Abbots Cross
| Artistic Category | Artist |
|---|---|
| Collaborators | Michael Clancy - Irish flutes, Irish Bodhran, cajon Alan Booth - Vocals, Guitar |
| Career Level | Professional |
| Experienced With | Teaching engagements, Performances, Collaboration |
Abbots Cross is a Celtic music duo featuring Alan Booth on vocals and guitar and Mike Clancy on Irish flutes and percussion. The combination of Alan's rich vocals and Mike's jazz background makes for an exciting musical experience. An Abbots Cross set list includes traditional and modern Celtic songs and ballads, traditional jigs and reels with unique improvisation, and a little bluegrass thrown in for fun!
Abbots Cross has performed at Irish pubs, St. Patrick's Day events, private concerts, wineries, and festivals including The Pittsburgh Irish Festival, The Three Rivers Arts Festival, The Christmas In The Woods Festival, The Ligonier Highland Games, and The People's Holiday Market where we performed our instrumental Christmas CD, "Christmas Visions."
Over the years, Mike has shared the stage with Johnny Mathis at Heinz Hall and Al Martino at the Mountaineer. He also performed for several Broadway shows that have come to Pittsburgh such as Chicago (Heinz Hall), 42nd Street (The Benedum), and H.M.S. Pinafore (The O'Reilly Theater).
In addition to his Irish music project with Alan Booth, Mike currently plays saxophone and flute with RML Jazz, and Grammy-nominated Grkmania (a Slovenian polka band).
Alan Booth:
Alan has been around music since birth. Both of Alan's parents are retired public school music teachers. At age 5, piano lessons began. Piano led to guitar, which led to acoustic bass, which led to fiddle, which led back to guitar, which led to singing!
Alan has a passion for people and loves to sing and play along with new people he meets. He has volunteered singing and playing music at The Washington City Mission (Washington, PA), the Bidwell Street Highrise, the Pressley Street Highrise (both in Pittsburgh's Northside Neighborhood)...and even into the Mathare Valley slum of Nairobi, Kenya!
He is an alumnus of several Pittsburgh celtic bands.
Genres
- Acoustic
- Folk