Pitch the Peat is a Traditional Irish music group from the Cleveland, Ohio area. Combining the best tunes and songs to entertain in only a way the Irish can. \"It was once said that \"The Irish: All their wars are merry and all their songs sad.\" I don\'t know how true this is, but the tunes will always keep your foot tapping. Pitch the Peat was formed back in 1998 by Patrick Custy, Nikki Nicholas and Felim Collins. Custy and Collins both recent transplants to the Cleveland, Ohio area. All three members were also early members of Lia Fail, another local not-so-traditional group writing and playing celtic music. Collins left Cleveland to return to his native Clare, Ireland in 2000, leaving Custy and Nicholas to carry on. Eventually Ruairi Hurley and Jim Stamper Jr. joined the group. After a couple years and a diploma from high schoolStamper left the group to attend university in Chicago leaving room for Brendan Carr. Thus the current line-up. One update if your keeping score, Instead of Custy, Nicholas, Hurley and Carr; the band is Custy, Custy, Hurley and Carr. Pat and Nikki have married and have two beautiful boys. Pitch the Peat\'s Debut CD, \"Far From Home\" was recorded over the better part of two years. Including Sean Og studio in Hudson, Ohio, The studio on Literary Lane, in Tremont, Ohio, and Cleveland Audio (Studio) in Cleveland. Mastering was performed by Ryan Foltz of Cleveland Audio. Individual Bio Info: Nikki Custy was born and raised in the Akron area of Ohio, just southeast of Cleveland. Through travel and studies, Nikki found herself at UCG (Galway) where she met her future husband Patrick. We\'re not sure if her studies suffered at all, but Nikki found herself at a great number of sessions during her academic tenure in Ireland. Regardless of her grades she picked up a thing or two from all the great players she encountered along the way. Patrick Custy was born and raised in Dysart, a small town in northwest Clare Ireland. Surrounded by the steep tradition of Clare music Patrick could not help but become part of the famous tradition. Maybe it was his Uncle Frank Custy the local school master who \"strongly encouraged\" each student to pick up an instrument. I guess we could say the rest is history, listening to Pat on the Flute conjures the mysticism of an ancient Ireland not seen but only felt in your soul. Ruairí Hurley , a \"fíor gael\" true Irishman, was born in Dublin City. As with most Dubliners he was not aware of anything beyond the pale of Dublin so he picked up the guitar at a young age and emulated the likes of Rory Gallagher. Now this isn\'t such a bad start, but when Ruairí was encouraged to join in some sessions after moving to Cleveland, Ohio we soon saw the raw talent shape into his current mastery of guitar technique and dynamics. Brendan Carr was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, his parents hailing from Donegal and Clare, In his youth Brendan was constantly surrounded by Irish music. His parents were heavily involved with organizing and bringing worldwide talent to the shores of Lake Erie. Brendan got involved himself at a young age working initailly behind the scenes of local rock bands then joining local Irish groups The Kilroys and The Portersharks. Brendan is the latest addition to Pitch the Peat.