Faux Celtic Women Concert (Memphis)

Faux Celtic Women Concert 

(Photos by Lee Cagle)

Eva (Harp), Sharon (Fiddle), moi, Ilace (Hammered Dulcimer & Fiddle)

Last week's concert in Memphis at Germantown United Methodist's Church Chapel was not only a magical and fun event, it benefited the rebuilding efforts of St. James United Methodist and Peace Lutheran Churches in Joplin, Missouri, whose facilities were demolished in last spring's devastating tornado.

Instead of my description, however, I'm going to let Betty Westmoreland's review speak for itself: 

Review of The Faux Celtic Women First Annual One-Stop Faux Farewell Tour / Chapel, Germantown (TN) United Methodist Church / October 11, 2011 / by Betty Westmoreland

     It was a treat to catch the Faux Celtic Women's First Annual One-Stop Faux Farewell Tour on October 11, 2011. Donations were accepted for two churches that were destroyed in the tornado which demolished a good part of Joplin, MO. The chapel at the Germantown (TN) United Methodist Church was packed! The music was wonderful, and the audience let the musicians know it. 

The Faux Celtic Women are as follows:  Ilace Mears, Sharon Hailey, and Eva McPeters, each of whome has deep roots in Scotland and Ireland.

Eva, Sharon, Ilace

Ilace Mears explained that the difference between them and the Celtic Women of PBS and touring fame is that "the real Celtic Women sing and have swishy skirts!" 

The Faux Celtic Women delighted the audience with music on the hammered dulcimer, fiddles, and the harp. 

A Ship May Be Safe 

     The special guest for the evening was Steve Eulberg, from Ft. Collins, CO. Eulberg has participated in the Memphis Dulcimer Gathering & Folk Festival, which draws fans from far and wide to Memphis' Second Baptist Church on Walnut Grove Road. Lee Cagle is in charge of that annual late-September gathering and another similar festival in mid-winter.

Eulberg opened the evening with delightful banter and his expertise on guitar, mountain dulcimer, hammered dulcimer, and bodhran.

His program was as follows: a ship may be safe, rock on rock, Ferret Frolic (ferrets having their way with a dulcimer case), Mt. Jackson/Just a Sliver Short of Full, Girl from Ipanema, She Thinks My Dulcimer's Sexy (credits to Kenny Chesney), Sí Bheag, Sí Mohr (translation for non-Gaelic speakers: "Big Mountain, Little Mountain") Lullabye of Muffe, Swallowtail Jig, Never Alone (from stage show "Quilters," about quilting women of the 1800's), and i miss america (good message about remembering who we are and where we came from). 

The audience clapped, tapped their toes, sang along, and perhaps even shed a few tears at times during Steve Eulberg's segment of the show. 

The Faux Celtic Women performed the following songs: Rights of Man; Carrick Fergus; Miss McLeod's Reel; Ashokan Farewell, 

Ilace's medley of tunes: Bonaparte Crossing the Alps, O'Keefe's Slide, and The Braes of Tulliemet; The Emigrant's Farewell; Ash Grove; O Danny Boy; Skye Boat Song; Willafjord; Harvest Home; and their encore was the familiar tune, The Irish Washerwoman. 

The evening was sheer entertainment in a beautiful setting for a most worthy cause.  Follow Steve Eulberg...and catch the Faux Celtic Women when, and if, you can!


For More information:  Steve Eulberg:  http://www.steveeulberg.com and http://reverbnation.com/steveeulberg


Memphis/West TN Dulcimer Scene:  http://www.LeeCagleDulcimers.com and Lee@LeeCagleDulcimers.com  

To Donate to the rebuilding efforts of St. James United Methodist Church in Joplin, click here.

To Donate to the rebuilding efforts of Peace Lutheran Church in Joplin, click here.