Paddy O'Brien

Button accordionist and musicologist Paddy O'Brien was born September 13, 1945 in Daingean, County Offaly, Ireland; after spending several years travelling the Irish countryside learning and collecting traditional songs and folklore -- over the decades, he would amass more than 3000 jigs, reels, airs and marches -- he made his professional debut in 1966 with the Ballinamere Céilí Band, later touring the eastern U.S. with Seán and Kathleen Ryan. In 1969 -- the year he won the first of four top honors in the Oireachtas Competition solo accordion contest -- O'Brien relocated to D...