St. Patrick's Day 2013

Clockwise: Feargal Sharkey; The Pogues; Mary Black; and The Corrs.

Last night I focused on traditional Irish singers, but tonight I am taking a look at some Irish singers that fit into a more contemporary description, who normally make Rock and Pop music. While I was tempted to once again include Sinéad O'Connor, I opted to let her music posted this morning to be her contribution to the holiday. I will start off with one performer I followed since the late 1970s, when he was the lead singer of the punk band The Undertones. The band was amazing, and I was sad when they broke up in 1983. But lead singer Feargal Sharkey made a few Pop albums before he retired as a performer to working in the industry, with jobs from developing artists to running a record label. In 1992, Feargal was still working on a solo career, and he released the album 'Songs From The Mardi Gras'. On it, he included this version of "She Moved Through The Fair", a traditional Irish song.

The Pogues came together in 1982, ready to take the Punk world by storm. They had their own spin on the music, making a Celtic Punk that fused traditional Celtic sounds with the Punk sensibilities. And they were never afraid to take on some traditional Irish music, as they did on their 1988 release, 'If I Should Fall From Grace With God'. They recorded a medley made up by the traditional songs "The Recruiting Sergeant/The Rocky Road to Dublin/The Galway Races". Listen and enjoy.

The Corrs were a family act formed in 1990, with sisters Andrea, Caroline, Sharon joined by brother Jim Corr to make some great music. Their op sound was certainly flavored with their Celtic roots, with songs like "Breathless" and "Dreams" making the late 1990s and early 2000s a great time for their careers. At this time, the band is on hiatus, as the members look to solo projects and their families. But in 2005, the band released the album 'Home', a collection of traditional Irish songs. Among the songs was the beautiful "Old Hag".

Mary Black was born to a musical family, her father a fiddler and mother a singer. In fact, her siblings are also musically inclined. In 1975, Mary began singing with some groups, mostly making Folk music. After several years, Mary struck out on her own, fusing her traditional background with strong Pop sensibilities. Her popularity grew in Ireland, and soon she was touring not just her homeland, but around the world. With this exposure, Black gained popularity in the United States as well. With the release of "A Song For Ireland" in 1998, it seemed like the country has a new song to get behind. Enjoy Mary Black singing "A Song For Ireland".

Hope you had a great St. Patrick's Day.