"One of the most accomplished Irish multi-instrumentalists alive."
Earl Hitchner, The Irish Echo

John Carty has quietly but quickly become one of Irish music's leading players. An astonishing fiddler, the London-born musician is equally gifted at banjo, flute and tenor guitar. His musical sparring partners include such trad giants as Matt Molloy and Arty McGlynn, with whom he released a "Pathway to the Well" in 2007.

In the last five years alone, John has been named Ireland's prestigious TG4 Traditional Musician of the Year (2003), invited to join the Irish supergroup Patrick Street in 2004, and awarded the Irish Echo’s Top 10 CDs of the Year in 2005 for his CD, I Will if I Can.

Having been awarded the Irish Television station, Teilifis Gaeilge’s Traditional Musician of the Year in 2003, John is recognized as one of Ireland’s finest traditional musicians. He joins previous acclaimed winners Matt Molloy, Tommy Peoples, Mary Bergin, Máire Ní Chathasaigh and Paddy Keenan, all of whom are considered to be the leading exponents of their instruments within the Irish tradition. Fine company for a fine musician.

Carty already has three solo fiddle albums, two banjo albums, two group albums and a sprinkling of recorded tenor guitar and flute music recordings under his belt so it’s little wonder he should have joined such elusive ranks.

Born in London, fiddler John Carty has established himself among the elite in Irish traditional music and as a staunch supporter of its preservation. He developed his love for fiddle, banjo, and flute, all of which he has mastered, through his multi-instrumentalist father who was a member of the Glenside Ceili Band in London in the 1960’s.

John performs regularly with Chieftain’s flautist Matt Molloy, and their new joint CD Pathway to the Well was released in late 2007. See the sidebar on this page and hear a sound clip. He is also touring with re-formed super group, Patrick Street in Ireland and the US. The group includes legendary musicians Andy Irvine, Kevin Burke (another You Gotta Have Harp artist), and Ged Foley. The band tours the US, UK and Ireland regularly. He has also appeared as a special guest with the Chieftains and De Danaan. The band released a new CD in 2007 called On the Fly.

John's solo and group careers see him in demand and he has performed at all major festivals throughout Europe, North America and Australasia.

When touring in the US, John will be performing with his long-time guitarist accompanist and fellow Boyle-mate Francis Gaffney.

"Carty with a banjo in his hands was quite another creature altogether.  Jeff Meade, IrishPhiladelphia.com