Cathie Ryan

Beloved Irish American singer, Cathie Ryan, original lead singer for the group Cherish the Ladies, has created the definitive Irish/Celtic Orchestral Pops program. Most recently, she has taken her fabulous show to the Rochester Philharmonic, Vancouver Symphony, Dayton Philharmonic, Hartford Symphony and New Jersey Symphony.

Cathie Ryan’s Pops programs feature a blend of Irish traditional, contemporary and original songs mixed with rousing jigs, reels and exuberant Irish step dancing. Her shows are a true celebration of Irish American music – no clichéd songs of shamrocks and leprechauns – but music that speaks to the heart.

Celebrated musician and conductor Jeff Tyzik has arranged all of Cathie’s music with a deep respect for the roots of the Irish tradition and a first hand awareness of how to perfectly translate that to a symphony orchestra. Cathie is renowned not only for the purity of her voice but also for her captivating story telling. Her tales about her Irish family, her childhood in Ireland and her humorous take on Irish culture add depth and breadth to her music.

The award-winning Cathie Ryan Band is comprised of three outstanding musicians and two championship step-dancers. Patsy O’Brien from County Cork provides guitar accompaniment that deftly moves from delicate and tender to foot stomping, Patrick Mangan, star fiddle player and musical director of Riverdance, drives the Irish instrumentals, and Brian Melick, world music percussion virtuoso, gives the band’s sound a clever and distinctive edge.

As the Irish Echo noted, “Cathie Ryan certainly knows how to communicate with her audience. And what she communicates through song are the enduring values of home, family, memory, and spirit.” “One of the leading voices in Celtic Music.” The L.A. Times

For over twenty-five years, including five solo albums, countless musical collaborations, and multiple awards, Cathie Ryan has been in the vanguard of Irish music. She is blessed with a voice of luminous clarity and a gift for unearthing gems from the Irish and American song traditions, creating her own heart-stirring originals and for showcasing writers whose work deserves wider recognition. Wrap this musical integrity into a consummate entertainer and it is no wonder the Wall Street Journal calls her music, “a revelation.”

The Cathie Ryan Band has built a loyal following by touring internationally and singing “songs of the heart” at performing arts centers, festivals, folk clubs, and with symphony orchestras. They have been featured on national and public television throughout the world. Their radio highlights include NPR’s Mountain Stage and Thistle and Shamrock, PRI’s The World, BBC in England and Northern Ireland, Radio Scotland, and RTÉ and RnaG in Ireland.

Cathie’s latest CD, Through Wind and Rain, has brought her music to a much wider audience. Cathie continues to be one of the most important voices in Irish music. Irish America Magazine twice named her one of the “Top 100 Irish Americans” and Chicago’s Irish American News has twice honored her as “Irish Female Vocalist of the Decade.”

“Anyone wondering what constitutes excellence in Irish American singing today need only attend a Cathie Ryan concert.” The Wall Street Journal