20 Facts About Alan Stivell

Alan Stivell was born in the Auvergnat town of Riom.

Alan Stivell's father, Georges Cochevelou, was a civil servant in the French Ministry of Finance who achieved his dream of recreating a Celtic or Breton harp in the small town of Gourin, Brittany and his mother Fanny-Julienne Dobroushkess was of Lithuanian-Jewish descent.

In 1953, Alan Stivell began playing the instrument at the age of nine under the tutelage of his father and Denise Megevand, a concert harpist.

Alan Stivell learned Celtic mythology, art, and history, as well as the Breton language, traditional Breton dance, and the Scottish bagpipe and the bombarde, a traditional Breton instrument, from the oboe family.

Alan Stivell began playing concerts at the age of eleven and studied traditional Breton, English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh folk music, learning the drum, Irish flute, and tin whistle.

Alan Stivell competed in, and won, several Breton traditional music competitions in the Bleimor Pipe band.

Alan Stivell spent his childhood in Paris, with its cosmopolitan influences.

Alan Stivell's first recording came in 1960, a single that was followed by the LP Telenn Geltiek in 1964.

Alan Stivell already recorded solo harp and harp backing singers in 1959 with Breiz ma bro and a Mouez Breiz EP with the female singer Andrea Ar Gouilh.

In 1966, Alan Stivell began to perform and record as a singer.

In 1968, after two years of touring and regular appearances at the American Students and Artists Center in Paris, Alan Stivell joined the Moody Blues onstage to perform in London's Queen Elizabeth Hall.

In 1970, Alan Stivell released his first hits, the single "Broceliande" and the album Reflets, both on the Philips record label.

Alan Stivell became closely associated with the burgeoning Breton roots revival, especially after the release of the purely instrumental 1971 album Renaissance of the Celtic Harp, which won one of the most famous awards in France, the prize of the Academie Charles Cros.

Alan Stivell continued recording, and published a collection of Breton poetry in 1976.

Alan Stivell continued touring in many parts of the world and recording for a loyal fanbase.

Alan Stivell is credited for a part of "La Tribu de Dana"'s arrangements.

In 2002 Alan Stivell released Au-dela des mots, his twenty-first LP.

On 2 October 2015, Alan Stivell released a new CD album called AMzer: Seasons through WorldVillage in France, his first one of the 2010s, coinciding with his career's 50th anniversary.

Lyrics for 17 of Alan Stivell's songs are reprinted at the back of the book.

Alan Stivell has influenced multiple contemporary artists, most notably folk metal band Eluveitie.