Will Millar (The Keeper)

Will Millar (pictured here with John Ellis)

Still keeping us charmed with "The Keeper" after all these years, a conversation with the prominent Celtic voice of North America "The Celtic Connection".

The Millar tradition began in County Antrim, in Ireland, where his grandmother Liza-Jane was a "Sheanachie" or village story teller. It was her tales that fired up Will's imagination.

The top ten international hit "The Unicorn" catapulted Will Millar and "The Irish Rovers" on an extraordinary 30-year career, and during the heyday of their success Will always made sure there was a spot on the show for children, both on stage and television. His TV leprechauns delighted a generation of kids young and old, many of whom are now parents themselves and are rediscovering an old family friend. With three children of his own Will had a ready audience for his imagination. "I made up the most fantastical stories to put them to sleep and sometimes, they would continue over three or four nights... mermaids, goblins; it was just a storehouse of things I had in my head. I knew that my kids passed on these stories at school and I can see where they continued our family tradition".

It was two weeks of magic and laughter here at Melodeon Studios when Will arrived with a couple of dozen children from the local school (his back up singers) in tow to record his latest CD. "The Keeper", and with familiar songs like "The Unicorn" you can only imagine how this recording session went. Will also included songs about our environment and the animals. Even the theme song "Sailing In The Bay" for the new proposed television show "Set Sail" was included in the session. "The messages in this album are about self esteem and things that children do for themselves, like looking after each other or the environment. There's no preachy stuff. You don't preach to kids", Will say's. The CD released on the Attic label will appeal to the child in all of us".

"I think no matter what profession I would've been in, I'd have worked with children. It's no coincidence that virtually every success I've had in my career is a direct result of my work with children. I honestly do think sometimes that this was always meant to be my life's work."

"The Keeper" was produced by Will Millar & John Ellis, the theme song "Sailing In The Bay", music by John Ellis lyrics by John Ellis & Will Millar.

Article by: John Ellis
Quotations from Will Millar & "The Celtic Connection"

Published by Melodeon Muse
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