History
My personal favourite fiddle player from the 1920s was James Morrison.
James Charles Morrison (3rd May 1891 - 11th November 1947), known as "The Professor", was a notable South Sligo-style Irish traditional fiddle player. He was born in 1891 near Riverstown, County Sligo at the townland of Drumfin. He grew up in a community steeped in traditional Irish culture, especially music. In 1911 at the age of 20 he was employed by the Gaelic League to tutor the Connacht style of step dancing at the Gaelic League college in Tourmakeady, County Mayo.
In 1915, at the age of 24, he emigrated to America and settled in New York. In 1918 he won the fiddle competition at the New York Feis. Morrison become associated with other leading Irish musicians such as Michael Coleman & Paddy Killoran who were also from County Sligo. Coincidentally, Mick Conneely's grandmother, Anna Conneely (nee Devane), was a close friend of fiddle player Paddy Killoran in New York at that time.
Morrison was one of the leading Irish music teachers in New York in the 1930s and 1940s. In addition to the fiddle, he could play the flute, banjo and button accordion (and wrote a tutor on the latter) and taught hundreds of young Irish-American students to play Irish traditional music on various instruments. Below is a copy of one of Morrison's manuscripts:
James Charles Morrison (3rd May 1891 - 11th November 1947), known as "The Professor", was a notable South Sligo-style Irish traditional fiddle player. He was born in 1891 near Riverstown, County Sligo at the townland of Drumfin. He grew up in a community steeped in traditional Irish culture, especially music. In 1911 at the age of 20 he was employed by the Gaelic League to tutor the Connacht style of step dancing at the Gaelic League college in Tourmakeady, County Mayo.
In 1915, at the age of 24, he emigrated to America and settled in New York. In 1918 he won the fiddle competition at the New York Feis. Morrison become associated with other leading Irish musicians such as Michael Coleman & Paddy Killoran who were also from County Sligo. Coincidentally, Mick Conneely's grandmother, Anna Conneely (nee Devane), was a close friend of fiddle player Paddy Killoran in New York at that time.
Morrison was one of the leading Irish music teachers in New York in the 1930s and 1940s. In addition to the fiddle, he could play the flute, banjo and button accordion (and wrote a tutor on the latter) and taught hundreds of young Irish-American students to play Irish traditional music on various instruments. Below is a copy of one of Morrison's manuscripts:
James Morrison handwritten manuscript of 'Rakish Paddy' circa. 1930s
