Susan's Tribute to Steve McGovern

A 3 track cd has been recorded and will soon be released in aid of The North West Hospice late October. We will keep everyone posted when the cd will be available on ITUNES.

I met Steve McGovern (Keyboard Steve) on a sunny Sunday afternoon at a gig I was playing at in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, Ireland, June 2005 …he came up and introduced himself to me and said how much he loved my voice. He was to change my life and hugely influence my music from that day on. He was first and foremost a Rhythm & Blues man…..born in Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan, the son of Julie and Tom McGovern and brother to Julie, Eddie, Priscilla, Joe and Danny.

Steve knew good blues when he heard it and had a great ear for a good song. As well as being a gifted piano and Hammond player, he was a perfectionist when it came to sound. Steve spent many years in Dublin playing with many different bands and was a regular musician at JJ Symths in Dublin.

Many’s a night JJ’s gyrated to Steve’s ‘boogie woogie’ on piano. The Irish Blues music scene has lost a fine piano player and passionate performer on the Hammond organ.

Steve started bringing Dublin bands down to Co. Cavan to the Breffni Arms Hotel which was a great success and is still popular for blues today..Bands included, Nigel Mooney, Ed Deane, The Business, Mary Stokes, Bree Harris, Holywood Slim & The Fat Cats, Parchman Farm..

One of the highlights of Steve’s musical career was performing on stage with Otis Grand at the Castlebar Blues Festival. In the last few years he returned to his roots in Co Cavan and Co Leitrim and dedicated his time to carrying the blues torch to the Midlands; booking bands for local venues and gigging with his partner, Susan, in the ‘Susan Tomelty Band.’

First Batch of Photos from Steve's Tribute Night at The Breffni Arms in Arvagh, Co. Cavan

Pictures Page 1 Pictures Page 2

...a great night was had by all and a special thank you must be mentioned to Barry O'Reilly who took the photos and to Eamonn and Philomena Gray at The Breffni and to Peter Masterson who did sound and lights....and to everyone who supported the event....at the moment the total is €900 and rising as Hospice Cds will be added to that figure...total we're aiming for is around the €5500.

Saturday 10th October 2009

Rhythm & Blues Jamboree

in memory of Steve McGovern

in aid of the North West Hospice

at The Breffni Arms Hotel, Arvagh, Co. Cavan

The line-up includes:

Nigel Mooney Quartet
Charlie McGettigan
Pat Farrell & The Business Blues Band
Parchman Farm
Johnny Reynolds Band
Ben Prevo Band
The Susan Tomelty Band

Many’s a night JJ’s gyrated to Steve’s ‘boogie woogie’ on piano. The Irish Blues music scene has lost a fine piano player and passionate performer on the Hammond organ. What better way to remember Steve, ‘Keyboard Steve,’ than in the cosy surroundings of his beloved JJ Smyth’s, Aungier Street, Dublin and fill it with his friends, family and fellow musicians. It will be a night of performances from some of the best Irish Rhythm and Blues players in town.

The line up includes Nigel Mooney; ; Ed Deane, Noel Bridgeman, John Quearney; Holywood Slim and The Fat Cats; Parchman Farm; Pat Farrell and The Business Blues Band; Billy McCoy from Belfast; Johnny Reynolds Band;

The total amount raised at this event was €1300, ,,,,thank you to everyone who supported this event and thanks to Barry O’Reilly at JJ Smyths .