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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview with John McDermott, Jason Fowler
Aired March 17, 2002 - 07:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS: Well, we couldn't think of a better musician to introduce you to on St. Patrick's Day. John McDermott became familiar to us when he toured as one of the Irish tenors. His voice helped generate a U.S. gold record. The ninth of 12 children from a traditional Glasgow Irish family, John's Scottish and Irish roots showcase his musical storyteller talent in great Celtic tradition.
However, this first song you're about to hear takes on another of John's, his commitment to veteran's causes. "Legacy" is dedicated to those soldiers who died defending our freedom and to the generation that remembers those wars.
JOHN MCDERMOTT, SINGER (singing): (MUSIC, "LEGACY")
PHILLIPS: Wow, John McDermott, Jason Fowler, beautiful.
MCDERMOTT: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: That song gives you chills.
MCDERMOTT: Yes, we did that for the Congressional Medal of Honor Society in October. And it was dedicated to the veterans who -- those who didn't come home and paid the ultimate price for our freedoms.
PHILLIPS: I guess you could say the song plays well in this time right now.
MCDERMOTT: It certainly does, yes, unfortunately.
PHILLIPS: And this is on your new CD?
MCDERMOTT: This is on the DVD.
PHILLIPS: OK, the DVD. Two different?
MCDERMOTT: Yes, and it's -- there's footage from that event on the DVD with the song.
PHILLIPS: Now the PBS special, let's talk about that. Last time you were here, it was two years ago.
MCDERMOTT: Yes.
PHILLIPS: Selling out everywhere you were going. We were talking a little bit about your background. And we're going to get into a little bit of that, too, and also talk about Jason, the newest member here to the team. He's a handful.
MCDERMOTT: He replaced the old guy.
PHILLIPS: Yes, the young guy replaced the old guy. Is he a tough one to deal with?
JASON FOWLER, GUITAR PLAYER: Oh, no.
PHILLIPS: He's easy going?
FOWLER: Easy going, yes.
PHILLIPS: Talk to us about the PBS special.
MCDERMOTT: The special is it's a tribute to family, veterans and children. And it encompasses all of that. The songs are songs of our past and some contemporary pieces, but pieces that hopefully will stir a memory of a person, a place, a time that has songs of our youth and talks of those things that made us who we are. And it has my family, a lot of my family in it. My graduation class is in the chorus. My god daughter is in it, singing a duet with me on a very old piece, "When I Grow Too Old to Dream."
PHILLIPS: Wow.
MCDERMOTT: So it's really a bit of a selfish package, but it's what I wanted to do.
PHILLIPS: Well, you grew up with quite a talented family. And you sang with your father. Let's give a little background to...
MCDERMOTT: One of 12 adorable children. And actually, on the CD, if I may say so.
PHILLIPS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
MCDERMOTT: And I was number nine of that adorable group, there's a song on it, "The Last Rose of Summer." And the CD is my father singing in a pub in 1958, singing "The Last Rose of Summer." At his funeral, a friend of his for 60 odd years gave us a copy of the tape. And we just dropped it on the CD.
PHILLIPS: Wow.
MCDERMOTT: And it lets people -- they can hear where I got my voice. He had an incredible voice, but there's a -- you'll hear the bar doors slamming shut. You'll hear voices screaming in the background, and then glasses climbing. And then above all of that, you hear this magnificent voice.
PHILLIPS: So what do you think has been the best part of joining John McDermott and being a part of his music?
FOWLER: I'd better not comment. PHILLIPS: Besides some good Irish fun every now and then?
FOWLER: Well, this music is -- I grew up with a lot of the same kind of stuff. And it's a pleasure to be able to play my style of guitar playing on this kind of music, because it's sort of right up my alley. It's been great fun.
PHILLIPS: Well, we're so glad you could be here. And happy St. Patrick's Day to both of you.
MCDERMOTT: Same to you.
PHILLIPS: Now you'll sing us to break. And then I know you're going to sing a couple more songs for us.
MCDERMOTT: Yes.
PHILLIPS: And then we're going to have that throughout the newscast this morning.
MCDERMOTT: Terrific.
PHILLIPS: OK, good. All right, guys.
MCDERMOTT (singing): (MUSIC)
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