Trent Bradford
Hooley Takes the Stage
(Left to Right) Paul Merryman, Darci Jones, Trent Bradford, and Mickey Hicks bring the spirit of Celtic music to life. The Hoover-based ensemble specializes in traditional arrangements with a unique "Hooley kind of thing" twist.
“Hand clapping, feet stomping up and people getting up to try an Irish dance. It's a lot of fun to see people try to get up and do their version of Riverdance.”
That’s how Trent Bradford, leader of Hooley, a Celtic band based in Hoover, Alabama, describes the atmosphere when an audience gathers before his band of four: Bradford on Uillean & Highland Pipes, guitar and whistle; Darci Jones on fiddle, Paul Merryman on guitar and banjo; and Mickey Hicks, who plays the bodhran (hand drum) and the bouzouki, a string instrument.
“I've lived in Hoover for 30 years, so anytime we get to play for a Hoover audience, it's very well received,” he said.
At a young age, Bradford learned to play the saxophone and got into jazz while at the University of Montevallo. But his musical path took a turn when he learned about his Scottish ancestry from his grandfather.
“He had fought in World War II and had seen the Highland regiments, and he ended up going to a Highland festival in Montgomery later that year, and pretty much after seeing the bagpipes and the Highland dancers and Highland athletes, I put my saxophone away and started learning the bagpipes, and within six months, I was playing the bagpipes and doing small professional things like doing funerals and little parties.”
They first formed the band in 1997 under the name Craicers (from the Irish term “craic,” meaning “fun”). The band broke up in 1999 and soon reformed under the new name Hooley, an Irish term for “a lively gathering.” Hicks joined the band in 2016. The band draws creative ideas from contemporary Celtic musicians, arranging new tunes for their performances.
Trent Bradford
Hooley: Hoover, Alabama's Celtic Band
It's a "lively gathering" whenever Hooley takes the stage with their unique blend of Uilleann pipes, bodhrán fiddle and bouzouki
“We tend to play the traditional stuff, and sometimes we'll hear something off an album and go, oh yeah, let's play that one too. And then we usually try to do different arrangements to make them more of our own tune,” he said. “It’s more of a Hooley kind of thing.”
Having taught music in the Birmingham City Schools for 30 years, Bradford has a little advice for young musicians interested in keeping the spirit of Celtic music alive.
“Practice, practice your craft. Just listening to music is not going to make you better. There are all kinds of Irish music and Scottish music workshops all over. You can find somewhere to go and learn your craft more if you can't find a teacher in your area. There are things to do out of state, and you can bring that knowledge back to the state.”
To find out where you can hear Celtic music in Hoover, Alabama and nearby, go to www.hooley.online or visit their Facebook page.