To quote from an article in "Lively Times":

..."Hello, I'm John 'The Yank' Harrington and I'm 95 years old and I've been playing the accordion for about 90 years. I hope you enjoy the music. Thank you."
That is how the button accordion master of Butte introduces himself at the opening of his CD, A Celtic Century.
... John has attracted the attention of folklorists, musicologists from the Library of Congress and documentary film makers. He played the old favorite, "Dear Old Donegal" on the acclaimed PBS documentary; "The Irish in America, The Long Journey Home."
John recorded 36 tunes for the CD, ...He names each song and often says where he learned it, before launching into a sprightly rendition.... The project was spearheaded by John's family, who hope it will 'keep the old tunes and traditions alive for younger generations'."...

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John The Yank's parents both played and taught him the button accordion. They were immigrants from County Cork. His father died from miner's consumption in 1916 and his mother died in the influenza epidemic of 1918. He returned to Ireland as a teenager, and his grandmother nicknamed him "The Yank". His oldest sister Catherine stayed in Butte, where she raised her family, so he returned to Butte, where he has played traditional music for over 60 years.
He witnessed some of Butte's turbulent labor history, and recalls the destruction of the Miners Union Hall and the funeral of union activist Frank Little.

His CD is available from John "The Yank" Productions, 108 S. Montana Street, Butte, Montana, 59701, USA, phone 888-923-5911.

alice flynn