Country music with attitude!

 

Alan Begley - Songs/ guitar/vocals; Paul Madden – Drums/vocals; Joe Ryan - Pedal-steel;  Mick O’Doherty - lead guitar/vocals; Pat Courtney – Bass/vocals:

 

SpiritRiders are a Dublin based country 5 piece. Primarily a live act, our natural habitat would be pubs, clubs and outdoor festivals. We have no ambitions other than to be a great pub band and to have a little fun playing the music we love.

Our live set contains our own originals together with songs by Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Townes Van Zandt, Rodney Crowell, Guy Clark, J.J. Cale & John Prine.

History: Alan and the late Satch Wright from Nashville were musical partners for more than 20 years and founded the band in October 2008. Over the years since, it has evolved through the usual personnel changes into the current steady line-up. Sadly, Satch passed away in March 2013 but the band continues. All members are very experienced players with professional attitudes.

A constant series of gigs in Dublin and around Ireland has resulted in a tight sound and a continuous build-up of fans on our web-sites and at our gigs.

Our recordings have received international radio airplay in the U.S, Canada, UK, Germany, Norway & Australia.

Our debut album “SpiritRiders” is available on iTunes - Click here

Or hard copy CD by mail order from Click here

Tel: 00 353 87 9641644 email: humble@upcmail.ie

 

 

A brief history in pictures

First there were 2

In the late 80’s, a guy from Nashville and a guy from Dublin meet up at a songwriters night and start playing together

– the partnership continues for 20 years

Satch & Alan

then 3 –

in 2007 they decide some new blood is needed so

Al convinces old friend Col to come on board to play bass

. . . .nice glasses Col . . . .

then 4 thena drummer is needed so we borrow one from another band . . . .

that's him 2nd from left - sounds good so we start doing a few gigs . . . .

Alan, Paul, Col, Satch. 2008

then 5 Satch knows this pedal steel player from way back and this drummer from Cork . . . . . .

it really starts to cook . . . . . .

Al, Joe, Satch, Col, Arty. 2009

then 6 Al & Col know this keyboard player who can sing a bit too . . . . . . .

Joe Ryan – Pedal steel Kevin Strong – keys/vox Arty Lorigan – drums, Colin Griffith – Bass,

Alan Begley – Songs/Ac. Guitar/Vox, Satch Wright – El. Guitar/Vox

2010 As always happens, we go through some personnel changes..

Kev leaves and Vinnie O’Connor plays a few gigs

First Vinnie departs and sometime later Arty decides to move on..

Graham Nolan joins on keys & fiddle and very briefly, Cion O’Callaghan plays drums

Al, Col, Satch, Cion, Graham, Joe 2011

 

Then Vardan joins

Al, Joe, Col, Vardan, Graham, Satch 2011

 

2012 Graham departs. . . Paul Lynch joins on keys

Satch’s health has been slowly declining for some time. . .

And shortly after this photo was taken in July 2012, he is hospitalized for 6 weeks.

He returns. . .plays 3 more gigs ..and in October tells us “ I can’t do this shit no more”

A crisis band meeting decides to keep going. . . .

. . . and Mick comes on board to play lead guitar and Paul rejoins on drums. . .

Sadly, in March 2013, Satch passes away. . . .and we are devastated!

Nevertheless, the band keeps going. . . . .we play at Satch’s memorial gig

When Paul decides to move on, we decide to continue as a 5 piece..and we record our album

And when Col leaves to pursue other projects, Pat joins. .

This is the current line-up August 2014 – Al, Paul, Joe, Mick & Pat