Charlie and the Bhoys

Charlie and the Bhoys
OriginBarlanark, Glasgow, Scotland
GenresIrish rebel music, Irish folk, Pan-Celticism
Years active1989–present
LabelsA-One Music,[1][2][3][4] Charlie and the Bhoys,[5][6]
MembersCharlie Boyle
Jimmy
Rab
Tam
Frankie
Wardie
Websitewww.charlieandthebhoys.com

Charlie and the Bhoys are a Glasgow Celtic-themed Irish folk band from Scotland. They formed the band in the 1980s in Barlanark in the East End of Glasgow and played their first concert at the Squirrel Bar in the Gallowgate, Glasgow in 1989. They branded themselves as the "No.1 Glasgow Celtic Band in the World" in their early years but have since dropped this.[7] The band have played the Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom 50 times.[8]

In February 2015, the band wrote a charity song for Celtic superfan Jay Beatty for the charity Downs and Proud which reached the top 100 of the UK iTunes charts and top 10 of the iTunes Country chart.[9][10][11]

History

In 2011, the band was due to play a St Patrick's Day gig at the East Kilbride Civic Centre but due to "safety concerns" raised as the result of an organised campaign by Rangers fans, South Lanarkshire Council cancelled the event.[12] It was later reorganised and held at an undisclosed location on Blantyre after accusations of a "witch hunt" against them.[13]

In 2013, they participated in the Ardoyne Fleadh.[14]

In 2015, concerns from residents in Cambuslang over the holding of a concert at the council-owned Cambuslang Institute, which sparked protests from members of the Loyalist community who stated the band sang "pro-IRA" songs.[7][15]

Discography

Charlie and the Bhoys have released 10 albums to date + 1 official DVD):

  • Charlie and the Bhoys (Yellow Album) - 1996
  • Live at Glasgow Barrowlands - 1998
  • Unplugged - 1999
  • The Greatest Celtic Album in the World Ever! - 1999
  • Dedicated - 2001
  • The Very Best Of - 2003
  • Raised on Celtic - 2005
  • Hail Hail The Songs Are Here - 2006
  • Dreams and Songs to Sing - 2007
  • What The Hell Do We Care - 2009
  • 25 IN A ROW - 2014[6]
  • DVD - Live at Glasgow Barrowlands 2005

Band members

  • Charlie Boyle (not Devlin!) (founding member 1989 -)
  • Jimmy (founding member)
  • Rab (1999-)
  • Tam (2004-)
  • Frankie (founding member)
  • Wardie (1991-)

Charity work

The band were the first to fund the charity for the Celtic legend Tommy Burns. A five-figure sum was donated to the newly formed charity.

The band auctioned (1 of only 2) 20th anniversary banners in 2010 through eBay/Oxfam for the Haiti earthquake disaster. Paul Morrison of Condorrat, Cumbernauld won with a top bid of £255. Paul is now the only person outside the band to have this banner, the other one will always remain with the band.

In September 2009, the band wrote a song on behalf of friends and family of the late Kevin McDaid who was killed in Coleraine. The song was placed on IndieStore as a download which shot to number 1 in the IndieStore charts. All proceeds were donated to the family.

In New York in 2007, the band appeared for the local Celtic Supporters Clubs to raise $5000 which was donated to the Glasgow Cancer Hospice.

The band were honoured back in 2004 to head over to Sligo to headline an event to help raise money for the Brother Walfrid Statue. The band also helped the James Connolly Johnstone CSC with gigs in Bothwell for the (Jinky) Jimmy Johnstone statue in Viewpark, North Lanarksire, Scotland.

In 2001, with The Brazen Head, a night was arranged with a selected audience for Bobby Murdoch. Bobby was the first Lisbon Lion to die. With guests including Billy McNeill and Tony Roper £12,000 was raised for Bobby's family.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Celtic Overall: Charlie and the Bhoys - MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  2. ^ "Charlie and The Bhoys :: Scotland No.1 Irish Folk Band". www.allcelticmusic.com. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  3. ^ "Scotland No.1 Irish Folk Band by Charlie and the Bhoys on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  4. ^ "Charlie and The Bhoys: Dedicated - Music on Google Play". Google Play. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  5. ^ "Bye Bye Rangers Single Charlie and the Bhoys". Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Twenty Five in a Row: Charlie and the Bhoys". Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  7. ^ a b Dickie, Douglas (16 April 2015). "Charlie and the Bhoys concert in Cambuslang to go ahead". Daily Record. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  8. ^ "Glasgow Barrowland Glasgow Bands History". Archived from the original on 20 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  9. ^ "Dad of Celtic Superfan Jay Beatty". Daily Record. Glasgow. 4 August 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  10. ^ "Jay's song hits top of iTunes chart". Lurgan Mail. 14 February 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Helpful package aims to ease the pressure on new mums and dads and give positive and helpful advice to help their new life" (online). www.lurganmail.co.uk. Lurgan Mail. 16 March 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  12. ^ "Charlie and the Bhoys gig cancelled due to council safety worries". STV News. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  13. ^ "Folk band Charlie and Bhoys to play Blantyre". Daily Record. 27 January 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  14. ^ "Annual Ardoyne Fleadh - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk". Belfast Telegraph. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  15. ^ Dickie, Douglas (20 July 2016). "Republican parade in Rutherglen prompts fears of violence" (online). Daily Record. Glasgow. Retrieved 2 March 2017.

Sources