Sham-rockers

Local band 4Ever Erin interviewed

By Katy Ciamaricone kciamaricone@cecilwhig.com

Posted: Monday, March 17, 2008 3:30 AM EDT

4Ever Erin band members, from left to right: Rob Creath of Baltimore, on drums; Dorothy Sherman of Elkton, on vocals and flute; Davy Shannon of Elkton on guitar and bass; Jim Spicer of Newark, Del. on guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin and harmonica; and Lori Benscooter, also from Newark, on vocals, guitar and bass. The musicians are getting accustomed to the night life that an Irish-American band must inhabit. PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE WHIG BY DOROTHY SHERMAN

Since they got together last fall, members of the local band 4Ever Erin have performed cancer benefits, the Steppingstone Museum and Ritz restaurant in Havre de Grace n and even at a barbecue in Saint Michael’s last summer to an audience that included Vice President Dick Cheney.

While gearing up for tonight’s performance at Tom Foolery’s in Middletown, Del., they took some time out to riff about whiskey, foggy dew, and life on the road.

Describe your sound.

DAVY: It varies greatly. Our “root” genre is Celtic/Irish. We add drums and sometimes an electric guitar so it might be called “Traditional Irish with a beat” or maybe “Shamrock and Roll,” though a lot of stuff is acoustic ? “Acoustic Shamrock”? We do everything from The Irish to Doors songs, country and bluegrass, a touch of blues with places in between. Maybe like Clannad and The Cranberries meet Fleetwood Mac and Jefferson Starship with Dolly Parton sitting in sometimes.

DOROTHY: Our sound is meant to involve the audience in our love of old Irish story-telling and drinking songs. Speaking only for myself, I love any tune whose lyrics tell a fascinating story, and adore not only Irish songs but cowboy songs and sea chanties as well. Not everyone gets along well with Vice President Cheney, but he attended a party in Saint Michael’s where we performed, and I noticed him listening intently, to my rendition of “Foggy Dew” n the story of an Irish uprising against the British in 1916. I was later told his wife Lynn really liked my rendition of “Ghostriders in the Sky.” Who doesn’t love a good story?

I love the rowdyness of “The Pogues,” but have to be realistic about my gender and age, and who might be hiring us. So, We try to be both lively and mellow, in turns.

Would you describe yourself as an “Irish band”?

DOROTHY: This is a question with which I have pestered our founder, Davy Shannon, since we first formed, in 2002. I worry that purists, who feel that only “The Chieftans,” and other sparkling and speedy instrumentalists qualify as true “Irish Bands,” will feel cheated by so many vocals. But, songs originating in Ireland, or written by Irish Americans form the backbone of our extensive set list.

DAVY: Probably “American-Irish” as we do a lot of Traditonal Irish and Celtic music, though we can do other genres too.

Maybe “Traditonal Irish/Celtic/country/bluegrass/rock/oldies/variety band” if you include the whole repertoire. “Irish/variety” for short?

How do you choose which songs you’ll play at gigs?

DOROTHY: Client preference plays a big part in song choices. If a band member has a favorite song they want to do, it can take a lot of nagging, and it’s a MUST that one show up with the lyrics and chords already printed out.

How do you all travel to gigs?

ROB: I usually travel separately because I’m coming from Baltimore and I usually have a station wagon full of drums.

DOROTHY: We pack as many other band members as can fit, into my van along with gobs of equipment, and sometimes my hapless husband, Bill. He’s a professional road driver and we all love those rare moments, having him at the wheel. He makes a fabulous roadie and raconteur.

We’ve all heard of “creative differences” between band members. Have you experienced that yet?

DAVY: A band is often like a soap opera.

JIM: Band bipolarism exists in all bands; you either deal with it or move on.

DOROTHY: All musicians are human. Human beings all come to every experience with a set of hopes and expectations. We’ve had members leave for various reasons. Some want to just do “cover songs” of whatever is popular in a particular type of music at the moment. They won’t be happy with us. Others realize the schedule is demanding.

Describe your greatest on-stage moment so far.

LORI: I recently had my debut performance of the electric bass with the group, and it went reasonably well. Also, we had a chance to meet Vice President Cheney at one of our performances.

DOROTHY: Of course, we felt validated when someone felt we were good enough to perform at a party where both George Bush and Dick Chaney were on the guest list, despite any political differences.

But there are other things that really touch your heart. My favorite bride had waited for her husband to come home from overseas for so long, and then wrote her own words to “Danny Boy” to celebrate their new life together. We backed her up while she sang this.

Toddlers are absolutely the most uninhibited, flattering fans! And I always look forward to the University of Delaware’s Ag Day, where I can count on them to be dancing among the haybales in front of the stage.

JIM: Opening for Eddie Money at the Stone Balloon years ago. He is so down to earth, really a nice person.

Band members often play deep into the night, to audiences in various stages of intoxication. What’s that like?

LORI: I can assume that it might be positive in that an intoxicated individual may be less discerning and more tolerant of our mistakes. It could also have the opposite effect when a normally reserved individual has too much to drink and decides that they don’t like the music. I suppose it could lead to heckling and other less pleasant experiences.

DOROTHY: It hurts me terribly, for very personal reasons, to know that some drinkers are going to go outside and selfishly climb behind the wheel of a car. My music stand sports a Mothers Against Drunk Driving ribbon.

But if you exhale boozy breath on me while you sing along, I’m cool with that! Just keep yourself and everybody else safe and you’re entitled to enjoy a good time!

JIM: Late into the night, this always calms down rowdy drunks: hit ?em with a good old hymn “Amazing Grace.”

ROB: The later we play, the better we sound.

Those of you with families, how do you balance performances with family time?

DAVY: N/A for me.

DOROTHY: I waited until all of my daughters were fully grown before getting involved with music. I raised them pretty much on my own, with the financial support of a husband who despised his life before climbing into the cab of a semi to drive 48 states, Canada and Mexico. His gratitude for my putting up with that has been one gigantic “get-out-of-jail-free-card.”

LORI: I’m not married, so this hasn’t been too much of an issue. My main difficulty is fitting in practices and performances around my unusual work schedule, and also having some time to tend to household chores, errands, and maintaining other personal relationships and interests.

How many of you are Irish?

DOROTHY: I’m a Scotch-mutt who defected. I became “Born-again Irish” after attending an event touted as “Scottish.” So dull that it caused me to channel my inner soccer-hooligan. While I’m not a heavy drinker, I do have taste buds, so I prefer Irish whiskey.

DAVY: On my mom’s side of the family, her grandmother was from County Cork in Ireland. On my Dad’s side they came from Ireland before the American Revolution. I read one of my ancestors was an officer in the Revolutionary Army in the 1770s and 1780s.

LORI: My family background includes various European nationalities in addition to a trace of American Indian, but to my knowledge, Irish isn’t in the mixture.

ROB: I’m about 1/4 Scottish and Irish.

JIM: I have some Irish in me, but mostly French, German and English n what a mess.

What song do you get requests for most often?

ROB: The Unicorn song was popular at our last gig.

What’s the best way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

LORI: Wearing something green and doing something that you enjoy. What better way than going out somewhere with pleasant companions to experience a touch of Ireland by listening to traditional Irish music and other old favorites performed by groups such as 4Ever Erin?

DOROTHY: Performing, of course!

DAVY: Listen to some Irish music, relax and enjoy. And if you drink any of the green beer take a cab home or have a designated driver.

JIM: Best way I know of is come and see us and get the party started.

ROB: There is no bad way to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day. Find some friends and have a good time.