Wayne Taylor and Appaloosa, Kilworth, Ireland. October 1 (#WorldBluegrassDay), 2019.

#Video & pics of #WayneTaylorandAppaloosa performing at the @VAC_Kilworth in #Ireland on #WorldBluegrassDay 2019. #bluegrass #bluegrassmusic Fly birdy, fly. Click to Tweet!

Regrettably, and our best efforts notwithstanding, top-drawer live bluegrass gigs are rare enough occurrences on the island of Ireland, a gig on World Bluegrass Day (yes, it’s a thing) even rarer.

L-r: Emory Lester (mandoin), Donnie Little (banjo) and Wayne Taylor (guitar), The Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork, Ireland. October 1 (World Bluegrass Day), 2019.

Wayne Taylor’s band is drenched in soul. They sound like they are first generation and here they are in the 21st century. I love these guys!

– Tony Trischka

Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa

Appaloosa, who, according to their website, are ‘a group of seasoned musicians who play predominately original, contemporary and traditional Bluegrass music’, were formed in 2008 by Wayne Taylor after retiring from 21 years of service with Country Current, the US Navy’s renowned country-bluegrass ensemble. Wayne has shared a stage, and a song (‘Uncle Pen’ no less), with Bill Monroe (in 1995) and his two-decade-plus stretch with the Navy band, the last 9 of which were as band leader, saw him play for many a bigwig – heads of state, royalty and even 4 US presidents. But on this night, World Bluegrass Day 2019, he played for us, us and about 70 others in the Village Arts Centre in sleepy Kilworth, County Cork.

Wayne Taylor, The Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork, Ireland. October 1, 2019.

Whether singing one of his own great songs or a carefully selected cover, Wayne Taylor delivers it with heart and soul. His feel for the Tradition and the incredible band Appaloosa show Bluegrass in a fantastic modern light

– Dennis Jones, WNCW Spindale, NC

Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa were over this side of the Atlantic to headline the 11th annual Moniaive Michaelmas Bluegrass Festival in Scotland, stopping off on their way home for a trio of Irish gigs facilitated by the one and only John Nyhan. Three-fourths of Appaloosa’s regular line-up were present and correct, Donnie Little doing an ample job filling in for the band’s regular (since 2017) and AWOL banjo man, Keith Arneson.

#Video of #WayneTaylorandAppaloosa, feat. #EmoryLester, playing #CherokeeShuffle at the @VAC_Kilworth in #Ireland on #WorldBluegrassDay 2019. #bluegrass #bluegrassmusic #instrumental

#Video of #WayneTaylorandAppaloosa, feat. #EmoryLester, playing #FlintHillSpecial at the @VAC_Kilworth in #Ireland on #WorldBluegrassDay 2019. #bluegrass #bluegrassmusic #instrumental

Emory Lester with Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa. The Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork, Ireland. October 1, 2019.

Emory Lester is one of this day’s foremost exponents of the acoustic mandolin. The power and attack of his mandolin playing are unmatched, and his sound is infectious. His 1993 recording “Pale Rider”, and 1995 recording “The Emory Lester Set” has placed him among the elite mandolinists of our time. But there is more to this musician than first meets the ear. He has long been an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, and has performed with many jazz groups as a violinist, and with several new age ensembles playing a variety of instruments. His jazz playing retains the energy that is the trademark of his bluegrass playing, while his new age compositions show a lighter and more flowing style of his music.

– waynetaylorproductions.com

#EmoryLester is one of this day’s foremost exponents of the acoustic #mandolin. The power & attack of his mandolin playing are unmatched, & his sound is infectious. #bluegrass #bluegrassmusic #bluegrassmandolin #mandolincafe

Donnie Little with Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa. The Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork, Ireland. October 1, 2019.

Receiving his first banjo when he was 5 years old, Donnie Little learned to play the fundamentals from his father and whatever he could soak up from listening to Earl Scruggs and Don Reno records. As a member of his family band, The Little Family, Donnie spent his youth mixing with the likes of Mother Maybelle Carter, Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, Earl Scruggs, the Stoneman Family, the Lewis Family, the Osborne Brothers, Don Reno, Jim and Jesse, George Jones, and Hank Williams Jr. Today he both teaches and plays – he teaches students on four different instruments (banjo, guitar, mandolin and dobro) four days a week full-time and plays music, with any one of five different bands, on the weekends. In his shop in North Carolina, Donnie is the ‘go-to’ guy for setting up banjos and also works with Warren Yates building new banjos for the Yates Banjo Company in Hickory, NC.

Receiving his first #banjo when he was 5 years old, #DonnieLittle learned to play the fundamentals from his father & whatever he could soak up from listening to #EarlScruggs & #DonReno records. #bluegrass #bluegrassmusic

Kene Hyatt with Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa. The Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork, Ireland. October 1, 2019.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Kene Hyatt is one of the foremost bass players in acoustic music today. A master bassist, Kene studied at the York University in Toronto, and excelled in Jazz bass. A past winner of the ‘Bass Player of the Year’ award at the Central Ontario Bluegrass Awards, Kene has regularly performed with Emory Lester and other bluegrass artists, as well as branching out to other genres such as rock, salsa, and country.

– waynetaylorproductions.com

Elsewhere | Website

Wayne Taylor is a busy man with more than one string to his musical bow. Check out what keeps him busy aside from Appaloosa, at waynetaylorproductions.com

#Video & pics of #WayneTaylorandAppaloosa performing at the @VAC_Kilworth in #Ireland on #WorldBluegrassDay 2019. #bluegrass #bluegrassmusic Fly birdy, fly. Click to Tweet!