Marc Gunn
Marc Gunn | |
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Marc Gunn performs at the New Deal Cafe in Greenbelt, MD (July 2011) | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Marc Andrew Gunn |
Also known as | The Celtfather |
Born | March 17, 1972 (age 44) |
Genres | Celtic, Irish, Scottish, folk, Renaissance, comedy, novelty, etc. |
Occupation(s) | Musician and podcaster |
Instruments | autoharp |
Website |
www |
Marc Andrew Gunn (born March 17, 1972)[1] is a musician and podcaster. As the autoharp-playing half of the Brobdingnagian Bards, Gunn and partner Andrew McKee developed a following with weekly performances on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin. This led to gigs at renaissance faires, science fiction conventions, and Celtic music festivals as well as parties and weddings for the pair. The group headlined at the Oscar party for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
With the Bards’ calendar busy, Gunn began producing the duo’s recordings. His first solo album, Soul of a Harper, appeared in 2004; he then embarked on work for Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers.
The Brobdingnagian Bards band broke up amicably on September 15, 2008, and Gunn plans to pursue a solo career.
After the Brobdingnagian Bards disbanded, Gunn began releasing several albums a year with four full-length studio albums released in 2008, three in 2009, and two in 2010.
He is also involved in an online resource called the Celtic MP3s Music Magazine. The weekly publication reviews Celtic music of all varieties from Irish traditional music to Celtic rock. Two free, full-length MP3s are offered for download every week on the site. Marc is one of the few professional podcasters producing five different podcasts each month, the most-popular being the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast Additionally, Gunn publishes The Bards Crier's Music Marketing and Promotion Tips Ezine, a newsletter that teaches musicians about marketing and promotion, and handles webmaster duties for a variety of sites including the Austin Celtic Association. Due to his hard work as a podcaster and promoter of independent Celtic music, he has earned the nickname of "The Celtfather" from his fans.
It is claimed that more than five million MP3s have been downloaded from him; over one million of those were for "Tolkien (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings)." The Brobdingnagian Bards were voted “Best Renaissance Men” in the Austin Chronicle’s 2003 Best of Austin poll. In March 2005, The Bards collected an Austin Music Award for the Bards as Best Novelty Band, the first time any Celtic band has won. Gunn’s solo CD Soul of a Harper won the Best Cover Art category that year. In 2007, they continued that honor by winning Best None of the Above Band, and in 2008, they won Best Folk Band.
Bibliography
- Bella Filíocht : Heartfelt Poetry of a Celtic Italian Hopeful Romantic (2005)
- Mozart's Digital Concerto: The Quick and Easy Guide to Classical Music Downloads (2005)
Discography
- Intent on World Domination with Skander (1995)
- Breastfed with Breastfed (1997)
- Ichabod's Geography (1998)
- October Sessions (1998)
- Mountain Rain (2001)
- Celtic Love & War (2002)
- Soul of a Harper (2004)
- When Kitty Eyes Are Smiling (2005)
- Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers (2005)
- 4 Irish Whiskey Drinking Songs (2006)
- A Collection of Irish Pub Songs (2007)
- Irish Drinking Songs: A Cat Lover's Companion (2007)
- Three Movie and TV Songs for Geeks Like Me (2007)
- A Tribute to Love (2008)
- A Gift of Cat Love (2008)
- Whiskers in the Jar: Irish Songs for Cat Lovers (2008)
- Going for Brogue: Irish Pub Songs and Sea Shanties with an Accent (2008)
- What Color Is Your Dragon? Folk Music with Delusions of Grandeur (2008)
- Heart's Ease: Instrumental Autoharp Music (2009)
- Live at the Cactus Cafe (2009)
- Happy Songs of Death (2009)
- The Bridge (Marc Gunn album)|The Bridge (2010)
- Kilted For Her Pleasure (2010)
- Firefly Drinking Songs with Bedlam Bards (2011)
- Don't Go Drinking With Hobbits (2011)
- Not Every Day Is St. Patrick's Day (2013)
- Scottish Songs of Drinking and Rebellion (2013)
- How America Saved Irish Music with Jamie Haeuser (2014)
- Sci Fi Drinking Songs (2014)
In 2012, he contributed supporting vocals for the Worm Quartet song "Goddammit Marc Gunn, Shut Up About Your Cat" on the album Songs of the Maniacs.
See Brobdingnagian Bards for additional discography.
Compilations produced and featured on
- Coventina's Well (2003)
- Secret World of Celtic Rock (2005)
- The Circle (2006) Hurricane Katrina benefit CD co-produced with Modern Bard
- Victims of Irish Music (2007)
- Renaissance Festival Podcast Compilation (2008)
- Best of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast (2009)
- Best Irish Drinking Songs (2013)
- A Celtic Christmas (2014)
References
- ↑ "Personal FAQ about Marc Gunn". Marc Gunn.com. Retrieved March 18, 2012.
External links
- Marc Gunn
- Marc's DeviantArt
- Brobdingnagian Bards
- Celtic MP3s Music Magazine
- Irish & Celtic Music Podcast
- Renaissance Festival Podcast
- MarcSongs Podcast
- Pub Songs Podcast
- Marc Gunn, This Is Your Life