The next time you shop at Island Home Center and Lumber, you may meet a friendly older employee named John Whelan.
What you may not know about Whelan is that he is one of the best Irish button accordion players in the world.
He has recorded more than 15 CDs and spent several weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard World Music Charts. He has also appeared on more than 30 albums with other artists, including “National Geographic: Ireland.”
At 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 19, Vashon audiences will have the rare opportunity to see Whelan perform at the Vashon Havurah with local fiddle hero Dale Russ.
Whelan has deep roots in Irish music and traditional culture. He was raised in London’s thriving music community. His father, Denis, was born in County Wexford, where Whelan spent many summers as a young boy. At age 14, already a seasoned musician, he recorded his first album, “Pride of Wexford,” in honor of his father. The album is still in print and selling well.
Whelan was soon performing with Eileen Ivers of Riverdance fame, in one of the most celebrated duos of the 1980s, and later with the Kips Bay Ceili band. He was also on two of Narada label’s bestselling releases, “Celtic Odyssey” and “Celtic Legacy.” His album “Celtic Crossroads” featured such stars as Kathy Mattea, Tim O’Brien, and Jerry Douglas, along with Celtic singer Mary Mclaughlin, multi-instrumentalist Seamus Egan, and fiddler Johnny Cunningham, and spent more than two months on Billboard’s World Music Top 10.
Whelan has been twice named Musician of the Year by the Irish Music Association.
But wait, there’s more. Whelan’s music has been featured in TV shows such as “Sex and the City,” and films such as Ang Lee’s “Ride With the Devil,” in which he even appeared onscreen. He appeared solo on the critically acclaimed “Once Upon an Accordion” North American tour, and was named Traditionalist of the Year by Irish Echo Magazine.
His many albums, such as his “Flirting With The Edge,” with such diverse artists as Samite on kalimba and vocals, Latin guitarist Oscar Lopez, Celtic vocalist Connie Dover, and a dramatic vocal by longtime fan and actress/singer Bernadette Peters, push the boundaries of Irish music by infusing traditional music with other genres.
Whelan moved to Vashon in 2018 with his wife Jan, in part because it reminded him of Ireland “with more trees.” The couple has become a part of the thriving music scene on the island.
In his upcoming concert at the Havurah, Whelan will be joined by traditional Irish fiddler and Northwest musician, Dale Russ.
Russ taught for 15 years at the Lark in the Morning Summer Camp in Mendocino. He has also taught and performed at many workshops and music camps, including the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, Washington, The Swannanoa Gathering in Asheville, North Carolina, and the Shasta Music Summit.
He has played for ceilidhs, set dances and dance competitions for many years, and performed for 15 years with the traditional Irish band “The Suffering Gaels,” appearing at the Milwaukee Irish Festival in 1993 and 1994.
The Vashon Havurah is located at 15401 Westside Highway SW. There is a suggested donation of $20-$25 for the concert, but no one will be turned away. Reservations are encouraged and can be made at janstrolle@comcast.net or by contacting Jan at 206-228-0730. An Irish music session will follow and concertgoers are encouraged to bring their instruments.
