New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Northern Irish Tenor, Eamonn McCrystal, debuts his PBS special "The
Music of Northern Ireland" tonight (December 8th) on DPTV.
The celebrated singer hosts a 90 minute special with live audience from the historic Grand Opera House in Belfast. The concert also features guests such as Rachel Tucker, currently leading lady in Sting's Broadway musical, "
The Last Ship"; singer-songwriter,
Brian Kennedy and contemporary Christian hymn writers Keith & Kristyn Getty.
Music produced by Andrew
Lloyd Webber's music producer, Nigel Wright.
McCrystal, who also produced the special, first got the idea from watching US news commentators speak about events in Northern Ireland. Dismayed by the "negative light" he saw his homeland portrayed, he decided to write a list of what Northern Ireland has brought to the world. "Aside from the Titanic and Air Conditioning, our
Music was certainly top of the list".
Paying homage to great Northern Irish songwriters like
Van Morrison and Jimmy Kennedy, McCrystal says "audiences will be surprised by the amount of big hits to come from the North of Ireland".
"I always have known how special and influential our music and our songwriters have been in the world- but to look at the overwhelming list of musical hits to have originated in Northern Ireland- throughout the decades - is simply astonishing! It makes me very proud indeed to honor that legacy on PBS."
Aside from the live concert, viewers will be treated to the stunning scenery of Northern Ireland as well as some background as to where the songs came from.
DPTV airs "The
Music of Northern Ireland" tonight (Monday December 8th 2014) at 8pm.
If you don't live in the DPTV area- don't fret! The rest of the USA are scheduled to see the special early 2015 on PBS.