CELTIC WOMAN and THE BROWNE SISTERS
Once we were listening to a Browne Sisters album in the car, my daughter said they sounded like Celtic Woman. I agreed, but pointed out since the Browne Sisters pre-dated Celtic Woman by several years, it would be more accurate to say Celtic Woman sounded like them.
Celtic Woman, as anyone who’s endured a PBS Pledge Week knows, is a singing group comprised of four to six Irish and/or Scottish female singers. The membership has changed over the years, like changing the planks on Theseus’ ship. (Logic puzzle — if Theseus has a ship and a load of lumber, and he removes and replaces a plank every day, at the end of the year is it still the same ship?) The Browne Sisters are sisters Diane Browne, Pamela Browne Logan, Laura Browne-Sorenson, and their cousin, George Cavanaugh. Celtic Woman has a large orchestra and a troupe of dancers backing them up as they travel around the world. The Browne Sisters have their cousin, George Cavanaugh, playing the guitar and providing male vocals, when necessary. They mostly perform at Highland Games on the west coast.
Both groups focus on Irish and Scottish folk songs, mostly sung in English, but a few performed in Gaelic. Celtic Woman has 15 albums. The Browne Sisters and George Cavanaugh have 6 or 7 albums. (I believe, but I’m not sure that their Christmas album is out of print.) They do overlap on some songs, as do Wild Oats, Celtic Thunder, and the High Kings.
If you’re looking for a holiday gift for a friend or relative who appreciates good Celtic folk music, I recommend any of their albums. Castle Dangerous is my favorite Browne Sisters album. For Celtic Woman, my favorite albums are Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart and Celtic Woman: The Show. I also recommend Cara-Anne and the Minstrels and Alex Beaton.
