❝In the 60’s and 70’s Irish bands were a dime a dozen in these parts (Canada), and left a rich legacy. It’s great to hear someone updating that connection, and adding well-worthy songs to the canon.❞
– BOB MERSEREAU, CBC
In 2010, Michael Darcy packed up his songs and guitar, left his home in the hills of Co. Clare, Ireland and journeyed westward across the ocean to Toronto, Canada. Chasing adventure and tunes, he eventually fell in with three like-minded musicians who would become ‘The Atlantic Tramps’. The result was a whirlwind of transatlantic folk traditions. From meaningful ballads to roof-raising barnstormers, the energy and emotion of their music shines through when Michael Darcy & The Atlantic Tramps hit the stage.
Drawing from the well of rich Irish music that he grew up with and also being inspired by gritty American songwriters like John Prine & Guy Clark, Michael’s songs bear the earthy tones of his west Clare roots and the freshness of a newly cut path, Americana. Irish Music Magazine raved that “Darcy’s originals sit so comfortably within the genre that you’d swear they’ve been around for generations.”
Most recently, the band have spent the past two summers steadily growing a fanbase in the US performing at multiple celtic festivals and folk music venues in Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois & Iowa while maintaining a busy touring schedule in their home base of Ontario, Canada. They also embarked on a successful Irish tour in August 2023 culminating in a packed show at the historic Cobblestone venue in Dublin. 2022 saw the band receive a scholarship to attend the Folk Alliance International Conference in Kansas City, Missouri where they performed multiple showcases at the world’s largest gathering of the folk music industry and community. Their single “Sweet St. John’s”, released in March 2022, was featured on the popular St. John’s Morning Show for CBC Radio One in Canada. In 2021, they were honoured to be the only Canadian artists presented at the international Robinson Emerging Artist Showcase at North America’s longest running pan-Celtic festival – Goderich Celtic Roots Festival. 2020 saw the band share the stage with multi-platinum Irish artist Mundy at Toronto’s legendary Horseshoe Tavern.
After releasing his impressive solo debut Simple Drop of Rain, which resulted in positive reviews and radioplay on both sides of the Atlantic, Michael returned to the studio with The Atlantic Tramps in tow for the eagerly-awaited follow-up album Down to the Roots. Released in July 2022 to critical acclaim, it garnered a 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards nomination for ‘Traditional Singer of the Year’ while his original song “The Ballad of Uncle Frank” was nominated for ‘Song of the Year’ at the 2023 Ontario Folk Music Awards. The band are currently working on their 3rd studio album entitled Homemade, which is due for release in the spring of 2025.
❝’Down to the Roots’ is an excellent album; well-crafted songs with detailed arrangements are brought to life with virtuosic flair.❞
– FOLK AND HONEY UK
