This concert is one of several concerts that Valley Folk Music presents to the public each year. Although originally advertised in some brochures as a concert in late March, this concert had to be moved to Saturday May 2nd at 7:30 PM due to tour dates needing to shift by two weeks.

“Tommy Sands, County Down's singer and songwriter described as "enchanting", "irresistible" and "charming", has achieved something akin to legendary status in his own lifetime. A rare combination of storyteller, author, singer, songwriter and social activist, Sands’ positive reviews come from politicians and major authors as well as fellow musicians and the usual music reviewers. Sands has become an integral part of the Irish folk music revival and a one-of-a-kind Northern Ireland native, whose music is often found to speak louder than violence.
The Legendary Tommy Sands brings his talent and experiences from N. Ireland to inspire us to come together as a community. As a peacemaker and musician steeped in N. Ireland’s traditions, Tommy Sands mends cultural divisions with music.

Sands represents the culture and musical folk heritage of N. Ireland. He is steeped in tradition and having reached international acclaim as a songwriter himself, he is a big part of the culture which is being passed down to future generations there as he now performs with his two offspring in his home region. However, he will be solo for this concert.

He played Valley Folk Music’s stage once before the pandemic and the concert can only be described as magical. There were both women and men with tears of relief at the end of this concert, such was the emotional level the audience reached with Tommy sharing music with messages of hope and examples of making peace.

Since his pioneering days with the Sands Family, bringing Irish Music from NY's Carnegie Hall to Moscow's Olympic Stadium, Sands developed into one of the most captivating Irish solo performers. His songwriting drew the admiration of Nobel Poet Laureate Seamus Heaney and father of American folk music Pete Seeger, and prompted "Sing Out" Magazine to describe Sands as "the most powerful songwriter in Ireland, if not the rest of the world.” His work carries a special focus: to reach the people in his own country and affect the world. Songs “There were Roses,” and “Daughters and Sons,” covered by Joan Baez, Kathy Matthea, Dolores Keane, Sean Keane, The Dubliners and many others, have certainly attracted well-deserved international attention.
Please visit: https://www.tommysands.com

Our concert admission is as follows:
$30 Patron admission- pay a bit extra if you can
$25 General admission
$10 " Hard Times" pay less if you need to - no questions asked - suitable for students, the disabled, unemployed or anyone who feels $25 is too much for them.