Frankie Gavin

	Frankie Gavin was born in 1956 in Corrandulla, Co. Galway. He comes from a musical family: his father played fiddle, and, his mother and all of her family played also. He started music on the tin whistle at age four, making his first T.V. appearance three years later. Frankie began to play fiddle at ten and won the All-Ireland Junior fiddle championship at 17, later going on to win the flute championship having started that in his mid teens. Mainly learning by ear, he was strongly influenced by the 78 recordings of Michael Coleman and James Morrison. Sessions in the Cellar Bar, Galway and later in Hughes’ pub in Spiddal led to the formation of De Dannan in 1973. Frankie’s powerful virtuoso fiddle playing has always been at the core of the De Dannan sound. He has recorded 16 albums with the band, three solo albums, and three collaborations: one a tribute to Joe Cooley entitled ‘Omos do Joe Cooley’ with Paul Brock; a fine collaboration with fellow De Dannan member Alec Finn; and one with Stephane Grapelli exploring the languages of jazz and traditional musics. His most recent release is a 4-CD collection featuring further collaborations with Mairtin O’Connor, Gary Hastings, Stephane Grappelli and Joe Derrane Frankie has also guested with The Rolling Stones on their ‘Voodoo Lounge’ album, with Keith Richards on ‘Wingless Angels’ and with Earl Scruggs the great banjo man.