Kevin Burke

May 03, 2025 (Sat) / 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Buy Tickets here: Tickets on sale March 3rd
Venue: Phinney Center Concert Hall, Brick Building, 6532 Phinney Ave N, Seattle

Irish Fiddler Kevin Burke has been at the forefront of traditional music since the  1970’s. Born in London, his Irish parents instilled in him a love for the music of their homeland. Heavily influenced by older generations of musicians, both in Ireland and his native London, the teen age Kevin became a well known figure at folk clubs, ceilis and pub sessions.
Never one to be restricted by geography or genre, his decades long career has seen several innovative collaborations. Some of the eminent players he has worked with are: Grammy winner, singer and instrumentalist Tim O’Brien; Liam O Maonlai, lead singer of the Hothouse Flowers; classical violinists Gilles Apap and Greg Ewer; Old Time favourites, The Foghorn String Band;  veteran Rock guitarist John Brennan (who played with Poco, Chris Hillman Band and others); and many renowned Irish bands such as Dervish, Solas and Lunasa.
In 1980 he settled in the USA , performing with Bothy Band colleague Micheal O Domhnaill. Their 2 albums, “Promenade” and “Portland”, became, and still are, very influential resources for many traditional musicians.
Kevin has earned international acclaim in both Europe and America as a solo performer, a teacher and as a member of some of folk music’s foremost groups.
His contribution to music has received formal acknowledgement on both sides of the Atlantic where he has been the recipient of several awards including Ireland’s “Gradam Ceoil” (Traditional Musician of the Year, 2016), and a National Heritage Fellowship, the USA’s highest honor for excellence in the folk and traditional arts. Kevin has also been honoured by his adopted home state with his induction to the Oregon Music Hall of Fame .

A founding member of several renowned and influential groups (Open House, Patrick Street, The Celtic Fiddle Festival) Kevin has nonetheless retained his love for solo fiddle music – the “naked fiddle” as he himself sometimes puts it. Whether solo or accompanied, on record or in concert, Burke is an immensely engaging performer.

SFS is thrilled to welcome Kevin Burke back to our stage for a night of sublime solo Irish fiddle!