Organized in in 1985 by folklorist/musician Mick Moloney and sponsored by the Ethnic Folk Arts Center and the National Endowment for the Arts, they began as a concert series featuring the brightest lights in Irish traditional music. Though initially the group won recognition as the first and only all-women traditional Irish band, they soon established themselves as musicians and performers without peer and have won many thousands of listeners and fans of their music.

With their unique spectacular blend of virtuosi instrumental talents, beautiful vocals, captivating arrangements and stunning step dancing, this powerhouse group combines all the facets of Irish traditional culture and puts it forth in an immensely humorous and entertaining package. The past years have seen the group traveling all over North and South America, the United Kingdom and Europe performing in the finest concert halls and international festivals. They have been named Entertainment Group of the Year by the Irish Voice Newspaper and received the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall's International Group of the Year Award at the Celtic Connections Festival in Scotland.

They have shared the stage with such noted entertainers as James Taylor, Joan Baez, Emmy Lou Harris, The Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem, The Chieftains and dozens of symphony orchestras. The "Celtic Album", their collaboration with the Boston Pops Symphony led to a 1999 Grammy nomination. They have recorded seven highly acclaimed albums and have appeared on CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, Evening at Pops, C-Span, PBS and National Public Radio in the United States and on BBC and RTE radio and television overseas. At the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, they were chosen to represent Irish music and culture at the Official Cultural Olympiad.

The original musicians were Joanie Madden (flute, whistles), Mary Coogan (guitar), Maureen Doherty Macken (button accordion, whistle), Winifred Horan (fiddle, dancing feet), Siobhan Egan (bodhr?n), Eileen Golden (dancing feet).

The current line-up is:

Joanie Madden (flute, whistles & harmony vocals), Heidi Talbot (lead vocals, bodhran), Donna Long (piano, fiddle & harmony vocals), Mary Coogan (guitar, banjo, mandolin), Mirella Murray (accordion), and Roisin Dillon (fiddle).

Official Web Site: http://www.cherishtheladies.com

The Back Door (Green Linnet, 1992)

Out and About (Green Linnet, 1993)

New Day Dawning (Green Linnet, 1996)

On Christmas Night

The Girls Won't Leave the Boys Alone

Threads Of Time

At Home

Orchestra Bookings (Worldwide):
Columbia Artists Management LLC
165 W. 57th Street
New York, NY 10019-2276
Phone: + 1(212) 841-9562
+ 1(212) 841-9552
Faxsgates@cami.com

U.K. Booking Agency (except orchestra):
Central Music Agency
Hartfield House
202 Wells Rd.
Malvern Wells, Worcestershire WR14 1EH
UK
Contact: Suzi Glantz
Telephone: + 44 (0)16845 66102
cmamalvern@ntlworld.com