Recently, I was asked by one of a writer of mine in the Celtic MP3s Music Magazine who I would pick for the Top rising music stars who would be perfect for gaining Corporate Sponsorship.

It's never an easy question for me to pick great bands.. I thought about it for a bit and listed a few of favorite Celtic and one non-Celtic bands and included the reason why I think they're well-positioned for just that.

Heather Dale. Very Loreena McKennitt, but I like Heather's music better and it is thematic too, Arthurian-based.

Pasiley Close. They're a Celtic band out of Houston. The music is contemporary folk rock. They've done the traditional Celtic
sound, they've done the modern. Though the incarnation is new, the band has been around for a long time. Great vocals and potential for crossing musical boundaries.

Rise. Very innovative band. I'd be surprised if they don't have corporate sponsorship. They are out of Scotland. I don't think they really tour, so that's the downside. Except they come to the US touring radio stations promoting their albums.

The Light Spirts. What do you get when you have a Scotsman, an Irishman, an Australian and an Italian together playing traditional Irish music? No. It's no joke. It's a band I met in Italy. They're currently recording their first CD, but the group is amazing. Huge potential. I look forward to seeing where they'll go next.

Emerald Rose. American Celtic Folk Rock. They have a bit of a Pagan slant, which might be a downside to the Christian majority, but great fun, danceable music. With a wee bit of adjustment to their marketing they could go very far.

I have to mention two other great bands. Yes, I am in them both, but there is good reason why I think we fit too.

Brobdingnagian Bards. The MP3 Godfathers online. Our music is more folk in style, which is not generally great for corporate sponsorship, but we dominate the Celtic MP3 industry and through aggressive guerrilla marketing, find new ways to break through the clutter. Also, our song selection is not strictly Celtic so we attract a variety of music-style lovers.

The Dubliners' Tabby Cats. The "band" itself is pretty much me, but it's the song selection that is already making a huge impact. Cat lovers are very passionate about their cats. My group plays cat songs with an Irish music slant. Huge potential for corporate sponsorship from cat corporations.

That about sums up the Celtic bands I can think of offhand. The last group is

Voltaire. Ironic Goth music. He has a huge following and lots of commercial potential in the goth music scene. Great storyteller. His music and other items are currently being distributed through Hot Topic.

I'm sure there are a LOT of others, but there are the ones that I am seeing making a big impact or having the a great potential for making an impact.