Press Clippings

“One of the leading voices in Celtic Music.” — The Los Angeles Times

“Cathie Ryan is a thrilling traditional vocalist whose honey-pure soprano is equally at home on probing original ballads about a woman’s place in the modern world…. Her singing is simply sublime…” — Boston Globe

“There is a powerful sweetness in Cathie Ryan’s voice, as well as a Celtic intensity that can be felt in all the songs she writes and sings–songs of place, songs of memory, poignant songs of the heart.” — Billy Collins, Former U.S. Poet Laureate

“Cathie Ryan is blessed with a soprano voice that’s both lovely and affecting.  It’s a potent combination that helps account for why The Farthest Wave is the nearest thing to an uninterrupted pleasure…Ryan’s heartfelt songwriting and firm grasp of traditional Celtic music distinguish her….a soulful intensity bridges [her] original tunes with traditional gems…” — The Washington Post

“…any and everyone that enjoys a majestic performer should hear Ryan’s music.” — Nashville City Paper

“…the perfect marriage of voice and verse…The stubborn beauty of [The Farthest Wave] is a revelation.” — The Wall St Journal

The Farthest Wave copper fastens [Cathie Ryan’s] reputation as a songwriter of substance, and her distinctive soprano pushes hard at the boundaries of what can often be a watery Celtic twilight song tradition…. A formidable performer.” — The Irish Times (Ireland)

“[Cathie Ryan’s] clear voice is equally at home with the lilt of the Gaelic sean nos and the Motown groove of her home city…her own songs have a strength and charm rooted in the combination of these influences, her subjects the histories and lives of real people…….Ryan’s intimate, quietly passionate voice draws the listener into her world.” — BBC Radio 2

“Cathie Ryan has the soul of a true folksinger and a crystalline voice that turns even simple songs into gems…One hears in Ryan the sounds of old and new worlds.” — Hartford Courant

“…mature, masterful, at times magnificent singing… As this concert demonstrated, Cathie Ryan is singing better than ever. Unassailable ability and an increasingly canny taste in songs, including her own, are joined with proportion and balance in performance.  For anyone wondering what constitutes excellence in Irish American singing today, you need only attend a Cathie Ryan concert or listen to her most recent CD.” — The Irish Echo, NY

“Irish American vocalist Cathie Ryan has an enchanting voice, she sings with emotive power and an immaculate clarity. …..her performance is striking.” — Billboard Magazine (starred review)

“Concert of the Year Award …Cathie Ryan, our Female Vocalist of the Decade, is quite simply the best….She and her talented, versatile band give the definitive live Irish music performance.” — Irish American News, Chicago

“Cathie Ryan…moves her richly sympathetic voice between traditional songs and new ones infused with Celtic mystery.” — New York Times

“Cathie Ryan is so well loved amongst Irish, Americans and the music industry… impressive.” — Maverick Magazine – 4 Stars (UK)