by Gemma Watters

It was quite a while ago when my editor, Jenni Bergal, excitedly slammed a CD of The High Kings , on my desk and said, "They're great! We must have them on the show!" I looked down at the case and peeked to see what, and who, I was supposed to be booking. Posing on a rocky landscape by the sea were four men: one with a flute, two holding guitars and one doing a 'Joey pose' from the television show, "'Friends." I had to remind myself not to judge a CD by its cover! So, I played the CD several times and thought, "Hmm... not really my cup of tea." But, when Liane Hansen gave the all-clear to book them, I rolled with it, and I'm so grateful to both Liane and Jenni for opening my musical ears to something new.

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Click here for more photos! The first photo features The High Kings as well as Liane Hansen and our Senior Editor Jenni Bergal.

 

From the moment the Irish quartet — the group's name is "The High Kings" - arrived at NPR, I became a fan. They were polite, courteous and definitely easy on the eye — not that I was looking. As the producer of the performance chat, I listened to the sound-check with NPR engineer Neil Tevault, and the voices of The High Kings instantly made me feel quite flustered. They make singing seem so effortless; their harmonies are still echoing around studio 4A as I write this entry. I wish to be ruled by these "Kings", as long as they sing their entertaining songs all day long!