Button accordionist Rose “Redie” Johnston was the first female Irish traditional musician to appear on a commercial recording. She was a daughter of uilleann piper Myles McLaughlin, an 1880s immigrant from the townland of Granny near Frenchpark, County Roscommon, and grew up near Columbus Circle, a Manhattan neighborhood that in the early 20th century was home to some of New York’s leading traditional musicians and dancers. In January 1923, Redie joined piper Tom Ennis in a group that recorded four sides for the Gennett label. Later that year, she returned to the studio as the featured soloist. She performed with Michael Coleman, James Morrison, Patsy Touhey and other musical greats and was celebrated in the John Ennis poem “The Craft”: “But fair Reedy Johnson, who was next on the call, in tempo and style is the peer of them all ; Her reels, jigs and hornpipes caused a furore, and before she got through we were all on the floor.” After the 78rpm era, Redie faded into obscurity and passed away while living in Broad Channel, Queens.