Iona (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Founder | Joanne Hogg, David Fitzgerald, Dave Bainbridge |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Progressive Celtic Christian rock music |
Iona was a progressive Celtic Christian rock ensemble originating from the United Kingdom, formed in the late 1980s by lead singer Joanne Hogg alongside multi-instrumentalists David Fitzgerald and Dave Bainbridge.[1] Subsequently, Troy Donockley joined the group, adding uilleann pipes, low whistles, and various other instruments.
History
By the time their debut album Iona was released in 1990, the lineup had grown to feature drummer Terl Bryant, bassist Nick Beggs (previously with Kajagoogoo), Celtic harpist Fiona Davidson, string player Peter Whitfield, Troy Donockley on pipes, and percussionist Frank van Essen. The album’s theme revolves around the history of the island of Iona, which also inspired the band's name.
Their 1992 album The Book of Kells is a concept work drawing inspiration from the famous illuminated manuscript. During this period, Terl Bryant replaced Frank van Essen on drums, while David Fitzgerald left to focus on his music education.
The 1993 release Beyond These Shores included guest musician Robert Fripp and loosely alluded to St. Brendan’s voyage to the Americas. With their 1995 album Journey into the Morn, Iona adopted a more mainstream rock approach, influenced by the hymn "Be Thou My Vision" and featuring Gaelic vocals supported by Máire Brennan from Clannad.
In the late 1990s, live recordings such as Heaven's Bright Sun and Woven Cord were released, performed alongside the All Souls Orchestra.[2] Frank van Essen returned during this timeframe to contribute drums and violin on their 2000 studio album, Open Sky.
After concluding contracts with U.S.-based ForeFront Records and U.K.’s Alliance Records, Iona launched their own label, Open Sky Records, to release music independently. Their 2002 box set The River Flows featured remastered versions of early albums along with a fourth disc titled Dunes containing previously unreleased material. The initial three albums were subsequently reissued individually with updated artwork.
Following nearly ten years of limited activity, Iona issued a two-disc live DVD titled Iona: Live in London in 2006, mixed in 5.1 surround sound by John Kellogg. Later that year, they released their studio album The Circling Hour.
In June 2009, Troy Donockley departed from Iona to focus on other endeavors including joining punk-folk group The Bad Shepherds, collaborating with Barbara Dickson, and becoming a full-time member of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish in 2013. His role in Iona was filled by piper Martin Nolan.
After a nine-year absence from U.S. touring, Iona returned in June 2010 performing at Pennsylvania’s NEARfest where they introduced material from their final album, Another Realm (2011). The tour concluded with an appearance at Illinois' Cornerstone Festival.
On 11 December 2016, Iona announced an indefinite pause on recording and touring activities due to other commitments but did not rule out future projects.
In March 2024, Dave Bainbridge revealed plans for a UK tour featuring performances of Iona’s music as a duo alongside Sally Minnear.[3] Minnear, Bainbridge's collaborator in Celestial Fire,[3] has previous experience singing in Lord of the Dance and providing backing vocals for Lifesigns.[3]
Original lineup
- Joanne Hogg – lead vocals, keyboards
- David Fitzgerald – saxophones, flutes, recorder, tin whistle
- Dave Bainbridge – keyboards, electric guitar
Personnel on debut album
- Joanne Hogg – lead vocals, keyboards
- David Fitzgerald – saxophones, flutes, recorder, tin whistle
- Dave Bainbridge – keyboards, electric guitar
- Terl Bryant – drums
- Tim Harries – bass guitar
- Troy Donockley – pipes, whistles, flutes
- Peter Whitfield – string instruments
Final lineup
- Joanne Hogg – lead vocals, keyboards, acoustic guitar
- Dave Bainbridge – lead guitar, keyboards
- Martin Nolan – pipes, whistles, flutes
- Phil Barker – bass guitar
- Frank van Essen – drums, percussion, violin
Studio albums
- Iona (1990)
- The Book of Kells (1992)
- Beyond These Shores (1993)
- Journey into the Morn (1996)
- Open Sky (2000)
- Dunes/Snowdonia (2002)
- The Circling Hour (2006)
- Another Realm (2011)
Live albums
- Heaven's Bright Sun (1997)
- Woven Cord (1999; featuring the All Souls Orchestra)
- Live in London (2008)
- Edge of the World: Live in Europe (2013)
Compilation albums
- Treasures (also known as The Very Best Treasures) (1996)
Box set collections
- The River Flows: Anthology (2002; four-CD set)
- The Book of Iona (2020; seventeen-CD set)
Collaborative projects
- Various Artists – Songs for Luca (2003)
- Various Artists – Songs for Luca 2 (2007)
Videography
- Iona, DVD (2004) — early live performance recording
- Live in London, DVD (2006)
External links
- ↑ "Iona". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on 11 March 2009.
- ↑ Elliot, Russel W. (12 May 2000). "Iona – Open Sky". Musical Discoveries. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ewing, Jerry (21 March 2024). "Dave Bainbridge and Sally Minnear announce An Evening Of Iona Music and more..." Prog. Louder. Retrieved 11 July 2024.