There really is a unique story to how I met Homeland. In July 2011 a new employee started in my department at my law firm in DC. This was about the time I was listening non-stop to Celtic Rock to select songs for Volume I. Tom stopped by my desk and commented on the music and asked if I knew of a band called Homeland based in Ohio. I did not. His connection to the band was Rob Koogler. The name didn’t ring a bell either.

Fast forward to three weeks later when I was in Ohio and guess which band caught my eye on the festival line-up? Homeland. I went to their set and really liked what I heard. A little while later I was standing around chatting and asked a friend if he knew Rob Koogler. He smiled, looked over my shoulder, and called, “Rob.” As it turns out Rob and the other band members were standing right behind me.

Introductions were exchanged, selfies were sent to my co-worker, and friendships began. I told the guys about the project I was working on and they provided me with CDs to listen to on the long drive home. During that nine hour drive I fell in love with their song Everything, which they allowed me to use on Volume I. That was just the beginning of their outstanding support of my little project.

One day shortly after the Volume I was released I received a call from a friend to visit the Homeland website. You can still click on the link and see what floored me. The landing page of their website was Celtic Pink Ribbon (Vol III now). I confess, it brought tears to my eyes the first time.

Homeland was, of course, part of the Volume II, donating the song Rising of the Moon. If you've not heard their version, give it a listen. It is a fresh take on the song. Not long after the release of Volume II these guys really stepped up to the plate when they agreed to perform at the 1st Celtic Pink Ribbon Golf Tournament and Celebration of Celtic Music. They lent their time and talent to make the day a success and for that I’ll be forever grateful. More on the Celtic Pink Ribbon Golf Tournament and Concert in a future blog.

Volume III includes Closing Song by Homeland. It is a bit of a different sound for the band, but I knew the moment I heard it I wanted to use it as the anchor song for the CD. No one, except maybe my husband, knows how much I stress and fret over the order of the songs on the CDs. I work on it for months. It was a pleasure to know from the start exactly what spot I wanted the song to be. It is a beautiful lullaby to close out the CD.

Rob, Scott, Jeremy & Tyler have always gone that extra step with their support. They are a great group of guys, who sound great and put on a great show. If you are not familiar with Homeland, check them out on the Celtic Pink Ribbon compilations or on one of their many releases. You won’t be disappointed.   

How I met Rathkeltair is kind of a funny story. I was celebrating my 40th birthday at Mid-Winter Scottish & Irish Music Festival with one of my dear friends. We both took a 1/2 day off from work that Friday. The plan was to leave DC by 1 pm, arrive King of Prussia, PA by 5, have dinner with the band we were going to see and then party the night away. Instead we hit a massive traffic jam. 3 hours later we were barely in Maryland. She was driving, so I started my birthday celebrating early in the passenger seat. By the time we arrived it was 9 pm, the band had just finished their set and I was more than a little tipsy. 

After we checked in I called the band and was told to meet them at the hotel bar called Chumley's. Little did I know there was about 6 hotel bars. After roaming around for quite some time we finally went up to the front desk to find out where Chumley's was. This tall bloke wearing a bandana on his head was trying to check in, but "tipsy" me interrupted for directions. The front desk clerk told me he'd be with me shortly. Those that know me know that patience is not my strong suit. When they finished checking him in, this stranger took pity on the poor drunk girl and offered to show me where the bar was because he was headed that direction :)

A few minutes later we walked into Chumley's, I thanked him for showing us the way and I left to him at the door to meet my friends. When I got to their table I was met with shocked stares and a chorus of, "How do you know Trevor Tanner???"

"Who the hell is Trevor Tanner????" 

Oh, no one, just the singer and guitarist of The Bolshoi, now with some group called Rathkeltair. By the time they finished singing his praises I was so intimidated I didn't speak to him for 4 more years, when I approached him about being on Volume I. Truth be told, there are moments when I still get a wee bit star struck. I swear I walked around for a week after hearing the Audacious Divas song for the first time muttering, "Trevor Tanner wrote a song for ME!"

For a band I didn't know very well at the start, Rathkeltair has become my protective big brothers of sorts. They've done so much for me in the past year, it is hard to even write about without getting a big lump in my throat. Here are just a few of the reasons I love them so much:

• They were the first band to handle sales of Celtic Pink Ribbon with their merchandise.
• They featured The Audacious Divas in the Goodbye to the Big White Van video, giving us much needed exposure.
  
• Trevor wrote our theme song Audacious Divas.
• The band recorded our theme song, which is available on Volume III & on Rathkeltair & Friends CPR. Rob created the video promo.
• While I took a hiatus from fundraising in 2013, they released Rathkeltair & Friends CPR and are donating all the money they raise with the CD & T-Shirts to breast cancer research & awareness.
• They hooked me up to get Volume III pressed less expensively.
  
• They are my own personal Rathkeltair Courier Service. The guys are picking up and delivering Volume III to me at Mid-Winter Festival, all the way from Florida, to save postage costs.
  
• Aleks came all the way to DC to sit in with Seven Nations at the first Celtic Pink Ribbon Presents event, when Crisco has a schedule conflict and couldn't make it.

 I'll never be able to express how grateful I am to Trevor, Neil, Nick, Aleks & Rob for all they've done. 

One of the tracks I'm most excited about on Volume III is The Blessing by Molly & Mossy Moran. Unlike most of the tracks on the Celtic Pink Ribbon CDs, you can't get this one anywhere else. It was recorded specifically FOR Celtic Pink Ribbon. You would never guess Molly is just 14 years old from they way she belts out this lovely tune, brilliantly backed up by her dad on guitar. 

I first met Molly at the Dublin Irish Festival just after Volume I was released. After festival hours I was visiting with friends on the patio of the hotel bar when I heard this tiny voice singing. It was Molly. She was only 10 or 11 years old at the time and didn't have much confidence in her beautiful voice, but I could hear something right away. We ended up moving over to her table and listening to her for the next hour. It has been really fun to watch her confidence grow and and her talent shine over the past few years. 

I knew immediately I wanted her on Molly to be a part of Volume II, even if it was  hidden track, but she wasn't ready yet. I think you'll agree once you hear The Blessing, she is ready now. Look our world, here come Molly!! 

Mossy, of course, has been a part of all three compilations, but for Volume III he insisted on passing the spotlight on to his lovely and talented daughter. I have a soft spot for dads that encourage their children :)

Today I want to talk about The Young Dubliners, the band responsible for my love affair with Celtic music. 

Many many years ago, where we were truly all YOUNG, I stumbled upon a Young Dubliners show and was instantly HOOKED. Everyone in the crowd, from age 8 to 88, was having a blast. I lived on the East Coast and they are based on the West Coast, so I didn't get to see them often at first. Then I moved to San Diego, home of the Belly Up, where they played frequently. 

I was celebrating my 30th birthday at the Belly Up at a Dubs show. At this point I had not met the band. The crowd was off that night. No one was laughing at Keith's jokes, except ME. That caused him to seek me out after the set. We all ended up at a Denny's later that night and some great friendships took root. 

Because I love their music so much, I started to check out other bands they suggested, many of which are on the Celtic Pink Ribbon compilations. Yesterday I blogged Celtic Pink Ribbon wouldn't have happened without Seven Nations, but it truly wouldn't have happened without my Dub Boyz, because they introduced me to 7N.

I've been to Ireland TWICE with this motley crew ... two of the greatest trips in my life. It is because of them I have some of my most interesting stories, like meeting Anna Nicole Smith, and Billy Boyd & Dominic Monaghan, and Dan Ackroyd, and Ian Anderson. 

I've also met some of my dearest friends because of them. The Dubs are one of the friendliest bands on the circuit. I've seen them almost miss planes because they take the time to chat with everyone that wishes to chat. It is one of the things I love about them. 

They have all been very supportive of all of my fundraising activities. Brendan & Dave, both extremely talented photographers, have donated pieces of their work for my fundraisers. There may even be a very special PINK fur guitar strap that was seen at many of their shows up for raffle this year. Stay tuned. 

While ALL the bands on the CD are important to me, The Young Dubliners have a special place in my heart. I love my Dub Boyz!!

Deb

For the next six weeks I'm going to blog about the amazing bands that have been a part of the Celtic Pink Ribbon compilations. The posts are going to be in no particular order. In fact, they will probably be based on what is playing on my computer when I sit down to blog. Right now Sound of Music is playing, so....

Let's start at the very beginning 
A very good place to start 
When you read you begin with ABC
When you produce a CD you begin with...

SEVEN NATIONS!!!

The photo below was taken the day Celtic Pink Ribbon was born. If anyone actually read the liner notes for Volume I, you'll know I "BLAME STRUBY!!" 

Way back in September of 2011, my best friend and Audacious Divas Co-Founder, Tammy, and I were helping 7N with merchandise sales at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. I literally couldn't keep their new release in my hand. I'd grab 20 from the table, go out into the crowd, and they'd be GONE. I'd run back to the table, hand Lee cash and grab 20 more CDs. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Since I had just signed up to walk in my first breast cancer walk and needed to raise $2,300, a fundraising idea began to brew in my brain while they performed Scream.

Something just occurred to me that I think I knew before
It comes to me like a creeping shadow
Like a light from a half closed door
Do I think too much or not enough
Do I even have a clue
Because here I stand a single person
Is there anything I can do

Between sets I voiced my idea to Struby. "Do you think I could get a few of the bands on the circuit to donate a track to a CD that raises money for breast cancer research & awareness?"

He didn't miss a beat. The answer was an immediate and enthusiastic YES!  

My friends have always had more confidence in my than I've had in myself, so I was doubtful, but as we continued to talk, and included Kirk in the conversation, I began to believe it was possible. Struby introduced me to Karen Reid, of East of Hebrides (who conveniently happened to be at the next table taking care of merchandise for BROTHER). Karen had done a similar project and was full of great advice :)

Thus Celtic Pink Ribbon was born. 

I had contacts in about 10 bands I knew could reach out to ask. I figured it I could pull it off, it would be a single CD with about 8 to 10 tracks. What happened was SO MUCH BIGGER!! Struby, Kirk, Lee, Karen and Bill were AMAZING!! For the next 15 months they patiently answered questions, provided advice and guidance, and networked me out to so many bands. They have, of course, been part of all three compilations, and agreed to let me use Scream on Volume I. 

Without Seven Nations, this project never would have happened, so it seemed only fitting to approach them about the very first Celtic Pink Ribbon Presents fundraiser. Once again these amazing guys jumped on board and helped me pull off a rock concert event. 

I absolutely adore these men and their music. I've known them for almost 20 years now and my life is blessed by their friendship and support. And they give pretty awesome HUGS too. 

Deb