"[1] Although best known for their albums, concerts, and television programs, Makem and Clancy had three top ten singles in Ireland, including the number one hit, "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda.
"[3] After initially achieving fame with The Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem began a solo career in 1969.
In late 1974, suffering financial setbacks because of misreported taxes, Liam filed for bankruptcy and moved his family to live with his in-laws in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Liam's concerts in Calgary caught the attention of a television producer, who signed him for thirteen episodes of his own syndicated music and talk show for the Spring season of 1975.
Liam toured with the Clancy Brothers at least one last time in March 1976 before officially leaving the group and joining Tommy full-time.
During the run of their show, they invited Scottish folk singer Archie Fisher to appear as a guest performer on an episode.
The last minute addition of the anti-war song, And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda, added to the album's success.
The song quickly became Clancy's signature piece and reached the number one spot on the Irish music charts.
[2][6] With Maurice Cassidy as their international manager and Tommy's wife Mary Makem as their manager in the United States, the duo began touring full-time, performing at all the major venues and festivals in North America, Ireland, the UK, Australia, and occasionally in continental Europe, and appearing on all the major talk shows outside the U.S. as well as their own television specials.
Usually, they would tour the British Isles in January and February, and for six weeks in June, July and August; Australia in May; North America in March and in the Fall.
In the 1970s and early 1980s, they were usually Archie Fisher, who produced their first three albums, on acoustic and bass guitar, and Allan Barty on fiddle and mandolin.
Later on from approximately 1984 to the farewell tour in 1988, husband and wife duo Arty McGlynn on guitar and Nollaig Casey on fiddle replaced Barty and Fisher.
Reportedly, Donal Lunny joined McGlynn and Casey for a time after he produced Makem and Clancy's final record in 1986.
The record introduced many songs that were to become staples in their repertoire, including another of their signature numbers, Gordon Bok's story-song, Peter Kagan and the Wind, as well as Mary Mack, Rambles of Spring, the Irish language song Ar Éirinn Ní Neosainn Cé Hí, and The Town of Ballybay.
Copies of the series were donated by Tommy Makem to the Ward Irish Music Archives before he died.
At some point in late 1977, early 1978, Liam moved from Calgary to Dover, New Hampshire, the same town where Tommy resided.
In 1978, they hired nearly a dozen backup musicians to help record their next effort, a studio album called Two for the Early Dew.
The album featured mostly ballads such as the now classic Red is the Rose, Dawning of the Day, Grey October Clouds, another Gordon Bok number Clear Away in the Morning, and Journey's End.
Fast, up-tempo songs included the all Irish language Cruiscin Lan, previously recorded by the Clancy Brothers mostly in English.
The opening song Day of the Clipper came from the group Schooner Fare, whom Makem and Clancy had recently seen in concert.
After the show, Tommy and Liam told the fledgling group they were a bit disappointed they sang stuff they knew, but they asked, "What was that other song?"
[2] The title of the album was taken from a line in the chorus of this song: "One for the morning glory, two for the early dew, three for the man who will stand his round, and four for the love of you."
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, they recorded several singles such as Pete Seeger's Rainbow Race, studio versions of The Dutchman, Dandelion Wine and The Town of Ballybay, as well as new material including Kitty from Baltimore, A Place in the Choir, Willie McBride, The Ballad of St Anne's Reel, The Garden Song, and Gentle Annie; some of these singles appeared on their compilation album, The Makem & Clancy Collection in 1980.
TV specials such as an on location show called "The Music Makers" followed, as well as numerous guest appearances on Canada's The Irish Rovers television series.
The album was recorded on February 6, 1983 at Dublin's National Concert Hall and included an acclaimed rendition of Tommy's Four Green Fields.
In 1984, after living in Dover, New Hampshire for a number of years, Liam moved to Ireland with his family, purchasing several acres of land and building a maintenance-free solar powered, slate, stone and oak mansion in Helvic, County Waterford, using royalties from his hit song, And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda.
Liam filmed two of his solo concerts for Irish and American television in 1989, one of which was released on home video.
After leaving the Clancy Brothers in 1996, he toured with his nephew Robbie O'Connell and son Donal until 1999, after which he resumed his solo career until the end of his life.
Leave Her Johnny Shanachie compact disc version only - alternate track order, excludes Peter Kagan and the Wind to fit the 80 minute CD storage limit.
Mary Ellen Carter Shanachie Records version (different track order and album cover) Side One 1.