Killaloe hits a high note with new song

A NEW song written about a Shannonside town has been hailed as a great tourism promotion for businesses on the banks of Lough Derg.
Rock and Sock Records’ recording artist, Tokyo Rosenthal made his international radio debut of his song about Killaloe last Saturday night.
Following a similar theme from years ago, Rosenthal, who is a well-known singer and musician in the United States, has penned Killaloe, which is similar to Edmonton from 2006.
The recording was initially be played on The Right Note radio programme hosted by Ross O’Donoghue and was preceded by an interview with Rosenthal at 7pm. Streaming worldwide, listeners could log on to listen to the live interview.
Unlike Edmonton, Killaloe is actually about the town and some of its characters. The song has a Celtic feel to it, while being comfortable in the Americana music genre.
It is a featured track on Rosenthal’s newly released album, Tokyo’s Fifth. The song was inspired by Tokyo’s recent Ireland tour, which opened in at The Anchor Inn, Killaloe, the former home of Rosenthal’s parents, Gerry and Connie Lee.
Rosenthal and his wife, Carrie, first visited Killaloe in the 1980s and were delighted to open their Ireland tour on September 15 in the Cathedral Town leading to a reunion with family friend, and Anchor Inn owner, Ann Benson.
Ms Benson described Killaloe as a great boost for tourism and promotion of the town and predicted it should generate some additional business for local traders this year. The Killaloe publican pointed out the song featured local tourist attractions such as Between the Waters and walking on the historic bridge between Killaloe and Ballina, which would help generate new interest from tourists in the United States, where the singer resided.
She is already looking forward to Rosenthal’s return visit to Killaloe next May.
“I had no idea the impact that the visit would have on me,” said Rosenthal. “There was something terribly familiar about it all and the characters in the town and the Anchor Inn. The song wrote itself on the airplane home and was the last one recorded for my new record.
“I’m overwhelmed at the reaction in Killaloe and County Clare to the recording. I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank Ross O’Donoghue and Susan Murphy at Clare FM for putting the international radio premier together and of course all the inspirations in and around the Anchor Inn and the town of Killaloe.
“I can’t wait to return and play the tune live for all of them,” he added.
Besides Tokyo on guitar, vocal, and drums, the recording features a soaring fiddle solo from Chatham County Line’s John Teer and stellar bass from Chris Stamey of the DBs.
Rosenthal plans to perform again in Killaloe as part of his upcoming Ireland/UK Tour in May. The location and date will be announced shortly.
His late parents, Gerry and Connie Lee, loved entertaining people in the Anchor Inn during their five-year stint in the lakeside town.
In 1979, Gerry and Connie purchased the Railway (Station) House and Stores, now known as Flanagan’s Restaurant, Ballina, Killaloe.
They renovated the dwelling house and converted the store into an Antique Store. They remained in Killaloe for about five years. Ann Benson and her family met them almost immediately after they arrived in Killaloe and they became great friends.