Lone Star Ceili Band

The Lone Star Ceili Band is one of Texas’ custodians of traditional Irish music and dance. Reflecting a growing heritage of Texans who perform the timeless music and dance of Ireland, the LSCB dedicates itself to promoting these arts to the general public at venues throughout the Southwest.

The ensemble gives a worthy representation of traditional “ceili” bands as found in Ireland. The word “ceili” is an Irish word that means gathering, a social event. In Ireland, ceilis are occasions for group dancing akin to our Texas square dances and hoedowns. For all who hear, the language of Irish music causes “hearts and feet to dance at the joy of it.” There is an unmistakable melodic sound that is Irish, and the success of a ceili band is often measured by how well its music inspires the dancers. When played well, the lift and lilt of the music naturally draws feet to the floor. The real magic happens when there is a collective spirit of dancers and musicians as they enjoy each others contributions.

The members of LSCB are accomplished players of traditional Irish music. Each performs with other ensembles encompassing a wide-range of musical interests and styles. But because of their common love for playing music for dancers, they formed LSCB in the fall of 2000 and immediately became a dance band in demand whether the venue is a ceili or a contra dance.

For most of its stage performances, the band is joined by a number of Irish step dancers to demonstrate the important bond that exists between the dance and music of Ireland. The dancers, dressed in traditional costumes, perform a variety of dance sets showcasing the skills and energy of step dancing that has become so popular because of dance productions like Riverdance and Lord of the Dance.

Information from the band's site

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  Mimi Rogers: fiddle
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  Allison Hicks: piano
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  Peggy Fleming: fiddle, vocals
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  Ken Fleming: accordion, banjo, concertina, guitar, mandolin, whistle
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  Kevin Alewine: banjo, flute, guitar, mandolin, whistle