Ged (Gerard) Foley is one of the Celtic world's most accomplished and celebrated guitarists, known for his powerful tune accompaniments and delicate melody playing. Growing up in County Durham in the northeast of England, Ged (pronounced 'Jed') absorbed the area's rich tradition of folk song and dance music. It was there that he learned to play mandolin and Northumbrian Smallpipes (the bellows-blown bagpipe native to that part of England) and began to develop his guitar style. At first he teamed up with singer-songwriter Jez Lowe and toured the British Folk scene. Then came several years with Battlefield Band, touring with them throughout Europe and North America. Returning home to England, he co-founded The House Band with Chris Parkinson, a trio (later, quartet) doing Pan-Celtic music that produced a number of acclaimed recordings and toured all over the globe.
