"The Willie Lynch Band plays just about anything and anywhere, but is best known for being an Irish band playing traditional Irish songs.

“We were in Delaware on Friday night, Binghamton, New York on Saturday, and West Orange on Monday,” said Willie Lynch, front man for the band. “We could be in the middle of a show and see that the crowd wants something else and we’ll change it. If no one is dancing, and just listening, then we switch it to concert songs. There’s no telling what we will be playing.”

A typical show could include some original songs, some traditional favorites, or cover songs that range from Elvis to “Mambo No. 5” if that’s what the crowd needs.

“I have a three-piece band for the smaller stuff, and a five-piece band for banquets and the larger stuff. I will get a DJ sometimes for the larger events to make things more accessible and easier. They play all that stuff that I can’t be bothered with,” said Lynch. “Some songs will come and go, but not the good ones. The good ones last.”

It is not unusual for a typical show to start off with an Irish ballad to get things going. By the end of that first song the crowd is on their feet and dancing with the show. In –between each song you can hear Lynch tell a story or entertain the crowd. He has a knack for telling a story, and an enthusiasm that will keep your attention.

The venues the band play can be “Anywhere from the corner pub, to the Taj Mahal,” said Lynch. He recounts how last St. Patrick’s Day, Notre Dame College got them to play in New York City where Giants and Jets were in attendance. “And I didn’t even think to get a picture,” Lynch laughed.

The Willie Lynch Band is booked for about any occasion by some. One day they could be at a wedding, then a christening, and on another day, a wake. “Or an after pass, as we say. This is usually the wishes [of the departed]. We are asked by some to play for wakes, and sometimes it is in the wills. They say in them that people should have a good time, have fun, and celebrate their life,” said Lynch.

“We usually start off somber, and then slowly get into some up-tempo stuff, so people can feel the joy. Not any crying and moping. This is what they wished for,” said the musician. “It’s about respect for the person and the people there.”

It is an “Irish-American” night when the band plays. The shows bring people from all over just to meet and have fun. There are people from all ages in the crowd. From one to one-hundred.

“This is the job,” he said, “People want to see you, and they come. It’s a wonderful thing to do. Just so long as you don’t abuse it.”

As March comes in, the Willie Lynch Band is in high demand. “But if people want it done right, they have to do it two weeks before,” Willie said.

Lynch, who has had 40 years of experience playing, came to America from Dublin, Ireland. While touring with his then-band playing “pop” songs, Lynch just looked at his band during a road trip and said, “I’m going to America.” After eight years of playing in Ireland, “It just happened.” He came to Elizabeth, NJ where his brother was and began his career here.

The band, made up of six members, alters depending on the event to be played, but generally always has three members in it. Each person in the band can play more than one instrument, of which there are many in this band. From 12-string guitar, to tin whistle, to flute, sax, and drums, this band has got a member who can pretty much play it all.

A show means more than just songs to Lynch. “It’s a lot like our earlier song, ‘Keeping the Tradition Alive’. It’s all about that. The songs, the music, and the spirit.” "