Artist description Tommy Byrnes is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and performer whose love of traditional Celtic music infiltrates his dense and complex compostitions

Music Style Celtic-influenced rock and folk

Artist History Tommy Byrnes, multi-instrumentalist, composer and recording artist began playing guitar in 1970, at the age of ten. After the cursory learning of standard guitar fundamentals, he "discovered " the blues, listening to the likes of Big Bill Broonzy, Lightning Hopkins, Blind Lemon Jefferson, B.B. King and other players. In 1976 he joined an all-originals rock band, Liberty, which played in clubs and outdoor events around the Connecticut shore area where he is from. In 1978 he formed the band Above The Timberline which substituted acoustic instruments for electric. Around this time he began exploring the techniques of open tunings for guitar. Different tunings allowed him to play diverse styles, from the blues he cut his teeth on to Baroque instrumentals using complex finger styles. He was also beginning a love affair with Celtic music, which continues to this day. He headed to Ireland the following year to live in Dublin and emerse himself in the music scene. He performed and taught while there and played both solo and in various bands. Tommy has subsequently returned to Ireland three other times to live and play in a wonderful musical environment. In 1989 Tommy formed the critically acclaimed band Ockham's Razor, which incorporated Celtic, rock and folk musical influences into original compositions. Tommy left the band late in 2001 to spend more time on his solo recording and performing career. Tommy plays a wide variety of instruments which includes guitar, bass, tin whistle, bodhran (the traditional Irish hand drum), highland bagpipes, keyboards, mandolin, tenor banjo, drums, various hand percussion instruments and others. He teaches guitar, bass tin whistle and bodhran at Gribbons Music in Greenfield, MA. Tommy runs Abhainn Music Services, Saiorse Recording Studio (pronounced say-are-shah) and Abhainn Records, an independent record label. He lives with his wife, Jessica and son Iain in western Massachusetts.

Instruments Guitar, bass, drums, tin whistles, flutes, highland bagpipes, keyboards, mandolin, bodhran

Albums Alehouse Insurrections

Location Bernardston, MA - USA

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