RUNA
Pushing the boundaries of Irish folk music into Americana and roots music
Celtic-American Roots music “super group” RUNA breathes fresh life into traditional Celtic music by digging into the songs and tunes to find the universal thread that binds past to present.
RUNA has been enchanting audiences by pushing the boundaries of Irish folk music into the Americana and roots music formats since their formation in 2008. Interweaving the haunting melodies and exuberant tunes of Ireland and Scotland with the lush harmonies and intoxicating rhythms of jazz, bluegrass, flamenco and blues, they offer a thrilling and redefining take on traditional music.
Talking about how they developed their sound, they said, “We try to use the different musical backgrounds and nationalities of our band members to our advantage by incorporating their expertise and styles into our music.” RUNA is made up of vocalist and step-dancer Shannon Lambert-Ryan of Philadelphia; Dublin-born guitarist Fionán de Barra; Cheryl Prashker of Canada on percussion; Jake James of New York on the fiddle, and Caleb Edwards of Nashville on mandolin and vocals. They say their influences include Mary Black, The Chieftains, U2 and Norah Jones.
They are blazing a trail for the future of folk music, earning them the reputation as one of the most innovative Irish folk groups of this generation. “We love the challenge of taking a song that has been sung for hundreds of years and trying to make it our own by altering the arrangement or adding new rhythms to it – to make it fresh, while keeping it universal and retaining the essence of the song,” they said.
“Best of all, RUNA sounds like no one else!” -- Travis Rogers, Jr., Music Life & Times
"For contemporary Celtic music at its very best – do yourself a favor and check out RUNA… brilliant!” -- Gene Shay, co-founder of the Philadelphia Folk Festival; WXPN-FM
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CNY Arts.