Page 19 - Phil Ivers benefit concert program DIGITAL_Neat

loved it because it could be happy or sad. for Grammy and Emmy awards, as well
It’s such an emotive instrument. I think as being a nine-time All-Ireland Fiddle
one reason I found the fiddle -or it found Champion.
me- is it’s amazing and cathartic to play.” Her recording credits include over 80
Her father worked in the airline industry, contemporary and traditional albums
which made it possible for the family to and numerous movie scores, including
travel between Ireland and America. Martin Scorsese’s “Gangs of New York.”
Ivers and her sister spend many of her “I have a wonderful job,” she said.
summers growing up staying with family
and playing with cousins in Ireland. When unIVERSal Roots takes the
stage
“We’d shoot out of school on the last day
and be on a plane for Ireland that night,” Her 30-year career includes work as
she said. “It was a great upbringing. composer, producer, songwriter, band
To know who we are and where we’ve leader and educator
come from is very powerful.” She will speak to the audiences about the

In her early teen years, Ivers joined her pieces they’re playing, which includes
friends and cousins in Ireland playing in traditional Irish, jazz, blues and world
an informal band that would perform in roots music.
pubs for one worthy cause or another. “I like to break the fourth wall,” she said.
With her skill and what she describes Her interest in multiple styles has been
as luck and good timing, it didn’t take with her from the start.
Ivers long to go from playing in pubs to “I think I’ve always been very much open
performing in large venues with well- to different avenues for music, different
known performers and shows. styles,” she said. “Life is always about

Along the way, she graduated with a learning and growing. That’s something
mathematics degree from Iona College that fuels me as a musician.”
in New York and has continued post- Like Ivers, the members of UnIVERSal
graduate work in the field. Roots are all multi-instrumentalists, and
When she found herself touring with band members Buddy Connolly, Matt
“Riverdance,” Sting, Hall and Oates, Mancuso, Lindsey Horner and Dave
The Chieftains and Patti Smith, among Barckow will join in her switching up
others, it was clear to Ivers which path styles and sounds.
she would take. Ivers said she is happy to bring the world
“I remember thinking, ‘Eileen, this is to her audiences, especially to help an
really it,’” she said. “I love what I do. I’m organization like the Phil.
passionate about it.” “I’ve had a lot of great opportunities,”
Since then, she has been nominated she said. “I’ve been so blessed.”

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