North is a great band to be a part of. I'm the new guy and come from a wildly different musical background from the rest of the band (they, for example, are very talented), but I think we complement each other well. We play a few times per month in and around Ann Arbor (with occasional jaunts to such exotic locales as Toledo and Chicago).
North is currently working on its third studio album (but the first project I'm part of) which should be finished and released in late April of 2024 (though the timeline might slip).
I come from a long line of musicians and an even longer line of Irish people. I find myself within the intersection of these two sets. I play bodhrán with some moderate level of success. I've also begun learning mandolin and tin whistle.
I occasionally show up at the Sunday night session at Conor O'Neil's pub on Main Street (the same Main Street that Bob Seger sang about), but the pub is pretty lame and has recently started cutting session short so they can offer karaoke instead (because what this town needs from its only Irish pub is a feckin' karaoke night). My favorite Irish groups are folks like Danu, Altan, Téada, and Flook.
My father was an accomplished classical pianist and accordion player. My paternal grandmother was a singer, my grandfather was a pianist, and my maternal grandfather was a drummer and band leader. My mother has been a professional dancer and acrobat and is currently teaching Irish dance at an Irish dance school near her house .
As my grandmother would say, if I am lucky enough to have any musical ability I certainly didn't lick it off the floor.