www.thewillisclan.com

The Willis Clan is thrilled to announce that they will be traveling to Ireland and opening for Nashville country superstar Brad Paisley and The Band Perry on November 13 at the O2 Arena in Dublin, Ireland. November 14 they will be traveling up to Belfast where they will be the opening act for The Band Perry.

Nashville is such a great music town and the whole music industry here is like one big family. Irish music is at the heart and soul of country and bluegrass music more than people realize. When Irish and Scottish immigrants came over to America many of them settled in the Appalachian Mountains and started playing their music. This eventually evolved into bluegrass as we know it today and then further into country. Nashville is a place where all of these styles are still played and come together.

This has been a great year for The Willis Clan in many ways. Their schedule started with a week of performances at Dolly Partonʼs theme park, Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN and then they kicked off the CMA Festival in Nashville with Rodney Atkins, Lee Brice, Clint Black, Thompson Square and more. After finishing their debut Irish album this summer, the band was privileged to perform for a week at the North American Irish Dance Championships in Chicago. Then it was on to the 25th Anniversary of the Dublin, Ohio Irish Festival before heading to Ireland for the Fleadh Cheoil which is the world championships of Irish music. The Willis Clan teamed up with friends from all over and legendary arranger and fiddle player Maurice Lennon and won the prestigious senior group division called the Grupai Cheoil. This is only the third time in over 30 years that an American band has won this competition.

Going back to Ireland to open for such great artists is a dream come true and a great ending for such a fantastic year. The Willis Clan is looking forward to another amazing year next year.

Stay up to date on what The Clan is doing on their website www.thewillisclan.com and on facebook.