This week  I spoke with Art Supple during the week on Youghal Radio and I know Art and myself are related but when it comes to music and music connections the simple fact that Art is one of our best known musicians in Cork.

I asked Art to explain how he became involved with the music business. I started out singing in school we had a great teacher who always encouraged us to sing and be involved in music, this led us to forming the Barrony Aces, a group of young school children who would put on small plays and performances in our local hall and school. I was like any young person of that time and saw no reason why I wouldn’t become the next Oscar winner or music star. I then got involved with the Patsy Irwin band and we used to play the local halls in and around East Cork. We used to play in Redbarn before the main bands. At that time there was a showband on the scene who for me were the best band on the circuit, They entertained with a group of top class musicians they danced, they sang and had us all enthralled in the show they put on each time they came to Redbarn they were called The Clipper Carlton They were the forerunners for the showband scene as it became known.

I was working out in the field at our farm with my father one day when two gentlemen in suits arrived on the scene they explained that they were putting a band together and needed a singer Local man Murty Lucey from Redbarn had told them to get in touch with me as he had seen me performing in Redbarn Dance Hall. They spoke about many things but the one thing that caught my attention was the mention of an American tour, now this was 1963 and the thought of a tour to the USA was a big deal at that time nowadays people fly over and back to America but back then it was not as easy as it is today. I didn’t need much more convincing I accepted the offer to become the singer with the Victors Showband and we set off from there.

After a short while we had become one of the top ten showbands touring Ireland at the time and we did our American tour, I have to say looking back on it was a great time for showbands. In Ireland around then there were over 850 showbands touring the circuit, not all professional but they were all playing to huge crowds. If you think back there was no TV in a lot of places and we only had the one radio channel so entertainment was a night out to see a band in the local dance hall. It was such a busy time for bands that dances were running seven nights a week with anything from 800 to a few thousand people crammed into these large ballrooms.

I was lucky in that during this time because the scene was so strong many of the top international acts wanted to tour Ireland because the cost of travel etc was large most of the singers would arrive along and work with an established band in our case we were lucky enough to tour with the likes of Roy Orbison, Chubby Checker, Englebert Humperdink, Tom Jones, Jim Reeves, Millie, Johnny Cash to name a few. We shared the stage with The Beetles, Had tea with the rolling stones and met many of these and other famous singers on our travels.

Looking back on it was a great time and things have changed so much, I remember that we were recording a new song and we had all the band part of the Concert orchestra a group of backing singers all in one room singing into the one Microphone and because it was all recorded on very expensive tape we only had one take to get it recorded, there was no editing or adding in tracks it was basic and it worked all because of the quality of musicians who worked in these showbands.
Nowadays you can get the same sound in our bedroom at your computer but back then it was expensive we had to travel to the only studio in Ireland which was based in Dublin we had to hire all the musicians so it was like getting a small army on the move for one performance which they would have to get right.

Looking back on his career which is now in its 48th year as a professional singer Art has met so many wonderful people from Christy Ring who he had the privilege of playing hurling with to The Irish Soccer team who he entertained. He has sung to presidents from many countries, and met many wonderful people around the world. There was so much more to ask and talk about but like all good tales we will have to leave the rest for another day.

Fans of ‘the Man in Black’ will walk the line towards the Mall Arts Centre on Friday October 8th when American country singer John Schmid performs a “Tribute to Johnny Cash,” (from his album of the same name), concert in aid of Youghal Community Hospital and the Keith Phelan fund.

The concert marks the American’s return to a venue he last graced almost two years ago to the day. For those unimpressed by Johnny Cash (every community has its eccentrics) John Schmid seems an interesting kind of guy to share a room with anyway. He is the founder and director of Common Ground Ministries, a “singing ministry” based in Ohio, with a focus on prisons and the Ohio Corrections System. In a calling that would impress the late, San Quintin-phobe, Mr. Cash himself, he ministry provides free Bible teaching and correspondence courses to prisoners in the Ohio system.

John visits over 50 prisons annually, plus various churches, boot camps, banquets, embassies, schools, street fairs, seminars, concerts and “a fair amount of living rooms,” as he cheerfully testifies. The rest of the time he tours overseas, lest he get bored and fall asleep on the couch one supposes.

Don’t even ask…

It is worth recalling an observation connected with his last visit to these shores, when it was noted that a cardinal rule of prison ministry is never ask an inmate what he did to deserve prison. Once, in 19 years, John Schmid did so. Later he watched aghast from the stage as the inmate sang, prayed and laughed in the audience. John, unfortunately, now knew the awfulness of the man’s crimes and spent the evening “wanting to beat the daylights out of him.” While the incident reminded him that, “sin kills and causes suffering,” he had also “got a glimpse of the awesome power of the Gospel. But asking why a man is in prison doesn’t’t help at all,” he concludes ruefully.

The minister might well have become, if not another ‘Man in Black’ at least an original ‘Guy in Grey’ had God not disrupted his concentration. He was singing in a C & W band in 1972 when he became converted, hence discovering that Nashville wasn’t the real heaven after all and set upon the road that would see him play guitar for God.

Physically, John Schmid’s stature resembles that of Johnny Cash, though his voice carries fewer pebbles, one might opinion. His singing style forms the blend of country/folk/gospel that once begat rock ‘n’ roll and his performances are sprinkled with stories and soft humour, while much flavoured with the Biblical message.

Worthy causes

The economic maelstrom means the Youghal Community Hospital needs financial assistance as never before, while the Keith Phelan fund brings a cause to more recent public attention. Keith, 11 and a pupil at Bun ScoilMhuire, suffered a bi-lateral Grade 4 Haemorrhage in premature birth, culminating in his being quadriplegic, epileptic and suffering Cerebral Palsy. His family hope to raise enough money to bring Keith to the XCell-Center in Dusseldorf, Germany, where stem cell treatment may improve his condition and prospects.  (See story on http://www.youghalonline.com/2010/09/21/keith-phelan-appeal-by-michael-twomey/ )

Tickets for John Schmid’s ‘A Tribute to Johnny Cash,’ are available from Cree’s Card Shop, @ €10/€5 (concessions). The evening is being organised by Youghal Baptist church in association with CRY’s ‘Reflections’ programme.

Youghal musician Shane Supple who has been writing songs for many years now was delighted to learn this week that his song and video “Lifetime Guarantee” is featured on the Hot Country Christmas Special which airs on Sky TV channel 279 every Monday at 4pm and 10pm and is repeated throughout the week on Tuesday at 4am & 10am. Saturday at 2pm & Sunday at 8pm.
By YoughalOnline.com music reporter     E Mail: news@youghalonline.com

This video was shot by local cameramen Kieran McCarthy and Maurice Supple, the video was edited by Maurice and Shane Supple. It’s great to see local artists involved in the music scene and it’s even better when there music is featured on Sky TV for the entire world to see.
Hot Country the program is gaining a great audience in Ireland as it features many Irish musicians from the world of country music as well as major artists like Alan Jackson, Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Johnny Cash to name but a few. The song “Lifetime Guarantee” is taken from Shane’s new album “Country Style Blues” which has featured on many radio stations around Ireland and England and is proving quite popular.
At this stage Mick Flavin has recorded the song and there is talk of Kenny Rogers recording it on his next album during the summer. When contacted Shane was over the moon and wanted to thank everyone for the support and kind words he has received.
Shane said, “I knew it was going  be on TV as the producer of the show contacted me during the week to let me know it was going out, but I was sitting there and watching TV when the song came on.” ” It was a weird feeling but I felt great as it is one of my favourite songs”. He added “I just want to thank Kieran and my brother Maurice for the great work they did in making the video”.

Shane is son of the well know legendary Showband entertainer Art Supple who recently won the inaugeral CRY Showband ” Hall of fame award 2009″. Its great to see the music tradition being carried on from father to son and the people of Youghal and surrounding area are proud of their work and talents.

To contact Shane visit his website on www.shanesupple.com or email him at info@shanesupple.com