Whole Tribe Sings

Born out of Derry in war torn Northern Ireland, Whole Tribe Sings is a vibrant clan of musicians who, if it were a different time, might well be enemies. Whole Tribe Sings is comprised of Declan McLaughlin (vocals), Paddy Nash (rhythm guitar/vocals), Dougal McPartland (lead guitar/vocals) and Tomas MacSeain (brass). Both sides of Northern Ireland’s strife well represented – Catholic and Protestant – the boys put aside their histories and culture in favor of the love of music and in 1999 Whole Tribe Sings was born. The band soon won a reputation as a great live band with dynamic songs in Belfast and Derry and caught the interest of Brass Booty Records owner, Clinton McKay Cox. Recognizing the magnitude of their music both culturally and musically, Clinton quickly in the studio to record the band’s first EP, Missing You. The EP garnered immediate critical acclaim in Ireland and the UK and was released shortly thereafter in the United States. After honing their show in the bars and clubs of their homeland, Whole Tribe Sings hit the ground running in the US and played any bar that featured live music along the I-95 corridor. From the clubs of New York and Boston to every Irish festival between Canada and Florida, the band built a following of loyal fans. Having laid a strong base in the US, the band returned home to record their sophomore effort, Happy. The infectious title track caught the ears of the advertising department at the Guinness Corporation, maker of Harp Lager, and in 2000 was featured in a radio campaign that hit major cities across the US. The band continued to cultivate their fan base and enjoyed growing crowds and larger venues including the Kennedy Center. Tired and homesick after a year plus of touring, the band returned home to watch with heavy hearts as their adopted city of New York succumbed to the chaos of 9/11. The crazy touring had taken its toll and the band needed a break – a long break. A fan from the early days, Jon Birge of Valley Entertainment had wanted to put out the band’s next record in the US, but the band decided to revaluate where they had been and where they were going and put any thoughts of the band’s future on hold. In 2004, Whole Tribe Sings went back in the studio to record their long-awaited follow up to Happy and contacted Jon about releasing the disc in the US. With renewed energy and focus within the band, Whole Tribe Sings delivered History of Hard Luck. From the opening revamped track, “Happy” to the rollicking sing-along “Zak”, History of Hard Luck shows the band hasn’t missed a step or forgotten its roots.