One of Drogheda’s finest musicians Anthony Stoney Burke who died recently after a short illness is to be honoured by the singers and entertainers of the town.
A special tribute night to celebrate his life is being held on Bank Holiday Monday night, August 4,next at McHugh’s Venue on the Cord Road.
Admission is just five euros and all the proceeds are going to the Oncology Unit in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.
Among the musicians and bands playing are Tom Maguire who played with Stoney for years in Raincheck, the Motherfunkers, Custer’s Last Band, Roundabout, the Ex-Presidents and Tailor Made.Tom will also do MC.
The organisers said:” We will celebrate the joyous life of Stoney through a life well lived in music.”
A drummer and percussionist Stoney joined his first band in 1972 called AC/30. The other band members were Paddy McBride and Sean O’Hagan better known as Johnny Logan who went on to win the Eurovision Song Contest twice.
His first gigging band was The Ravens in the mid 70s which included the late Liam Carter, another very popular musician around the town.
IN 1980 he joined Tailormade with Ray Dillon and Paddy McBride and then in 1982 Stoney started one of the most famous jazz-funk bands in Drogheda Slipstream.
Stoney made the band his own playing percussion and was joined in the group by David Leddy, BB Berrill, Maurice Smith and Brian Owens. They used to get huge crowds gigging every Sunday at lunchtime in the Central bar at the bottom of Peter Street.
Raincheck was formed in 1989 when Stoney linked up with Tom Maguire and they became one of the top wedding bands in the north-east.
He later played with Exchequer until 2005 and two years later Roundabout was formed with Richie Stephens and Gary Murphy.
Stoney joined his final band the Motherfunkers linking up again with BB Berrill, Brian Owens, Maurice Smith, plus Roberta Smith and Kevin Donnelly.
Stoney who lived in Mellifont Park,Drogheda died on February 27 last, is survived by his wife Majella and son Anthony.
