A big congratulations to Tradconnect member Joanie Madden for her lifetime achievement award at the recent Irish Music Association Awards 2012.  Joanie received her award for her dedication to Irish music in either a solo capacity or as part of the many groups and ensembles that she has been involved with over the years including Cherish the Ladies and Pride of New York.  We had the pleasure of seeing her live last week as part of the Temple Bar trad Fest with PONY and she was in flying form.  Check out our review here

"Joanie received her musical training early in life listening to her father and his friends play music at family gatherings and social events. She began taking lessons from Jack Coen, and within a few short years she had won both the world Championship on the concert flute and whistle. During that time, Joanie also became the first American to win the coveted Senior All-Ireland Championship on the whistle. She has amassed a plethora of awards and citations to her credit including; the youngest member inducted into both the Irish-American Musicians Hall of Fame and the Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Hall of Fame, recipient of the Wild Geese Award, voted twice as one of the Top 100 Irish-Americans in the United States and named Traditional Musician of the Year, all for her contributions to promoting and preserving Irish culture in America. In 2010, Joanie was forever immortalized on the streets of her native Bronx when she had a street named after her on the Grand Concourse; "Joanie Madden and Cherish the Ladies" and in 2011, she was bestowed one of the nations highest awards as she was chosen for the Ellis Island Medal of Honor where she joins an illustrious list of distinguished American citizens including six United State Presidents, Ambassadors, Senators, Congressman and Supreme Court judges all singled out for their exemplary service to the United States." Source : cherishtheladies.com

So congrats Joanie and thanks for the music.