Kelly, Jimmy (James E.), 1936-2001
Dates
- Existence: 1936 - 2001-01
Biographical note
Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, James E. "Jimmy" Kelly (1936-2001) was well-known for his proficiency on tenor banjo, fiddle, piano, and piano accordion. He had strong family ties to both Ireland and Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and played the traditional music of both with many bands across New England, Cape Breton, and Ireland. From the late 1950s onward, Kelly played with many musicians throughout the New England area including his wife, Sally Kelly. He was a mainstay of the Boston branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCE) and in 2000, Kelly and his family were inducted into the CCE Hall of Fame by the North American Province, Northeast Region.
Social Networks and Archival Context (SNAC) Identifier
Found in 1 Collection or Record:
Sally and Jimmy Kelly collection of Irish music
Collection documents traditional Cape Breton and Irish music in the 1960s through the 1990s with live recordings of social gatherings, concerts, and radio shows performed in Massachusetts, Canada, and Ireland by various musicians, including Sally and Jimmy Kelly.
The audio recordings are not available for playback due to format impermanence and have not been reformatted. Please let Burns Library Public Services know of your specific interest; if possible, reformatting will be scheduled.