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- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...

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 noted for his album '' Songs That Made America Famous'' (1973). He was of Irish and Native American an ...

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. About an hour from Manhattan by train, the town is considered part of Connecticut's Gold Coast. The town is bound ...

. 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 2022 was 87,642. It is the seventh largest city in Connecticut. Danbury is nicknamed the "Hat Cit ...

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 ( ga, Contae an Chláir) is a county in Ireland, in the Southern Region and the province of Munster, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council is the local authority. The county had a population of 118,81 ...

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. Taxonomy The genus ''Tetrao'' was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of hi ...

The Tannahill Weavers The Tannahill Weavers are a band which performs traditional Scottish music. Releasing their first album in 1976, they became notable for being one of the first popular bands to incorporate the sound of the Great Highland Bagpipe in an ensemble s ...

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 Celtic people of Northwestern Europe. It refers to both orally-transmitted traditional music and recorded music and the styles vary considera ...

labels, releasing hundreds of albums by a wide range of Irish, Scottish, Breton, Galician and

Irish-American , image = Irish ancestry in the USA 2018; Where Irish eyes are Smiling.png , image_caption = Irish Americans, % of population by state , caption = Notable Irish Americans , population = 36,115,472 (10.9%) alone ...

musicians. In 1992 a subsidiary called

Xenophile Records Xenophile Records is a Nashville, Tennessee based sublabel of Green Linnet Records that specializes in world music from Madagascar, Nigeria, Haiti, Chile, Argentina, Finland and other countries. The label was started in 1992 in Danbury, Connect ...

was added to feature world music from

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Afric ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribb ...

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 Cherish the Ladies is an American female super group that plays Celtic music. The band began as a concert series in New York in January 1985. It was the brainchild of Mick Moloney who wanted to showcase the brightest female musicians in Ameri ...

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 ni ...

. Most artists were paid and most claims were settled in 2006. There remain, however, 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 and

Lúnasa Lughnasadh or Lughnasa ( , ) is a Gaelic festival marking the beginning of the harvest season. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. In Modern Irish it is called , in gd, Lùnastal, and in gv, ...

. 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 Compass Records is an independent record label founded in 1995 by musicians Garry West and Alison Brown that specializes in folk, bluegrass, Celtic, jazz, and acoustic music. In 2006, Compass purchased the Green Linnet and Xenophile catalogs ...

. Both the Green Linnet and Xenophile catalogs remain available through Compass.

Label name

A linnet is a red-breasted song bird known for its twills 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 ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

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 in the Kingdom of Ireland formed in the wake of the French Revolution to secure "an equal representation of all the people" in a national government. Despairing of constitutional reform, ...

(the Irish independence organization led by

Theobald Wolfe Tone Theobald Wolfe Tone, posthumously known as Wolfe Tone ( ga, Bhulbh Teón; 20 June 176319 November 1798), was a leading Irish revolutionary figure and one of the founding members in Belfast and Dublin of the United Irishmen, a republican socie ...

and Robert Emmet), 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 * Buttons & Bows *

Dennis Cahill Dennis Cahill was an Irish missionary priest working in western Maryland, USA, in the late 1700s, where he founded several Catholic parishes in the Potomac River valley area. History Cahill was involved in the founding of several Catholic paris ...

Liz Carroll Liz Carroll (born September 19, 1956) is an American fiddler and composer. She is a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship Award. Carroll and collaborator Irish guitarist John Doyle were nominated for a G ...

Celtic Fiddle Festival Celtic Fiddle Festival is a group of Celtic fiddlers active since 1993. Representing three branches of Celtic culture, the members were Johnny Cunningham from Scotland, late of Silly Wizard, Kevin Burke from Ireland, best known for the Bothy Ba ...

Celtic Thunder Celtic Thunder is an Irish singing group and stage show known for its eclectic, theatrical style show. The group is backed by the Celtic Thunder Band on their concert tours, and their live shows are known for the use of dramatic set pieces (of ...

* Jack Coen * Johnny B. Connolly * Seamus Connolly *

Brian Conway Brian Conway is a contemporary Irish fiddler. Brian Conway is an American born Irish Fiddler. Born in 1961 to parents from County Tyrone in Northern Ireland, Brian Conway first studied with Limerick born fiddle player Martin Mulvihill. Bri ...

* Michael Cooney * Terry Corcoran *

Kevin Crawford Kevin Crawford (born in Birmingham, England) is an Irish Irish flute, flute, tin whistle, low whistle and bodhrán player. He was born in England to Ireland, Irish parents from Milltown Malbay, County Clare. He later moved to West Clare to improv ...

Johnny Cunningham Johnny Cunningham (27 August 1957 – 15 December 2003) was a Scottish folk musician and composer, instrumental in spreading interest in traditional Celtic music. Johnny Cunningham was born on 27 August 1957 in Portobello, Edinburgh. He was r ...

* Marty Cutler * Deanta *

Tony DeMarco Tony DeMarco (January 14, 1932 – October 11, 2021), born Leonardo Liotta, was an American boxer and World Welterweight Champion. Born to Sicilian immigrants from Sciacca (AG), Vincent and Giacomina, DeMarco grew up in the North End neighborh ...

* 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 al ...

Tom Doherty Tom Doherty (born April 23, 1935) is an American publisher and the founder of the science fiction and fantasy book publisher Tor Books. He started as a salesman for Pocket Books and rose to be Division Sales Manager. From there, he went to Simo ...

Seamus Ennis Seamus may refer to: * Séamus, a male first name of Gaelic origin Film and television * Seamus (''Family Guy''), a character on the television series ''Family Guy'' * Seamus, a pigeon in '' Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore'' * Seamus ...

* Ensemble Choral Du Bout Du Monde *

Fairport Convention Fairport Convention are an English folk rock band, formed in 1967 by guitarists Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, bassist Ashley Hutchings and drummer Shaun Frater (with Frater replaced by Martin Lamble after their first gig.) They started o ...

* John Faulkner * Ffynnon *

Green Fields of America The Green Fields of America is an ensemble that performs and promotes Irish traditional music in the United States. It was formed in 1977 in Philadelphia, led by musician and folklorist Mick Moloney. They perform Irish and Irish-American culture ...

* Martin Hayes * The House Band * Irish Tradition * Andy Irvine *

Ron Kavana Ron Kavana (born 25 December 1950) is an Irish singer, songwriter, guitarist and band leader. Born in the County Cork town of Fermoy, he is the son of an Irish father and an American mother from Chicago with Cajun roots. Performing with a len ...

* Brian Keane * James Keane *

Jimmy Keane Jimmy Keane is a London-born English musician of Irish origin and a specialist piano accordion player. In addition to his solo career, in the 1980s he was part of the folk trio Moloney, O'Connell & Keane, then in ensemble Green Fields of Ameri ...

* Pat Kilbride * Kips Bay * Kornog * Donna Long *

Lunasa Lughnasadh or Lughnasa ( , ) is a Gaelic festival marking the beginning of the harvest season. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. In Modern Irish it is called , in gd, Lùnastal, and in gv, ...

Manus Lunny Manus Lunny (born 1962) is an Irish producer and multi-instrumentalist from County Donegal, Ireland, best known as a member of Celtic supergroup Capercaillie. He is the brother of multi-instrumentalist and producer Dónal Lunny.Joanie Madden * Debby McClatchy *

Billy McComiskey Billy may refer to: * Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name) Animals * Billy (dog), a dog breed * Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945 * Billy (pygmy hippo), a pet of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge * Billy, a young ...

* Manus McGuire *

Susan McKeown Susan McKeown (born February 6, 1967) is an Irish folk singer, songwriter, arranger and producer. Early years Susan McKeown was born on February 6, 1967 in Terenure, Dublin, Ireland. She briefly attended the Municipal College of Music, Chatham ...

* Matt Molloy * Mick Moloney * Pan Morrigan * Moving Cloud * Martin Mulhaire * Brendan Mulvihill * Paddy O'Brien * Robbie O'Connell *

Eugene O'Donnell Eugene Christopher O'Donnell (28 November 1913 - 16 August 1982) was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly. Biography O'Donnell was born in Bathurst, New South Wales, the son of Michael Patrick O'Donnell and his wife Mary (née Scan ...

* Jerry O'Sullivan *

Old Blind Dogs Old Blind Dogs is a Scottish musical group which plays traditional Scottish folk music and Celtic music, with influences from rock, reggae, jazz, blues, and Middle Eastern music rhythms. Background The three founding members of the band (I ...

* Orealis *

Niamh Parsons Niamh Parsons (born in Dublin, Ireland) is a singer of contemporary and traditional Irish music. Career Niamh Parsons started her professional career in 1990, in Belfast. Having been singing at sessions around Dublin, Niamh first joined the band ...

* Rare Air * Red Clay Ramblers * Reeltime * Relativity * Tommy Sands * Sileas * Daithi Sproule *

Andy M. Stewart Andrew McGregor "Andy" Stewart (8 September 1952 – 27 December 2015) was a Scottish singer, songwriter and instrumentalist, formerly the frontman for Silly Wizard. He was born in Alyth, Perthshire. With Silly Wizard he not only sang, but also ...

* Patrick Street *

* Teada *

Touchstone Touchstone may refer to: * Touchstone (assaying tool), a stone used to identify precious metals * Touchstone (metaphor), a means of assaying relative merits of a concept Entertainment * ''Touchstone'' (album), a 1982 album by Chick Corea * T ...

* Trian *

The Tulla Céilí Band The Tulla Céilí Band is an Irish céilí band. History The band was founded in 1946 by Paddy Canny, fellow fiddler P.J. Hayes, pianist Teresa Tubridy, and accordion player Joe Cooley at Minogue's Bar in Tulla, County Clare, Ireland. They were ...

Brooks Williams Brooks Williams (born November 10, 1958) is an American acoustic guitarist and singer-songwriter. His style combines roots, jazz, blues, classical, and folk. He has released albums of contemporary folk music, blues music, and of instrumental ...

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 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 ...

* Wolfstone

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