Irish blues legend Red Peters dies

Hot Press is saddened to hear of the death over the weekend of the great Irish blues shouter, Red Peters.

Originally from Tipperary, Redmond 'Red' Peters emerged as a musical force during the Irish blues boom and quickly became recognised as one of the great vocalists of his time. Legend has it that he was called after the pro-Treaty Irish nationalist politician, John Redmond, of whom his father was a great admirer.

Though he clearly had the talent to make it on the international stage, opportunities were rare in the late '60s and early '70s and Red was content to remain on familiar Irish ground. He never courted success, but he lit up the blues scene in Dublin, singing songs by Lead Belly, Son House, Robert Johnston and many more of the blues greats.

A public servant by day, he was a hit first at the Irish Blues Appreciation Society outings in Slattery's of Capel St., which featured the likes of Champion Jack Dupree, Mississippi Fred McDowell, and Johnny Shines, among a selection of leading blues lights. Along the way, he was a member of The Cana Band with Alec Finn, later of Dé Dannan. As the scene evolved to encompass more than the blues, Red became a regular at the Folk, Blues and Beyond gigs run by promoter Larry Roddy.

His residence with Jimmy Faulkner at The Meeting Place during the '70s and the '80s was legendary, bringing together two of Ireland's blues virtuosos. He formed the Floating Dublin Blues Band, with a shifting line-up of the leading lights on the Dublin scene that, over the extended lifetime of the band, included a long list of blues luminaries, including Pat Farrell, Declan McNeilis, Fran Breen and Chris Meehan, as well as Faulkner, among many more.

He played at the Jimmy Faulkner tribute at the Olympia Theatre in 2008, following the premature death of the Irish blues guitarist and – as his encroaching ill health became apparent – was himself the subject of a command performance at which numerous former associates paid tribute to him. A great loss to Irish music, he will be mourned by family and friends. Our condolences to all...