MATT & SHANNON HEATON

Updated and traditional Irish songs and Tunes

updated and traditional Irish music on flute, guitar, bouzouki, and voices

Matt and Shannon Heaton combine old traditional songs and bright, driving Irish rhythms—like making a pot of tea and lighting a candle on a dark afternoon.

With voices, flute, guitar, and bouzouki, the Boston-based duo carries old music into new light. Together they are known for their inventive interplay of music and storytelling, and their deep respect of the roots of old ballads and dance tunes, 

Matt and Shannon understand America’s abiding connection with Irish music and culture, navigating the steady pull of the past, keeping the pulse of the present, and ultimately bringing audiences close to the heart of the Irish tradition.

Shannon was named Massachusetts Traditional Artist Fellow in 2016, co-founded Boston’s Celtic Music Fest, and hosts the culture podcast Irish Music Stories. Matt has performed with numerous Irish ensembles, plays in a surf rock band, and is an acclaimed performer for children and families.

Matt and Shannon are world-class American performers with Irish roots and universal appeal.

“Their playing is masterful and inventive, their arrangements city-smart and spacious. Still, they never forget that Irish music is, at its heart, a neighborly form, meant for sharing, not showing off.” —The Boston Globe