Here Comes Troubadour!
by Cate Murway
For sure you’ll agree, another bit of celebrity is residing in historic Bristol on the Delaware!
Tri-county area Irish singer/songwriter and instrumentalist Cletus James McBride, Jr. has recently moved into the Grundy Tower. He really enjoys life at the 14-story, 176-unit Grundy Tower on Pond Street and appreciates the quite fine view from his “penthouse” apartment.
Cletus was born in Philadelphia but has lived for quite some time in Bucks County, enjoying the ambiance of the Delaware River.
Athletics and music have always been his life.
As a youth, he was a competitive, strong and independent freestyle swimmer. In fact, the McBride clan was ranked the #43 swimming family at the Winchester Swim Club in NE Philadelphia on Ashton Road. He later joined [PAC], the Philadelphia Aquatic Center.
The young Cletus was a senior BSA patrol leader, the junior leader with the most responsibility in a troop, along with his best friend, assistant patrol leader John Ripley and he also earned an American Kenpo Karate third degree brown belt.
He graduated from Father Judge High School and for 3 years, he began to further his education at Pierce Junior College, enrolled in the liberal arts program as his father, Private Cletus James McBride, Sr. taught Advertising and Public Speaking there. He decided to continue his courses at Holy Family College securing a BA in Communications/ Journalism, graduating Magna Cum Laude. He returned to teach History of Irish Music and Dance.
He later became the assistant to HFC Director of Public Relations, the late Frank J. Avato, assuming the Director position when Frank resigned. Marine Corp. veteran Avato, a member of the Delaware Valley Civil War Roundtable, was one of Cletus’ influential role models.
Always a multi-skilled and talented gentleman, it was the guitar that most entranced Cletus’ squad of friends. Many wanted him to teach them how to play. Cletus’ music influences were Bob Dylan, Neil Young, the Beetles, Clancy Brothers and the Rolling Stones. A major guitar influence is John Prine.
Cletus’ late parents were his biggest supporters in career choices. His father played alto sax, piano, and bass and his mother, Miriam [McGill], “the epitome of a singular personality” was the lead vocal in the five-piece Swing band, Cleat McBride and the Serenaders, the re-formed Northeast Catholic High School band after all the members returned from the Pacific Theatre in WW II.
“They all lived through WWII, and shared the zeitgeist of the patriotism of that time; it never left them. They recorded a Philco commercial for radio and TV in the late 1950’s.”
Philco, a pioneer in battery, radio, and television production, reigned then as the top-selling radio brand in the country.
His beloved mother instilled in all of them a sense of self-confidence and comportment. She modeled individuality, and use of God-given talents, while she helped so many people in so many ways that never called attention to herself. Cletus was very close to his mother.
“I remember her backing up in the hallway of our family home in NE Philly with a handful of laundry saying ”...that sounded pretty good” when I finished playing the flute part (on harmonica) and guitar of Paul Simon’s “The Boxer” in my room, which certainly meant an awful lot to me as I was only 16. Without that encouragement -- and, to be sure, to Cleat’s encouraging words and his teaching me more shortly thereafter -- I may not have worked as hard at music as I did.”
Cletus was one of seven children, Bernadette (Andrew), Kathleen McKeown (William), Cletus, Constance (Richard), Paul (Beth), the twins Denise and Dennis (Marie), all of whom played at least one instrument while growing up. “Cleat and Miriam made sure of that.”
He believes his paternal grandfather Cletus William McBride [wife, Margaret M. Gatley ] worked at the Frankford Arsenal, a former United States Army ammunition plant.
Cletus has performed at times with his sister Bernadette McBride who proficiently plays an Irish Bodhran [pronounced “Bow-rawn”] frame drum, percussion hand held instrument similar to a tom-tom and the hammered dulcimer, a percussion-stringed instrument. She is a writing professor at Bucks County Community College and an author of three full-length poetry collections.
Cletus too wrote articles for many years that were published in The Irish American newspaper, Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, Courier Times and the Jewish Post. He still writes when he can.
His exciting, eclectic careers included 16 years playing at Molly Malone's Irish Yacht Pub - Saint Thomas, US Virgin Islands, specializing in Irish music.
Top o' the morning to ya and welcome to Molly Malone's! Meet grand people, have fine food and enjoy the best [and only] Irish entertainment on St. Thomas.
He took an acting class in Philadelphia with Kathy Wickline Casting and aspired to break into the industry with his talents. He quickly found his way as an extra in the drama film Annapolis directed by Justin Lin, starring James Franco and Tyrese Gibson. He later played the slave hunter “Luke” in “The North Star” a perilous journey to freedom based on a true story. 6 foot 10 Benjamin "Big Ben" Jones and Moses Hopkins were two slaves who escaped from a Virginia plantation in 1849. They followed the Underground Railroad and made their way to relative safety in Mt. Gilead Church on Buckingham Mountain in Buckingham, PA. Cletus boasts, “I had one line of dialogue!”
Cletus McBride has 3 CDs on the market, one including some of Gloria Galante’s music. Bristol resident Professor Galante is the director and creator of the harp program at WCU College of the Visual and Performing Arts.
For his “For the Dancers” CD package, he thanks Beth Timoney of “Pride of Erin School of Irish Dance” for her direct guidance and influential input re: the length of tunes and the tempos for usage to promote Irish Culture though step and ceili dancing for children and adults.
“As I started my dance school, I was lucky enough to have Cletus McBride and Harold Dunn play live music for my Adult dancers at AOH 61. Myself along with the adults enjoyed the laughs, music, and fun times. Cletus will always hold a special place in my life,” shared Beth.
Cletus is a member of AOH Division 61 in Philadelphia.
Now the self-proclaimed “Mill Street Fiddler” plays fiddle, harmonica and vocals, playing once a week on Saturday afternoons from 2:00-4:30PM at his long time friends’ shop, Mignoni Jewelry & Gifts.
In 1996, when he had been playing in Philadelphia and Wildwood, he cut his first CD “On Irish Time” and drove to every Irish Gift Shop promoting his music. He and the Mignoni family became fast friends.
Don't be forgettin' to come listen to Cletus McBride’s spirited collection of music.
You won't be disappointed.
Come in and share a cup of freshly brewed Irish Tea. They’ll keep the light on for you!
Céad Míle Fàilte! [Irish Gaelic A Hundred Thousand Welcomes]
Mignoni Jewelry & Gifts
200 Mill Street
Bristol, PA 19007
215.788.3243
Recommend a “Spotlight”. E-mail vjmrun@yahoo.com
Cleat McBride, Sr.
front row 2nd from left
First CD: "On Irish Time"
click on thumbnails to enlarge
