Irish fiddle player Paddy Reynolds (1920 –2005)
Paddy Reynolds – Fiddle Player
Paddy Reynolds lived in Staten Island, NY, when I first met him. He was born in the village of Drumard, Co. Longford, Ireland. He started playing fiddle at a very young age, and was taught by his mother, who was a fine fiddle player. Being born into a very musical family meant that his playing had many musical influences from within the family alone and listening to the crackling 78 wax recordings of Co. Sligo greats like Paddy Killoran and Michael Coleman, Paddy was an accomplished fiddle player by the age of 11. A concert in the local village hall saw Paddy share the stage at that young age, with the great Uilleann Piper Leo Rowsome.
Around 1947, Paddy arrived in NYC via Nova Scotia, and after living in Staten Island, then the South Bronx, Paddy settled in Brooklyn. He got his first music job singing and playing fiddle with the John and Nancy Ryan trio. In later years, John Ryan’s son Johnny took over the band alongside his mother Nancy. They were later joined by Wicklow man Tommy Sullivan, playing rhythm/lead guitar and vocals. Tom and Johnny later opened the iconic Peggy O’Neill’s music Bar & Restaurant in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, adding another 3-4 very successful establishments around the borough in the years that followed, with the successful partnership still intact to this day.
Renowned Fiddle player Paddy Reynolds
The Ed Sullivan Show & Paul Brady
Meanwhile, Paddy Reynolds, now married to Mayo woman Lilly and with three young children, became immersed in the Brooklyn Irish music scene, playing sessions in local Irish venues, and always teaching and handing down the musical heritage and Sligo style tradition, that he respected, guarded, and cherished so much, to his young students. Many of those eager enthusiastic learners went on to become some of the top Sligo style fiddle players in the world - musicians like Tony De Marco and Brian Conway, to name a few. Around this time Paddy appeared on the Merv Griffin and Ed Sullivan TV shows, as part of the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. He recorded numerous albums and CDs for Rego, Kells and Shanachi record labels with long-time friends and fellow musicians Andy Mc Gann, Felix Dolan and others. One of those CDs was recorded at Shanachi with Andy and a little- known singer/songwriter & guitar player Paul Brady, which is regarded by many as the greatest fiddle CD of all time. He also played on the well-known Green Linnet CD ‘My love is in America’ which was recorded at Boston College, with a line-up of the world’s finest fiddle players like Paddy, Brian Conway, Kevin Burke, Andy Mc Gann, Martin Hayes, Brendan Mulvihill, Martin Wynn and many more.
“The Devil’s Own” & Brad Pitt
Paddy Reynolds went on to play a prominent role in the highly acclaimed 1993 documentary, by renowned film producer/director Patrick Mullins, called ‘Shore To Shore’, which is still available. In 1997 he starred in the big Harrison Ford/Brad Pitt blockbuster movie ‘The Devil’s Own’. In the film, he played the dance scene in the kitchen during a first holy communication celebration. In the latter part of his life, Paddy and Lilly moved back to Staten Island, and continued to play concerts and informal sessions into his eighties. In 2002, he was honoured for his contribution to Irish music and culture, and was inducted into the Comhaoltas Ceoltoiri Eireann Hall of Fame, and a year later, received a similar honour from Glucksman Ireland House, in NYC.
Tony De Marco – Fiddle Player
Tony De Marco was a protégé of Paddy Reynolds, taking lessons from him going back to his high school days in Brooklyn, and sharing many national and international stages with him down the years. Of Paddy Reynolds’ fiddle style, Tony said “Paddy was the sweetest fiddler you ever heard. His timing and phrasing were impeccable, preserving the most beautiful settings of the tunes”.
O’Neills Pub on 2nd Avenue in Manhattan.
Paddy was a quietly spoken, easy going, genuine and gentle man. He had an abundance of time, generosity, and patience for everybody who called, even me, coming into their home to make a portrait of the maestro. We played together at a few sessions at O’Neill’s Pub on 2nd Avenue in Manhattan, which was led by acclaimed fiddle player, and highly regarded teacher, Brian Conway. To see and feel the respect and appreciation at the arrival of Paddy into those sessions was nothing short of pure magic. Even in his eighties, his fiddle playing was just as magical. Quoting renowned fiddle player Brian Conway on Paddy’s fiddling style he said, “His keen respect and knowledge of the music, and his well-honed sense of good taste, were the hallmarks of his playing”.
Paddy Reynolds passed away in his 84th year, on June 15th, 2005, and as they say back home, “sure there will never be the likes of him around here again”.
