Country Sound: the sound of music around the country

Country music has been a way of life for Matt Leavy from Athboy, Co Meath, for over three decades now. From his early days, he could not escape the fondness his parents had for the music that was such a part of their lives. His father Johnny was from Clonmellon across the border in Westmeath while his mother was a Moore from Athboy.

“My auntie Carmel was a great one for country music. At home, I remember my father turning off the television to listen to Paschal Mooney’s shows on RTÉ Radio. Paschal’s shows provided a great outlet for the Irish singers and they were almost the only shows on the national station that gave any credence to a music that was so close to the hearts of so many people,” says Matt.

“Hearing Philomena Begley, Big Tom, Ray Lynam, Larry Cunningham and so many others on the radio and loving their songs, little did I think back then that I would get to know all of them so well on a personal level in later years.”

Starting off

Matt “picked up” a guitar and soon learned the basics.

His first band was a three-piece with his neighbours and friends, Michael Bradley and Bernard Mullen.

“The Whitehorse was a great venue in Athboy back in those times. It was a big lounge and acts like Foster and Allen played there. We got a good few gigs there and I also filled in with other bands and stuff like that in the years that were to follow.”

Though? not from a farming background, Matt always had close and enduring friends from the farming circuit.

“My brother John, who died five years ago, worked on a local farm and I recall lending a hand on many occasions out on the farm and in the milking parlour.”

“I joined the local branch of Macra na Feirme and it was a great outlet for me. I took part in some of the singing competitions organised on a regional and national level by Macra.

“Eamon Cassells here in Athboy, who is still going strong, was one of the founder members of Macra in the area. He used to put on concerts maybe twice a year and I used to love taking part in them. In every parish there are always some special people and Eamon certainly has been one of those in my home parish.

“Apart from the music scene, the only other job I had was farm-related as I worked in the creamery in Athboy in the 1980s and came back to it again in the 1990s. It is long gone at this stage.”

Into the studio

The late 1980s saw a young Matt Leavy make his first venture into a recording studio.

“I recorded some songs with John Dee in his studio in Clane, Co Kildare. He had good contacts in RTÉ and I ended up getting a guest slot on the Bibi Baskin Show which was very popular.

“It was a huge thing at the time and gave me a good profile in the region and around the country. Bibi had a special way about her that appealed to a lot of country people. I still treasure the memories of that show.”

Matt later fronted his own band and they came to the attention of Kieran Cavanagh, the Sligo promoter who now handles the diary for Daniel O’Donnell.

“Kieran was very good to me and booked us to play support to Buck Owens, Slim Whitman and Tammy Wynette for their Irish tours. We played gigs from Belfast to Cork Opera House. Those were special times for all of us.”

One of Matt’s most popular songs is Who Left The Door To Heaven Open? and the video to accompany it was shot on location at Drewstown House in Co Meath.

“I came across it on You Tube and it was performed by Hank Thompson. It has been very good to me and has featured on several of the country shows on the Sky TV channels.”

Matt lists George Jones, Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens and George Jones among his favourite American country singers. Here at home, singers like Ray Lynam, Philomena Begley and Big Tom top his list.

“Big Tom was an absolute legend. Everyone loved him. I got to know him so well.”

These times Matt likes to keep most gigs within two hours of the family home in Athboy.

“I’ve been blessed that I can make a living from what I love doing best. It’s all I know and it is where I am happy and content.”

“Apart from the regular gigs, there are guest spots on various concert shows. There is also the big Dunderry Fair (Co Meath) in May and various other festival appearances as well. The country music scene has been good to me and I still enjoy the buzz as much as ever,” says the man from the Royal County.

Gavin Gribben from Mayobridge, Co Down is surely on the way up. The young singer was recently honoured with the Brian Coll Male Newcomer Award at the Northern Ireland Country Music Awards night, organised by Malcolm McDowell, in the Tullyglass Hotel in Ballymena, Co Antrim. He also picked up the accolade for the Best Single with his recording of the Pub Crawl song.

On his first visit to my shows in The Clayton Hotel in Galway last year, he received a standing ovation and also went down a treat on the show in the INEC in Killarney at the end of August. This young man is certainly going places on the music circuit.

Art Supple from Cork began his music career during the showband era of the 1960s. He fronted The Victors and they enjoyed great success around the country.

Now in his 80s, Art is still delivering in style and receiving standing ovations at many concerts. He has just recorded a lovely version of the Jerry Lee Lewis classic, What Made Milwaukee Famous, with a fine video to accompany it. What a legend!