Three
time All-Ireland accordion champion Buddy
Connolly hails from Newark, New Jersey
with parents from Clare and Galway in
Ireland. Buddy credits the teaching of
button box master John Whelan for that
individual success and the late Martin
Mulvihill for numerous titles in other
group categories. Some influential players
during those formative years were New
York City's best-John Nolan, Joanie Madden,
Mike Rafferty and Eileen Ivers.
As a freelance musician, Buddy was soon
touring all over the USA with many bands.
In 1995, he moved to Nashville and was
introduced to bluegrass, Cajun and country
music. There were worldwide gigs/recordings
with the likes of Tim O'Brien, Kathy Mattea,
Rodney Crowell, Christian rockers Ceili
Rain, Orleans, Matt Molloy(Chieftains),
Joel Sonnier and many others. Since 2001,
Buddy has resided in Morris County, New
Jersey with wife Joanna and their three
children.
