WATCH: Tim O’Brien, “Little Lamb Little Lamb”

Artist: Tim O’Brien Hometown: Wheeling, West Virginia Song: “Little Lamb Little Lamb” Album: Cup of Sugar Release Date: April 7, 2023 (single); June 16, 2023 (album) Label: Howdy Skies Records In Their Words: “Nothing says spring like newborn lambs jumping up and down. It’s just encouraging, reassuring like the song says.

In May of 2017, Jan [Tim’s wife and bandmate, Jan Fabricius] and I rambled up a country road southwest of Bonane in County Kerry and these lambs were everywhere, testing their legs. The video includes clips from that trip as well as clips from a recent Mountain Stage taping. We’d played at the Fiddle Fair in Baltimore, West County Cork, and that’s a chill little spot, but we wanted even more chill so we booked three or four nights by a lake below a mountain pass there near Bonane.

There was really nothing going on except grass growing and sheep grazing. We asked the older woman who ran a cafe by the B&B if she was local. She said, ‘Oh no.’ I asked her where she was from, and she said, ‘I’m from three miles away. My husband’s from here, but people will never accept me as a local.’ Needless to say, we had some good quiet time.” — Tim O’Brien Photo Credit:Scott Simontacchi