Green Linnet Records was an American

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-sized enterprise, small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels ...

that specialized in Celtic music. Founded by Lisa Null and

Patrick Sky Patrick Sky (born Patrick Linch; October 2, 1940May 26, 2021) was an American musician, folk singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was of Irish and Native American ancestry, and played Irish traditional music and uilleann pipes in the ...

as Innisfree Records in 1973, the label was initially based in Null's house in

New Canaan, Connecticut New Canaan () is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,622 according to the 2020 census. The town is part of the Western Connecticut Planning Region. About an hour from New York City by train, the town ...

. In 1975 the label became Innisfree/Green Linnet and Wendy Newton joined Null and Sky as operating officer. In 1976 Newton took over control of the now Green Linnet label and moved it to

Danbury, Connecticut Danbury ( ) is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located approximately northeast of New York City. Danbury's population as of 2020 was 86,518. It is the third-largest city in Western Connecticut, and the seventh-largest ...

in 1985. Newton became sole owner in 1978. Newton's love of Irish music had been sparked during a visit to Ireland where she heard traditional music for the first time in a small pub in

County Clare County Clare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern part of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council ...

Artists and imprints

Green Linnet signed Altan,

Capercaillie ''Tetrao'' is a genus of birds in the grouse subfamily known as capercaillies. They are some of the largest living grouse. Feathers from the bird were used to create the characteristic hat of the bersaglieri, an Italian ace infantry formation. ...

The Tannahill Weavers The Tannahill Weavers are a traditional Scottish music musical group.They released their first album in 1976, and were one of the first popular bands to incorporate the Great Highland Bagpipe in an ensemble setting. In doing so, they helped ch ...

and many other significant bands and musicians. From its founding until its sale in 2006 Green Linnet was one of the most influential

Celtic music Celtic music is a broad grouping of music genres that evolved out of the folk music traditions of the Celts (modern), Celtic people of Northwestern Europe (the modern Celtic nations). It refers to both orally-transmitted traditional music and ...

labels, releasing hundreds of albums by a wide range of Irish, Scottish, Breton, Galician and Irish-American musicians. In 1992 a subsidiary called Xenophile Records was added to feature

world music "World music" is an English phrase for styles of music from non-English speaking countries, including quasi-traditional, Cross-cultural communication, intercultural, and traditional music. World music's broad nature and elasticity as a musical ...

from

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

and other countries. In 1997 Green Linnet launched Celtophile Records to offer budget-priced compilations. There was also a Green Linnet/Redbird series that featured singer-songwriters.

Artist lawsuit and legacy

In 2002 Green Linnet was sued for unpaid royalties by bands Cherish the Ladies and Altan and artists Mick Moloney, Joanie Madden and

Eileen Ivers Eileen Ivers (born July 13, 1965) is an American fiddler. Ivers was born in New York City of Irish-born parents, grew up in the Bronx and attended St. Barnabas High School. She spent summers in Ireland and took up the fiddle at the age of nin ...

. Most artists were paid and most claims were settled in 2006. But there remain a number of outstanding claims that have yet to be resolved, clouding the legacy left behind by Green Linnet and its then-owner Wendy Newton. Bands have been known to leave the label because of poor management from the label, including

Wolfstone Wolfstone are a Scottish people, Scottish musical group founded in 1989, who play Celtic rock. Their repertoire consists of both original songs and traditional folk pieces. They have released seven studio albums, the latest, ''Terra Firma (Wol ...

and

Lúnasa Lughnasadh, Lughnasa or Lúnasa ( , ) is a Gaelic festival marking the beginning of the harvest season. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. Traditionally, it is held on 1 August, or about hal ...

. In May 2006 Newton sold the label to the Digital Music Group, an aggregator of downloadable music. DMG in turn sold the rights to manufacture and distribute Green Linnet and Xenophile physical compact discs to Compass Records. Both the Green Linnet and Xenophile catalogs remain available through Compass.

Label name

A linnet is a red-breasted song bird known for its trills and twitters. However, in the Irish rebel song tradition, the name "Green Linnet" has a specific meaning. It was the code name for

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

who they hoped would break the chains of British rule. Indeed, in the early 19th century the

Society of United Irishmen The Society of United Irishmen was a sworn association, formed in the wake of the French Revolution, to secure Representative democracy, representative government in Ireland. Despairing of constitutional reform, and in defiance both of British ...

(the Irish independence organization led by

Theobald Wolfe Tone Theobald Wolfe Tone, posthumously known as Wolfe Tone (; 20 June 176319 November 1798), was a revolutionary exponent of Irish independence and is an iconic figure in Irish republicanism. Convinced that, so long as his fellow Protestants fear ...

and

Robert Emmet Robert Emmet (4 March 177820 September 1803) was an Irish Republican, orator and rebel leader. Following the suppression of the United Irish uprising in 1798, he sought to organise a renewed attempt to overthrow the British Crown and Prote ...

), allied themselves with France against Britain, but as history would prove, to no effect. The songs, however, were passed down to latter generations.

Roster

* 3 Way Street * Ad Vielle Que Pourra * Altan * Joe Burke * Kevin Burke * uttons & Bows* Dennis Cahill *

* Liz Carroll * Celtic Fiddle Festival * Celtic Thunder * Cherish the Ladies * Jack Coen * Johnny B. Connolly * Seamus Connolly * Brian Conway * Michael Cooney * Terry Corcoran * Kevin Crawford * Johnny Cunningham * Marty Cutler * Deanta * Tony DeMarco * Joe Derrane *

Oisín Mac Diarmada Oisín Mac Diarmada (born 1978) is an Irish fiddler. Biography Oisín Mac Diarmada was born in 1978 in County Clare, and grew up in Crusheen. He started playing the fiddle from an early age, and began winning competitions at age eight. He also ...

* Tom Doherty * Seamus Ennis * Ensemble Choral Du Bout Du Monde *

Fairport Convention Fairport Convention are an English British folk rock, folk rock band, formed in 1967 by guitarists Richard Thompson (musician), Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, bassist Ashley Hutchings and drummer Shaun Frater (with Frater replaced by Marti ...

* John Faulkner * Ffynnon * Green Fields of America * Martin Hayes * The House Band * Irish Tradition * Andy Irvine *

* Ron Kavana * Brian Keane * James Keane * Jimmy Keane * Pat Kilbride * Kips Bay * Kornog * Donna Long * Lunasa * Manus Lunny * Joanie Madden * Debby McClatchy * Billy McComiskey * Manus McGuire * Susan McKeown * Matt Molloy * Mick Moloney * Pan Morrigan * Moving Cloud * Martin Mulhaire * Brendan Mulvihill * Paddy O'Brien * Robbie O'Connell * Eugene O'Donnell * Jerry O'Sullivan * Old Blind Dogs * Orealis * Niamh Parsons * Rare Air * Red Clay Ramblers * Reeltime * Relativity * Tommy Sands * Sileas * Daithi Sproule * Andy M. Stewart * Patrick Street *

* Teada * Touchstone * Trian * The Tulla Céilí Band * Brooks Williams *

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (November 15, 2022)Classic Connection review, ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...

References

{{Authority control Record labels established in 1976 Record labels disestablished in 2006 American independent record labels 1976 establishments in Connecticut

Artists and imprints

Artist lawsuit and legacy

Label name

Roster

See also

References