Mike Kirkpatrick and Kathleen Keane have a long, successful and innovative musical history together. They were both instrumental in the rise of the critically acclaimed Chicago Irish rock band, the Drovers, in the 1980s & 1990s. Both have led outstanding individual careers ever since.
Mike is a Chicago-based composer and record producer and has composed music for film (Backdraft, Blink), theater (Beauty Queen of Leenane), and dance (Trinity Irish Dance, Fara Tolono, and many others). Mike is accompanist for the dance technique classes at Columbia College, a position he has held for 28 years. As a record producer, he has become known for a unique style of recording. Using old-school (1920’s thru 1960’s) ideas about microphones, recording techniques, and acoustics, he makes modern-style recordings that are easy on the ears and can stand up to repeated listening.
Kathleen is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, composer, and dancer. She is one of the finest exponents of the Irish community in Chicago. She collaborated with Mike both on and off screen in “Backdraft” and on her own in “The Road to Perdition.” While living in Los Angeles, her whistle and fiddle skills were also featured on the “Cinderella Man” soundtrack. She has graced stages around the world with the “Titanic” band, Gaelic Storm. Her original composition, “The Longing,” for “Windham Hill’s Celtic Christmas Silver Anniversary” – which she co-wrote, sang, produced and performed – resulted in her first # 1 record on BILLBOARD’S World Music Chart. A champion Irish step dancer, choreographer and instructor, she studied with Michael Flatley and also obtained her TCRG, the Irish Dancing Certification awarded by An Comisiun le Rinci Galatia, Dublin, Ireland.
Mike & Kathleen are currently recording an album with Mike’s ensemble, The American Folk Music Orchestra due for release next spring.
Friday, November 1st, 8:00pm-10:00pm
Heartland Gallery
Wristband or cover