Well, since the original thread has been hijacked by the “it’s the player not the whistle” crowd, perhaps this thread can continue the original discussion?
I’m compiling a list of what whistles are used by famous musicians. If anyone would like to add to the list (which will eventually be put on my website) please post what you know here. I am aware that this list will be somewhat apocryphal.
Thanks!
Alright. You’re right the other thread got hi jacked. Here are some common ones: Burkes, Gens, Cillian O’Brians Modified, and Grinters for lower Keys. Of course there are a lot more these are just the ones some of my favorite players use.
Slan,
D.
I think I mentioned this before somewhere, but for the most part Grey Larsen plays Copelands:
I believe he used to play Abell whistles at some point and still has some (Eb-D-C set I think) and he has an Overton (Bernard, I think) low D too.
-Brett
I’ll pay for my sins in the other thread by pointing out that Mike Burke’s [u]Reviews & Comments[/u] page says:
“Many top musicians in Irish & Celtic music are playing my instruments. Among these are Joanie Madden, Mary Rafferty, Paddy Kennan, Larry Nugent, Mick O’Brien, L. E. McCullough, Linda Hickman and a host of fine, lesser known musicians.”
Tom Doorley plays and recommends Burke whistles.
I also saw him fall in love with Jen F.'s little Elfsong, wouldn’t be surprised to see him play one of those next time.
–James
Seamus O’Geezer, may he rest in peace, almost exclusively played a beat up old-style Waldentone, in C#.
The Cottars play Burke whistles (and possibly others as well).
Will O’Ban
Following an Irish Rovers’ concert, Wallace Hood told me that one of the whistles he played in concert was an O’Brien.
Will O’Ban
And I seem to remember that Will Millar plays a Copeland high whistle.
Don’t many touring musicians play whatever is given them by some of the top whistle makers? Tin whistle makers understand the importance of product placement (just like in the movies). Even in the uilleann pipe world, the best touring players are comp’d all sorts of things like chanters, etc.
It’s absolutely true that at least some of the makers try this. I don’t know how often it works – in the examples I can think of at the moment, the whistle players didn’t want anything to do with it.
I’ll bet every touring flute or whistle player from Ireland has been given a whistle or two at one time or another. The courtesy would be to try it out on stage once (or more). Whether it sticks as a product placement is a separate issue but, nonetheless, product placement was achieved (‘So-and-so plays one of my whistles’).
I remember one instant where a low whistle was almost forced on a piper, he didn’t really want it. Within no time the whislte was advertised as ‘owned by so and so’. We had a good laugh at that.
The last times I played with Mick O Brien and Caoimhin Mick didn’t grab into the full case of Burkes he had, he played the old reliable staple whistle.
Not that it all matters. (and before you know it , this thread goes into part 3)
Brian McCoy of the Kells isn’t really famous in large terms, but he’s an up and coming player. He plays Burkes. He prefers the aluminum ones.
For what it’s worth:
On the sleeve notes with the Lunasa “Otherworld” CD it states that Kevin plays Mike Grinter flutes and low whistles and Sean plays a Grinter low whistle. On the notes with their “Merry Sisters of Fate” CD it states that Kevin plays Mike Grinter flutes and low whistle and Cillian plays Chieftain low whistles. A year or so ago Phil Hardy posted links here to a video clip of Kevin and Sean both playing Phil’s Chieftains in a performance (I don’t know whether they wanted to or not). In Part 1 of this thread Blackhawk says Kevin and Sean both play Susatos.
Susan
Bloomfield plays Overtons.
Now, now…I distinctly recall Bloomfield saying something about enjoying a Humphrey (although I believe he does prefer Overtons for concerts).
Susan
Well now…if you take a look at Will Millar and Paul Horne’s picture for the CD “Journey of the Celts” Will has an Elfsong in his hands.
http://www.celtic-music.com/journey.htm
He does like his Copeland too though.
I think that John Sheehan from the Dubliners plays an Overton sop D.