Christendom College history professor Dr. Christopher Shannon recently released his latest book, Singing from the Heart: The Dady Brothers, Irish Music and Ethnic Endurance in an American City. Telling the story of the Dady Brothers, a music duo from Rochester, New York, the book explores their rise through the Irish music revival of the late 20th century and how they developed a distinctly Irish American mix of folk, Bluegrass and Irish music within the context of their tight-knit, multi-ethnic Catholic community.
Shannon, who earned his Ph.D. from Yale, has been teaching and writing about American Catholic History for over two decades, including his most recent acclaimed work, American Pilgrimage: A Historical Journey Through Catholic Life in a New World. In Singing from the Heart, Shannon brings his passion for American and Irish history to his hometown of Rochester, exploring its rich history through the story of the Dady Brothers.
In the book, Shannon brings readers back to the late 20th century as an Irish music revival began to sweep the nation. John and Joe Dady, natives of the industrial neighborhood of Rochester’s Tenth Ward, worked out a version of this revival in their hometown, bringing together their love of rock ‘n roll, American roots, and Irish music into a distinct musical sound that was both fully American and fully Irish. Their professional success as local and regional musicians reflected their commitment to the communal bonds of their local Holy Rosary parish, the Tenth Ward and the city of Rochester, resulting in a story of not only ethnic revival but also ethnic endurance.
On Sunday, February 23, Shannon returned to his hometown of Rochester for a special book signing, celebrating the release of Singing from the Heart. The event drew a packed crowd of enthusiastic readers, eager to hear Shannon’s insights on the Dady Brothers and their lasting impact on Irish-American music. By the end of the signing, every copy of the book had sold out—a testament to the community’s strong connection to its musical heritage.
Shannon is an associate professor of history at Christendom, teaching courses ranging from American Catholic History to Irish American History and the Medieval World. His books include Conspicuous Criticism: Tradition, the Individual, and Culture in Modern American Social Thought (Johns Hopkins, 1996), Bowery to Broadway: The American Irish in Classic Hollywood Cinema (University of Scranton Press, 2010), and with Christopher O. Blum, The Past as Pilgrimage: Narrative, Tradition and the Renewal of Catholic History (Christendom Press, 2014).
To order Shannon’s latest, visit here.