Timothy Patrick Burke Walthall Lead vocalist and banjo player, Tim, along with his brothers, learned Irish music at their mother's side as a child. With little formal musical training, Tim has since become an accomplished vocalist. He can sing a variety of music including blues, jazz, country and western, folk, '60s rock, showtunes, and even some opera (heavy, light, and rock). He has performed different kinds of music with various groups since high school and has regularly performed Irish folk music since 1974. He learned to play the banjo to accompany his voice and his brother's fiddle. Tim is producer of the group's compact disk, Celtic Ruminations, for which he authored the liner notes. Along the way, Tim has also picked up a law degree and is now an attorney with the Department of Justice; he is also the proud father of daughters, Diane, Ann, and Mary Beth. James Harvey Walthall Fiddler James' study of music began at the age of 11, like many boys his ages, with a guitar. While in high school, James performed with a variety of rock 'n roll bands and continued with the guitar throughout college. With his brother Tim, James became interested in Irish folk music in the mid 1970s and his fascination with the fiddle began. Beginning with bluegrass fiddle tunes, James saw the roots of Irish fiddle in American music and began to practice, perform, and compose Irish fiddle reels and jigs. He performs a unique blend of both American and Irish fiddle tunes, sometimes within the same piece. One of his original compositions, "King James' Frolic/ Bogman's Tomb," is included on the group's CD, Celtic Ruminations. In his other life, James is an optometrist with a practice in Annandale, Virginia, and father of Patrick. Jeffrey Charles Walthall Now the guitarist with the Flying Cows of Ventry, Jeff began his musical career as a drummer for many rock 'n roll bands throughout his high-school and college days. Jeff's desire to compose his own music and lyrics in high school prompted him to learn to play the guitar. A prolific songwriter, Jeff used the guitar then as a vehicle to compose his own music. While he has played acoustic guitar for some twenty years, he became interested in playing Irish music with his brothers a few years ago. Irish in their flavor and themes, several of Jeff's original songs in the Cow's repertoire. His composition "Johnnie's Dream" is included on the Cow's debut CD, Celtic Ruminations. Still a bit of a drummer, Jeff adds the bodhran to several tunes. Jeff is also an illustrator and a graphic designer in McLean, Virginia and designed the CD cover and insert. His son Bryan is a high school student. The brothers grew up and still live just outside Washington, DC, where they learned Irish music from their mother and grandmother. Fiddler James and his brother Tim began playing Irish folk music together at school in Boston in 1974. James and Tim have played Irish music ever since and in 1994 guitarist Jeff joined them to form The Flying Cows of Ventry. They began playing on St. Patrick's Day 1995 at the Knights of Columbus in Arlington, Virginia. Then, in August, the trio visited Ireland to play traditional Irish music. From the first day they landed, they played every night and most days in the pubs throughout the West of Ireland until they were discovered by a program director of the Raidio na Gaeltachta. Shortly thereafter the Cow's tunes were being heard throughout Ireland on radio. Performance History Irish National Radio, August, 1995; a summer of pubs in Ireland such as Gus O'Connor's in Doolin, the Spaniard in Kinsale, and Paddy O'Shea's in Ventry, August, 1995; house band for the Knights of Columbus, Edward Douglass White Council, Arlington, Virginia; McLean High School 40th Anniversary Gala before an audience of 1500, October, 1995; regular appearances at Old Brogue Pub, Great Falls, Virginia, Mick O'Shea's, Baltimore, Maryland, Whitlow's on Wilson, Arlington, Virginia, Flanagan's Irish Pub, Bethesda, Maryland, and Irelands Four Provinces, Falls Church, Virginia; St. Patrick's Day Parade Benefit concerts at Murphy's Grand Irish Pub in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia; Ireland's Own, Alexandria, Virigina, Ireland's Four Provinces, Washington, DC, and Mick O'Shea's, Baltimore, Maryland. Special performances for Congressman Jim Moran's Annual St. Patrick's Day Celebration, March, 1996 and for Lt. Governor Don Beyer's St. Patrick's Day Celebration, March 1997; WETA Radio "Traditions" program hosted by Mary Cliff, January 1996 to present. Special Recognition Featured performers at U. S. House of Representative, Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich's Friends of Ireland Annual St. Patrick's Day Luncheon for the Prime Minister of Ireland, March 14, 1996; Irish Festival, Glen Echo, Maryland, May 1998, 1999; First Annual Northern Virginia Irish Festival, Annandale, Virginia, October, 1997; Wheeling Celtic Celebration, Wheeling West Virginia, March 1998, 1999, 2000; Washington Folk Festival, Washington, DC, May 1998 and 1999; Potomac Celtic Festival, Leesburg, Virginia, June 1998 and 1999. 2004-2005 Winner, Best overall float, Washington DC St. Patrick's Day Parade as musicians on the O'Neill-James School of Irish Dancing Float.