Quigsy & the Bird (a.k.a. Jim Quigley and Jerry Berdan) began their musical odyssey in the Quigley basement in the winter of 1964-65. We formed a folk group: Jim, Jerry & Sharon (not to be confused with Peter, Paul & Mary), and began to play such tunes as "Blowin' in the Wind" and "If I had a Hammer." We made our first television appearance on the Bud Ballou Show, Syracuse's version of American Bandstand, although we messed up on the dates and never actually saw ourselves...this event predated VCRs by a few months.

Jim & Jerry played the hootenanny circuits of the 1960s...playing with several groups. Mr. Quigley then moved on to rock 'n roll (look at the band links in the Brawling Nobles web page...putting himself through Villanova (at least earning a percentage of his beer money needs) singing all over Philadelphia. Mr. Berdan moved into a less lucrative genre, playing jug band music with such bands as Barefoot in the Cornfield Washtub Band, and The Almost Empty Jug Band (featuring Ed Murphy on the washtub bass). These 2 jug bands featured some of Central New York's best jug band musicians including James D. "Mr. Washtub" McNamara, who, although long since vanished from the music business, is remembered fondly by those of us who appreciate his technical mastery over the gut bucket. And many of us remember John J. Connors, who is now lost in the Arctic, and despite several debilitating blisters, played a washtub bass that few could better.

After wasting their times in different institutions of higher learning, the 2 lads rejoined in the mid 1970's. They went back on the road, playing all of their hits on the Ground Round circuit (will we ever forget "Dust in the Wind"???) --- then, when John Farrell of the Hotel Syracuse asked us if we could play a little Irish folk music for a Saint Patrick's Parade that a few people were thinking of holding in downtown Syracuse, a tradition was immediately born. We have played there almost every year since (an injury preventing a Cal Ripken-like streak). We've played at a few wakes & weddings, several taverns, a yearly trip to the Saint Patrick's Church Irish Festival, a benefit or two (whenever one of Jim's cousins asks us), and still we continue having fun & drinking a bit, however slowed by gout and severe hair loss.

The Quigsy & the Bird fan club was formed by Jim & Jerry and is composed of their wives, but the membership sometimes fluctuates downwards. You can join by sending money to us, the more money you send, the more we will like you. Our standard dues package is $50/year and this nominal sum entitles you to a free annual viewing at the St. Patrick's Irish Fest, unlimited access to our web site, and a copy of our latest CD, "Drunk and Obnoxious", which is scheduled for release as soon as we record it.

So if you see an advertisement for Quigsy & the Bird, go see them, you'll be entertained, and they will make money.