Joe Derrane was a celebrated Irish-American button accordion player known for his virtuosic skill and command over the instrument, contributing significantly to Irish traditional music. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1930, Derrane's parents were Irish immigrants from Galway and Longford, which rooted him deeply in the cultural and musical traditions of Ireland. As a child, he picked up the D/C# button accordion, which was somewhat unique in Irish music at the time, and quickly gained a reputation for his lightning-fast fingers and complex ornamentation.

By the time he was in his teens, Derrane was a local sensation and began recording with the renowned Irish-American fiddle player Jerry O'Brien, producing 78 rpm records that are still highly regarded. His early recordings in the 1940s and 50s stand as seminal works that impacted generations of accordion players. After a period away from the spotlight, he made a dramatic resurgence in the mid-1990s, astonishingly re-emerging at the 1994 Irish Folk Festival in Boston where he showcased that his prowess had not diminished. This comeback was followed by acclaimed recordings including "Grove Lane" (2010), which displays his masterful technique and spirited play; "Return to Inis Mór" (1996), named after the largest of the Aran Islands and reflecting his connection to Irish roots; "Give Us Another" (1996), a nod to the call for encore familiar to any performer; "The Tie That Binds" (1998), which further cemented his legacy; "Irish Accordion" (1999), a celebration of the instrument he so expertly championed; and "The Master's Choice" (2004), indicative of his esteemed status in traditional Irish music. Joe Derrane passed away on July 22, 2016, leaving behind a towering legacy as one of the great masters of the Irish button accordion.