by MacKenzie WilsonThe Irish duo Foster & Allen have been perfecting their Celtic stylings since the mid-'70s, earning top honors overseas and among the worldbeat charts. Tony Allen, born and raised in Mount Temple, Ireland, had been playing professional guitar since 1968, and Mick Foster, a native of County Kildare, had been playing the piano accordion since his teens. As a group, the two made their U.S. debut in 1996 with the single "After All These Years." Countless album releases previously issued in Europe garnered the group praise, selling over 18 million copies worldwide.