WHO: JOHN WHELAN
WHAT: “CELTIC CROSSROADS” (Narada Records)
WHY: Whelan’s latest deftly incorporates traditional Celtic music and modern pop. Playing the same button accordion since he was a young lad, the troubadour and more than a dozen friends (including Kathy Mattea) have created a timeless collection. Standout cuts: “Flowers of Magherally” and Mattea’s cover of “There Were Roses.” bonus point: no “Danny Boy.”
