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The Irish Rovers is a Canadian Irish folk group created in 1963 and named after the traditional song "The Irish Rover". The group is best known for their international television series, and contributing to the popularization of Irish Music in North America. Best known for songs "The Unicorn", "Wasn't That A Party", "The Orange and the Green", "Whiskey on a Sunday" "Lily The Pink", and "The Black Velvet Band".
The primary voices heard in the group's early songs were Will Millar (tenor), Jimmy Ferguson (baritone), George Millar and Joe Millar, and in the last twenty years, also John Reynolds and Ian Millar.
All of the band members are from Ireland. Founding member George Millar and his cousin Ian are both from Ballymena, long-time group member Wilcil McDowell is from Larne, Sean O'Driscoll from Cork, with John Reynolds and percussionist Fred Graham both from Belfast rounding out the lineup.
The Irish Rovers have represented Canada at five World Expos.
Brothers, George Millar and Will Millar were both born in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The children grew up in a musical household as their father Bob played button-key accordion for several bands throughout the years. Their cousin Joe Millar, who also sang, took part in the family kitchen parties playing button-key accordion and harmonica. As children, George and Will performed with their sister, Sandra Beech as "The Millar Kids" in Ireland, before the family emigrated to Canada.
In 1963, George Millar met 23-year old Jim Ferguson, who had also emigrated from Northern Ireland, at an Irish function in Toronto. They sang together until dawn, and the Irish Rovers were launched. The name "The Irish Rovers" was suggested by George's mother. The traditional Irish song about a sailing ship had been a song from their kitchen parties in Ballymena. According to a Calgary Herald article in 1971, "George and Jimmy formed the first Irish Rovers for an amateur variety show in Toronto and won". George’s cousin, Joe also soon emigrated to Canada and was recruited as he stepped off the plane. According to a newspaper in the Millars' home town in Ireland, "The folk singing 'boom' in the United States and Canada proved profitable for three young Ballymena men who form the nucleus of a popular, Toronto-based group who call themselves 'The Irish Rovers'.” George's father Bob, became The Irish Rover's first manager. For a short time, George Millar, Jimmy Ferguson and Joe Millar were joined by Vic Marcus and Doug Henderson. Bob Millar continued to guide the new band and booked their engagements at folk song festivals, clubs, hootenanys, The Port o' Call, and Toronto's Royal Alexandra Hotel.
In 1963, Will Millar, performed in Toronto with a Calypso group. After moving to Calgary he formed an Irish folk trio in Calgary along with another Ulster man, Derek Swinson, calling themselves The Irish Rovers. Will's trio in Calgary, after a series of college concerts, disbanded.
George, Jimmy and Joe left Toronto for Calgary to stay with brother Will. Will, had been singing in folk clubs, Phil's Pancake House, and also performing on "Just 4 Fun", a daily children's TV show.
George was enrolled in a local Calgary high school and Jimmie found work at a local Calgary slaughter house. Jimmy's job would last but a few hours. George soon quit school and Will's home became home base for the band.
The Irish Rovers became regulars at Calgary's Depression coffee house, a folk club operated by John Uren that also contributed to the start of Joni Mitchell's career.
Will introduced the group to his manager Les Weinstein who became the band's full-time manager.
The Rovers drove to California in 1966, hoping to perform in the folk clubs there. On the way, their car broke down on northern Californian coast, at an Italian restaurant owned by two Irish immigrants. The boys were given room and board and an introduction to a booking agent who helped them secure an appearance at The Purple Onion in San Francisco where they played for five months. The group was then booked at other folk clubs across California.
In 1966, the Rovers signed a recording contract with Decca Records and recorded their first album, "The First of the Irish Rovers" at The Ice House in Pasadena. The album was successful enough to warrant another album, which included their first hit which was from a song originally written and recorded in 1962 by Shel Silverstein, The Unicorn. Glen Campbell played guitar on the original recording. After recording the album, Joe Millar left the band for a more 'reliable' income for a family man. It was at this time that they invited All-Ireland Champion Wilcil McDowell to join the band. After the success of The Unicorn hit, Joe returned to the band. The album included the Irish tunes "The Orange and the Green", and "The Black Velvet Band".
Starting in the late 60s, the The Irish Rovers performed on various North American television programs including several appearances on the TV western The Virginian, as well as The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Mike Douglas Show, The Dating Game, The Pig And Whistle, and The Beachcombers.
In 1968, they were named “Folk Group of the Year” by the predecessor of the JUNO Awards, and in 1969 they received a Grammy Award nomination for "Folk Performance of the Year".
Members
George Millar
Wilcil McDowell
John Reynolds
Sean O'Driscoll
Ian Millar
Fred Graham
Past members
Jimmy Ferguson
Will Millar
Joe Millar
Paul Lawton
Wallace Hood
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