America Embraces The Corrs
March 15, 2001 -- About a decade ago, and on a whim, two Irish parents urged their four children to form a rock band.
Talented and eager, the youngsters decided to give it a go. They bought some equipment, crossed their fingers, and jammed in the bedroom of a rented house in Dundalk, Ireland.
Now they're touring the world.
Catapulted by their worldwide smash "Breathless," The Corrs — Jim, Sharon, Caroline and Andrea Corr — are on the heels of two previous acclaimed albums — and they're just picking up steam.
Their 1995 debut Forgiven, Not Forgotten was helmed in part by fourteen-time Grammy award-winning producer David Foster, selling well over 2 million copies worldwide to date. Their sophomore effort, Talk On Corners, has been certified six-times platinum, gaining attention and praise among the industry elite.
Currently out promoting In Blue, The Corrs classify their music as "Irish pop rock" with the emphasis more on the "Irish" and "rock" rather than "pop." Part of the band's mystique is their ability to combine rock 'n' roll with this traditional Irish flare. And their good looks don't hurt either.
The American Dream — Pub Style
The previous Corrs albums have gained predominantly European attention, but now the group is catching on with Americans too. Their new single, "Breathless," is the headliner song to Miramax's Chocolat, starring Oscar winners Juliette Binoche and Judi Dench (who are both up for Academy Awards again this year), and the tune has received ample radio play in the United States.
"Our music is very melodic, and there's something about the traditional Irish music element that, all around the world, seems to capture everybody's heart," says Andrea Corr, the band's lead singer and youngest of the siblings.
The Corrs got its start playing small gigs in smoky Irish pubs. Jim Corr will never forget one the band's earliest gigs in 1994. They were booked at Whelan's Pub in Dublin, and Jean Kennedy Smith, then U.S. ambassador to Ireland, was in attendance. She was impressed by their performance and invited The Corrs to play at a special concert at the soccer World Cup celebration being organized by her brother, Sen. Edward Kennedy.
"We certainly had our goals set very high from the start," Jim recalls. "I don't think back then we could have anticipated this level of success — we are delighted with it."
If you want to catch The Corrs live, watch them Friday morning on Good Morning America. The band will play in New York before commencing a tour that brings them through the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia. A plane ticket may be in order, but the band would tell you it's worth it.