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Ralf
Weihrauch is one of the most unusual Acts of Germany`s Folk-Scene. Instead of
the common Guitar Bard the audience gets a thrilling accordion-player and singer, who
manages to make his instrument sound different in each song. The accordion and
his voice melt together to a powerful unity. From time to time he accompanys
himself on the Bodhran or plays some tunes on the tinwhistle. His repertoire
proves his deep knowledge of the musical tradition of the British Isles. The songs and ballads he picks,
are certainly uncommon for Germany and sometimes even in their
countries of origin. But Ralf Weihrauch is not only a great singer, but a very
entertaining performer as well. The audience loves his witty and humorous
announcements as much his his songs.
Ralf
Weihrauch started singing folk-songs at the age of 14, when he sang three
a-capella songs in a local youth centre.
He played in a German Irish Band for some time and also performed in the Gelsenkirchen opera-house in a childrens-play at
the age of 17. These days he performs solo and with the Irish-Party Band
Crashandoh. Together with Gary Miller, singer and songwriter of the now
disbanded Whisky Priests, he recorded the album "Stand Fast Stand Steady". Together
they toured Germany, Austria and Italy and will be playing a tour of Holland and Belgium in September 2008.
Ralf
Weihrauch just released his second Solo-album "Hole in one". Apart from the
album with Gary Miller, he released a double live-Cd with his the Irish party
Band Crashandoh. Their version of "Glückauf, der Steiger kommt", a folk-version
of the German Miners-hymn, is so popular, they recorded it as a single with a
police-choir.
Before Ralf
Weihrauch started his musical career again in 2002, he worked as a music agent
for along time. It all started with a tour for Peter Bellamy in 1984. Later he
worked for Martin Carthy, June Tabor, Pyewacket, Barely Works, The Whisky
Priests, Peter and The Test Tube Babies,
The Meteors and "The Selecter", to mention only a few. He also was the first agency to bring the
Oyster Band over in 1986. They played on his wedding and still are close
friends.
He run
little lable as well which put out the complete Whisky Priests-Catalogue, the
first Waterson:Carthy-Album and Eliza-Carthy first album.
But even in
his agency times he took the accordion out of its case. Ralf Weihrauch played on an album of the
German Punk-Band "Schließmuskel" and on a Heavy-Metal Album by Tom Angelripper
which entered the German Charts on number 80!!!
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