By Shauna McVey
Staff Reporter
shauna@middletowntranscript.com

If you’re Irish or just looking to show your green spirit on St. Patrick’s Day, Monday, March 17, head to Tom Foolery’s Restaurant & Bar from 7 to 11 p.m. for some music that will aide your celebration. 4 Ever Erin, a band that plays rock and country, but specializes in Celtic music or “shamrock and roll,” will be there to get everyone dancing and singing along.

The band’s members are from Elkton, Md., and Newark, and consist of Davy Shannon on guitar and bass guitar, Dorothy Sherman on vocals and flute, Lori Benscoter on guitar, bass and fiddle, Rob Creath on drums, and Jimmy Spicer on bass, guitar, mandolin and harmonica.

Shannon said they formed in the summer of 2002 after he moved to the area and wanted to keep playing music.
“I had some friends who played in Irish bars in Washington, D.C., and I played with them about 25 years ago,” he said. “I’ve been playing Irish music ever since. It’s music of my ancestors and it’s a pretty special type of music.” Shannon said the band’s name is their rendition of the Gaelic, or Irish language, phrase Erin go Bragh, which translates to “Ireland forever.” Erin is the Gaelic word for Ireland.

Sherman said she loves Celtic music and she’s happy to play in Middletown for the occasion. “That’s the best way to celebrate,” she said. “I’m drawn to Celtic music very much for its ability to tell a story. Energetic songs that tell a good story are really exciting.” Shannon said 4 Ever Erin plays a handful of shows every month in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C. and Virginia. He said their audiences vary from toddlers who dance at family-oriented events to coffee houses and even senior centers and retirement villages.

Sherman said the band is serious about their music, but they love to be the music for people who want to have a good time, which is exactly what they plan to do on St. Patrick’s Day. “No matter what nationality you are, if you appreciate beer, you have to appreciate the Irish because the Irish have a real reverence for beer,” she said.
Sherman said they have several drinking songs they will play on Monday like “Whiskey in the Jar,” “All For Me Grog” and “Nancy Whiskey.”

“There are a lot of non drinking songs, too, which are pretty good,” Shannon said. “One we do is ‘Brennan on the Moor’ about an outlaw back in the 1800s.” Sherman said they also do a few originals that fans of Ireland can enjoy. “It’s a chance to have fun and get a little break from the rest of the world,” he said. “Get in your own world for a few hours, listen to some music and sing along if you want.” To sample some of 4 Ever Erin’s music, go to www.myspace.com/4evererin. For more information, call Tom Foolery’s at (302) 449-2211