Cherish The Ladies at The Irish American Society - Celebrating 40 Years!

Joanie Madden and CHERISH THE LADIES CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF BLENDING JOYFUL IRISH MUSIC, stunning vocals, and dazzling step dancing. Celebrating an extraordinary 40 years at the forefront of Irish traditional music, Cherish the Ladies stands as one of the most beloved and critically acclaimed ensembles on the world stage. With their exhilarating blend of traditional Irish music, breathtaking vocals, and propulsive step dancing, they have won the hearts of audiences around the globe. As The Boston Globe declares, “It is simply impossible to imagine an audience that wouldn’t enjoy what they do!” Founded in 1985, this trailblazing, Emmy Award–winning and Grammy-nominated group shattered barriers for women in folk music and forged a legacy of excellence with 18 acclaimed albums, an Emmy Award–winning PBS special, and thousands of concerts across the world — from iconic concert halls to the Olympics and the White House. Led by internationally renowned flute and whistle virtuoso Joanie Madden, a National Heritage Fellowship recipient from the National Endowment for the Arts, Cherish the Ladies deliver a thrilling and heartfelt mix of virtuosic instrumentals, beautiful vocals, engaging arrangements, and dazzling step dancing. The ensemble features a world-class lineup: Joanie Madden (flute, whistles, harmony vocals), Mary Coogan (guitar), Mirella Murray (accordion), Nollaig Casey (fiddle), Kate Purcell (lead vocals, guitar), and Hannah Collins (piano, concertina). Adding to the excitement, world-champion step dancers bring energy, artistry, and athleticism to every performance. Praised by The New York Times for their “passionate, tender, and rambunctious” sound and hailed by The Washington Postfor their “astonishing array of virtuosity,” Cherish the Ladies have earned international recognition and countless honors, including being named BBC’s Best Musical Group of the Year, and receiving a rare tribute: a street dedicated in their honor — “Joanie Madden and Cherish the Ladies” — on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx, New York. Their collaborations span some of the most celebrated names in music, from the Boston Pops Symphony, Vince Gill, Don Henley, Bob Dylan, to Arlo Guthrie, Nanci Griffith, The Chieftains, Sinéad O’Connor, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Rhiannon Giddens, Chris Thile, James Galway and The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem. With more than 300 concerts performed with symphony orchestras, they remain the most successful Celtic Pops ensemble in history. At the heart of Cherish the Ladies’ enduring success is virtuosity, heart, humor, and a profound love for the music passed down from their fathers — connecting generations through the timeless joy of Irish traditional music, song, and dance.