THE MCCALLION BAND: From Celtic to Country!

Take a musical journey — from the mythic landscapes of the British Isles to the heartlands of America — in this evening of songs and stories from the Irish-Scottish to Americana roots traditions. The McCallion Band will bring you beloved traditional songs and award-winning originals, from ballads to foot-stomping songs you’ll want to get up and dance to. 

Fronted by singer/songwriter Nancy McCallion and special guest Heather Hardy on fiddle, The McCallion Band features some of Tucson's most beloved and accomplished musicians: L.A. session musician and Arizona Blues Hall of Fame awardee Danny Krieger on guitar; and Tucson music scene veterans Neil McCallion on bass and Les Merrihew on drums.

Nancy McCallion is well known as the songwriter and vocalist for the Celtic-Norteño-folk-punk-rock band The Mollys. The daughter of an Irish-Scots immigrant and Texas farm girl, Nancy grew up in the cross-cultural border town of Tucson. Her work has been compared to Lucinda Willliams and Iris Dement; and her quirky, sometimes dark, takes on "life lived small" bring to mind the work of Tom Waits. With seven highly-acclaimed Mollys CDs and six CDs — solo or with The McCallion Band — recognition of her work includes a Washington Post Top CD of 1997 listing, and songs featured in the 2019 Netflix series Living with Yourself and the feature film Age of Adaline. Her often-covered song "On We Go" is included on Putamayo’s Women of the World: Celtic collection, alongside Mary Black, Clannad, Maura O’Connell, Capercaillie and others.

Guest artist Heather Lil’ Mama Hardy brings an unrivaled range of experience to the stage. From New York’s Manhattan School of Music and subway busking; through tours of US and Europe, work with poets and punk bands; to Arizona Blues Showdown and International Blues Talent Competition triumphs; to showcases of classical and jazz fiddle, Heather has been featured on over 200 albums/CDs since 1983. Her Lil’ Mama Band, formed in 1996, maintains a steady performance schedule in Tucson and New York, and in 2000 she was inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame.