Last night was special because I was able to pick and eat the very first ripe tomatoes of the season from our small garden. The plant that is furthest along in terms of ripe tomatoes is the ‘Lemon Boy’ variety, which is a yellow tomato. Keegan and Michele agreed with me that it tasted very delicious, a milder, less acidic flavor than many of the red varieties.
Also yesterday it was announced that Tommy Makem had died. Many of you may know who he was, but some of you may not. He was a member of the Irish folk music group known as ‘The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem.’ I’m not sure how it started but in my family, we grew up listening to this group and some other, similar groups of Irish musicians. I have a strong affinity for Irish folk music as a result. Many of the piano pieces I like to play best are Irish folk music, including pieces they are known to have sung and played. Tommy and the Clancy Brothers were incredibly talented and their music will always be a favorite of mine.
I wanted to let you know that on Saturday, August 11, The 2007 ICONS Festival will host a tribute to world-acclaimed Irish Singer Tommy Makem, who passed away earlier this week. The tribute will take place at 8:00 PM at the Abbey Stage on the festival grounds in Canton, Massachusetts.
Makem was originally listed as part of the line-up for the 2007 ICONS Festival, which celebrates the Irish culture through music, dance, literature, sports and much more, but because of poor health, he had to withdraw from the lineup several weeks ago. Now,
noted Irish musician and recording artist Mick Moloney and Irish Echo columnist Earle Hitchner will host the tribute which will feature performances from Irish singers Niamh Parsons, Jimmy Crowley, Heidi Talbot of the group Cherish the Ladies, and Cathy Jordan of the Sligo-based band Dervish.
If you are interested in attending the ICONS festival and the tribute, please visit our website at http://www.iconsfestival.com for more details.