The Leahy siblings were raised on their family farm near Lakefield, Ontario, Canada. Ancestor Michael Leahy arrived in North America in 1825 from Ireland and brought with him a rich musical tradition that has passed down through the generations.
Each of the Leahy children learned to play the fiddle from their father, while their mother—who was raised in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia—taught them to sing, dance, and play the piano.
As teens, the siblings performed across Canada and quickly became favorites on the festival and fair circuit.
In the mid-1990s, a contract with Virgin Records saw their career skyrocket in dramatic fashion. Their 1997 eponymous album, Leahy, grabbed the public’s attention, and extensive touring (much of it as the opening act for fellow Canadian Shania Twain) boosted the band to phenomenal sales of double platinum (over 200,000) in Canada.
The album also sold impressively in the U.S. (where it reached No. 4 on the Billboard world music chart), Great Britain and Europe. Along the way, the group received three Canadian Juno Awards, for “Best Instrumental Group” and “Best New Group” in 1997, and took home the “Best Country Group or Duo” trophy the following year.
Commemorating the band’s hometown, Lakefield (2001) was Leahy’s second release, followed up in 2004 by In All Things.
To date Leahy has sold more than half a million albums worldwide. They have been featured in three PBS television specials – Leahy Live in Concert, Gael Force (with the Chieftains), and Leahy Live from Gatineau, Quebec – and are the subject of a 1985 Academy Award winning documentary, The Leahys: Music Most of All.
The 2020 album Good Water is the band’s most ambitious recording project to date, with a focus on Leahy’s original songwriting and instrumental compositions. The result is a wide-ranging collection that reflects the individual personalities that make up Leahy.
Discography:
Leahy (Virgin Music Canada, 1996)
Lakefield (Narada, 2001)
In All Things (Narada World, 2003)
Leahy Live (2006)
Handmade (2007), a double set that includes Lakefield and In All Things packaged together
Good Water (2020)
Official website: leahymusic.ca
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.