Screaming Orphans

Screaming Orphans is a Pop/Celtic Rock band from Bundoran, Co. Donegal, Ireland. The band consists of the four Diver sisters - Joan, Angela, Gràinne and Marie Thérèse. The Screaming Orphans is one of the most sought after Celtic bands with a powerful, award-winning sound combining their own original melodic old-school pop songs with their unique and modern take on traditional Irish music and song, inherited from their family roots.

They have released ten albums and two EP's: Dance with Me e.p., Ballads Rule OK, Toy Theatre, Sliabh Liag, Lonely Boy, The Jacket’s Green, East 12th Street, Belle’s Isle, Circles, Back to Dublin, Screaming Orphans and Listen and Learn.

Career

From an early age, the Diver sisters performed with their mother Kathleen Fitzgerald (a well-known céilí singer in Ireland) and when they hit their teenage years, they formed their own Celtic pop/rock band, the Screaming Orphans.The band has toured the United States and Europe since mid-1990s. In 1997, the band played as Sinéad O'Connor's opening band and her back-up singers on her Gospel Oak Tour across Europe, America and Canada. They have also toured with Baaba Maal and recorded with the Afro Celt Sound System and contributed backing vocals on the Peter Gabriel track When You're Falling. The Screaming Orphans also did backing vocals on the Joni Mitchell's track Magdalene Laundries for The Chieftains' Tears of Stone album. They also contributed two tracks to the Jeremy Thomas film All the Little Animals, starring John Hurt and Christian Bale.

Screaming Orphans then signed to Blue Mountain Music Publishing, and a deal with Warner UK/WEA (Warner Music Group) followed. While they were with Warner UK (WEA), the Screaming Orphans recorded their debut album, Listen and Learn, in Normandy, France, with Mike Hedges. Moria Bellas, CEO of WEA, subsequently departed from Warner when London Records took over and the album was then exclusively licensed from Warner Music to Mike Hedges' own label 3 kHz Records.

In 2001 the band traveled back and forth to New York City to work on music for cartoon pilots with Funny Garbage. They then decided to make New York City their permanent base and started playing Irish festivals, colleges, universities and performing arts centers throughout the US.

The Screaming Orphans continue to actively tour throughout the US ^[1] and Europe. In summer of 2011, the band recorded Lonely Boy (pop album) and The Jacket's Green (Irish album).^[2] In spring of 2013, the band recorded their folk/Irish album Sliabh Liag and pop album Toy Theatre and in winter/spring 2015, the Screaming Orphans recorded their latest folk/Irish album Ballads Rule OK. In the summer of 2015, the band released their new pop EP, Dance with Me e.p.

The band was recently nominated by the Irish Music Awards for Best New Irish CD and have previously won the Top Celtic Rock band category. They were also included on the Ultimate Guide to Irish Folk album, released in 2014, which includes tracks from many of their musical heroes.

The Screaming Orphans split their time between New York City and Donegal.

Members

• Joan Diver - drums, vocals
• Angela Diver - bass, violin, vocals
• Gráinne Diver - guitar, vocals
• Marie Thérèse Diver - keys, accordion, vocals

Discography

• Dance with Me e.p. (pop 2015)
• Ballads Rule OK (folk/Irish 2015)
• Toy Theatre (pop 2013)
• Sliabh Liag (folk/Irish 2013)
• Lonely Boy (pop 2011)
• The Jacket’s Green (folk/Irish 2011)
• East 12th Street (pop 2009)
• Belle’s Isle (folk/Irish 2009)
• Circles (pop 2005)
• Back to Dublin (folk/Irish 2005)
• Screaming Orphans (pop 2003)
• Listen and Learn (pop 2001)

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Screaming Orphans.

• Official Screaming Orphans Website
• Screaming Orphans, Ballads Rule OK
• KVMR's 19th annual Celtic Festival offers diverse lineup of musicians, pageantry and family fun
• Screaming Orphans close out Nightfall with pop/Irish blend
• Concert Review in South Marion Citizen
• Festival Review in the Irish Emigrant