Altan is a Celtic folk outfit that hails from Gweedore, County Donegal in Ireland. Weaving a rootsy, folk fabric, the band rose to recognition in the early 1990s as the first Irish traditional music group to be signed to a major label when they earned a deal with Virgin Records in 1994. Though the band released its first album Horse with a Heart in 1989, Altan built its following from the ground up with an ardent touring schedule until it dropped Blackwater, with Virgin in 1996. Its first major label release, the album found its way to listeners outside of traditional music audiences and catapulted the band onto the international stage. Altan has since continued its rigorous touring and recording schedule as one of the most influential Celtic bands in the world.
