour from spring 2025
How the band started
By 1996 Séamus Egan had already made two solo albums, scored a film and composed the tune that became Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You." He brought together singer Karan Casey from Waterford, New York fiddler Winifred Horan, guitarist John Doyle and accordionist John Williams. Because each was already well known, the press often called Solas a supergroup.
The lineup has changed over the years, with Egan and Horan as the constant core. The 2024 lineup lists Séamus Egan, Winifred Horan, John Williams, Alan Murray, and Nuala Kennedy or Moira Smiley on vocals.
Selected albums
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1996 | Solas |
| 1998 | The Words That Remain |
| 2002 | The Edge of Silence |
| 2008 | For Love and Laughter |
| 2013 | Shamrock City |
| 2016 | All These Years |
Why Solas matters
Solas showed that an American-based band could play Irish traditional music at the highest level and still write new material without losing the tradition's feel. Shamrock City is a good example: a whole album built around Irish emigrant life in America. If you're new to the music, start with the debut, then compare it with All These Years to hear how far the band travelled.
More Celtic and folk traditions: Celtic music · traditional folk songs