The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: GUEST,Greg
Date: 08 Nov 23 - 05:50 AM

Thank you site maintainers, requesters, speculators and answerers all. Particularly Martin for a direct answer. I came here after listening to your voice yet again from High Kings days, easily my favourite tone and personality of a very fine sounding group. I hope the musical life hasn't chewed you up as it is wont to do.
Peace,
Greg.

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: GUEST,Greg
Date: 08 Nov 23 - 05:50 AM

Thank you site maintainers, requesters, speculators and answerers all. Particularly Martin for a direct answer. I came here after listening to your voice yet again from High Kings days, easily my favourite tone and personality of a very fine sounding group. I hope the musical life hasn't chewed you up as it is wont to do.
Peace,
Greg.

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 30 Aug 20 - 01:04 PM

just my two cents' worth:

The High Kings, as a music-making entity, was a business proposition from its inception, and this is transparent in promotional publicity, press releases, interviews, and so on.
If the four co-founders knew each other personally before The High Kings were made official, I am not aware of this, and it would interest me to hear differently from anyone who knows better.
All four original members came from musical families and had professional careers as musicians before the promoters and businessmen brought them together.

I wonder how many of the fans appreciate the grueling nature of the international tour itineraries to which the High Kings were committed for those initial ten years. Personally it fills me with dismay to look at those schedules, I doubt that I could possibly have stuck it out for ten years as Martin Furey did.

Was the initial agreement and contract for ten years?
Probably not, don't you think --
more likely the period of the initial legal agreement was shorter,
and then all four, at the expiration of the agreement,
committed to join in a new contract for another period of time.
However many agreements there were during the ten-year history,
Martin Furey saw the agreement of that moment coming to its expiration date, and decided not to renew.
No press-worthy drama here, the artist had simply had enough.

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: keberoxu
Date: 30 Aug 20 - 12:55 AM

The answer to the question, Finbar? is provided in an interview published when Martin Furey was still with the High Kings,
dated 27 April 2008 in The Independent. Which states:

"Martin, who is currently enjoying great success with the exciting Irish ballad group The High Kings,
is the eldest of Finbar's five children with his wife Sheila:
the others being
Aine, also a musician,
Robert, an actor and production manager for CoisCeim dance company,
Katriona, manager of the Sisley shop in Grafton Street Dublin,
and late arrival Finbar, or 'Plan B' as he is affectionately called by his dad ... "

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Aug 20 - 10:34 PM

Martin Furey is the son of IRsh folk legend Finbarr Furey. Finbarr Clancy was named by his father after Finbarr Furey.   This is not my opinion, rather Martin Furey told me this after one of their concerts when I offered them a lift to their hotel.   I have no idea why he left the High Kings. Regardless of how good George is, I miss the eerie quality that Martin's voice brought to the High Kings.

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: sandinmyears
Date: 06 Aug 19 - 09:23 PM

I’m the person who started the post and haven’t drifted off. ;) I now see that the new member (George) who replaced Martin is gone— and not by choice, or so he says on facebook. (Hmmm). The High Kings said at the Iowa Irish Fest this weekend that they have some good news to share soon. I’m hoping the news is that Martin is returning.

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Aug 19 - 08:04 PM

I’m the person who started the post and haven’t drifted off. ;) I now see that the new member (George) who replaced Martin is gone— and not by choice, or so he says on facebook. (Hmmm). The High Kings said at the Iowa Irish Fest this weekend that they have some good news to share soon. I’m hoping the news is that Martin is returning.

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: meself
Date: 11 Jul 19 - 01:08 PM

I suppose, since it's been a couple of years, that the originator and early-posters to this thread might have drifted off - so I'll do the honours of thanking Martin for his courtesy in posting his answer to the question: thanks, Martin!

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 08 Jul 19 - 04:43 PM

I love the Mudcat.

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: GUEST,Martin Furey
Date: 08 Jul 19 - 02:58 PM

Everyone knows why I left already and a tremendous amount of people care .Thank you for that ! I always said ,the lads make an excellent 3 piece and will no doubt go on to perform many more times ,the great set we played together for over a decade .Best of luck with it and nothing bit love for them and the company amd fams ..I left at that juncture particularly ,because my contract amd agreement had expired and i.didn't want to join it ! Peace out n long live the heros

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 29 Apr 19 - 02:02 PM

A performing venue in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia,
was graced by Martin Furey
on November 27, 2018; the promotional notice
is still current on the venue's webpages.
A quote from this promotion reads:

"... He was one of the leading performers
from 2008 until early 2018
with the High Kings,
breaking away from the band
[in order] to concentrate on
writing and performing his own music.
This tour is a celebration of the NEW music
[which] Martin has produced over that time."

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 29 Apr 19 - 01:46 PM

The quote from American promoter Wooden Ship Productions was posted by me.
Now it appears that Martin Furey and Wooden Ship have parted ways,
and the webpage with the statement about Martin and his brother
has vanished into the virtual aethers.

To review.

The official Martin-Furey-fans Facebook page,
maintained by Marsha Howes-Booth,
copied the September 7, 2017 statement
posted to The High Kings' Facebook page
which made it official that
"Martin Furey has left the band."
Marsha Howes-Booth's Facebook page for Martin Furey's fans

I don't do Facebook, but
those of you who do so,
may investigate the following.
This is copied from Marsha Howes-Booth,
posted on the fans Facebook page.

"Please for personal e-mails
and to contact Martin
use his Personal Page "
Martin Furey's private Facebook page

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: beachcomber
Date: 29 Apr 19 - 09:37 AM

I thought that Martin Furey was Finbarr's son ??? I know that Finbarr Clancy, another one of the High Kings, is the son of Bobby Clancy, sometimes of the Clancy Brothers, and Moira Mooney of Carrick-on-Suir.

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: GUEST,Folk Freedoms
Date: 26 Apr 19 - 05:04 PM

"What are my possessions?
THe dreaming of the sea?
The hoardings of the night?
The waking of the day?

.. What can we wish but these;
An open place where land is free
A quiet place where dreams are gold
the morning
   life itself.....

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: GUEST,Connie O'Hayden
Date: 05 Sep 18 - 03:00 PM

Brother Finbar ?

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Sep 18 - 02:30 PM

I do

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: keberoxu
Date: 30 Dec 17 - 01:00 PM

The Irish Echo, out of New York City,
interviewed the remaining three,
in between the departure of Furey and the arrival of Murphy.

In answer to the question,
the journalist got a terse response --
if characterized by "amity and resolve" --
that the touring, and being on the road long-term,
was the deciding factor,
and that Furey after ten years had had enough of this.

That's their version.

Then there is the North American company, Wooden Ship Productions.
Martin Furey is one of the featured artists on their website,
which has this statement:

"Martin will be touring North America with his brother Finbar
in 2018 and beyond."   

Martin Furey's personal website says:
"There are no upcoming solo gigs.
Check back again soon though."

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: GUEST,Éric S
Date: 30 Dec 17 - 12:33 PM

I might not get an answer, but this is the first I have heard of Furey leaving the band and that is upsetting. I would like to know why if anyone has the details.

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: BrooklynJay
Date: 11 Dec 17 - 09:48 PM

I'll definitely second what GUEST above posted; nothing against Mr. Furey, but George Murphy is, simply put, a great singer.

Alice and I have seen him a number of times in the NYC area, and so many times when he sings you can hear a pin drop. His strong, clear voice can fill any pub, no amplification needed. His range? Well, I would kill for a range like that, particularly his upper register.

He is also a fine person. It's been our pleasure to know him not just as a performer. He is a truly gifted individual whose time has definitely come.


Jay

Subject: RE: The High Kings-why did Martin Furey leave?
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Dec 17 - 07:27 PM

The man who has replaced Martin Furey is one of the best singers to come out of Dublin in years, George Murphy, check him out On line singing Raglan Road and the hair will st and in the back of your neck when you hear him sing it live.

Subject: RE: The High Kings
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Nov 17 - 04:43 PM

Ask Martin ?

Subject: RE: The High Kings
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 15 Nov 17 - 02:46 PM

Does anyone care ?

Dave H

Subject: The High Kings
From: sandinmyears
Date: 15 Nov 17 - 12:05 PM

Does anyone know why Martin Furey left The High Kings so suddenly while touring the United States this summer?