About
My first guitar was purchased at the age of 15. During the summer holidays I started work for a local building contractor, mainly labouring and doing mostly light work around the builder’s yard. One of the older lads, an apprentice joiner managed to talk me into buying a small guitar which he said would make me look well especially in the eyes of the girls. That was it, I was hooked for life.
Having learned a few chords, enough to accompany myself I was ready for the road, at least to get me into a three -piece group who were good enough to be getting some work playing pubs.
This progressed to other musicians who were well established in the local scene. By the time I was going to Teacher’s training college in Belfast, during the ‘troubles,’ I was playing guitar with a seven- piece band who were performing in dancehalls and marquees all over Ireland, England and finally a two month residency in Vancouver.
Upon leaving the training college with my degree I began to teach P. 6 and P.7 pupils in a fairly large primary school in Ballymoney, halcyon days indeed. It was during that time, in the late seventies that I headed off to star in an extremely popular talent show at that time, namely, Opportunity Knocks. The show was hosted by a gentleman called Hughie Green, who ran the production like a military operation but his diligence as an impresario elevated the show to compelling viewing, attracting over 11million viewers every Monday night. Coming second place in the show didn’t do my career any harm as I immediately departed for London with a year of great bookings to look forward to.
Upon my return a year later, it was back to the classroom and the beginning of a busy career as a solo musician. A record deal was to follow and some local TV work, one of which was the Gloria Hunniford show.
The music was now gathering momentum. I had now somehow acquired the title of singer/songwriter, American country was becoming very popular, Downtown Radio was playing a major role, I was with a well-respected record label, Hawk Records and there was even talk of me going to Nashville. All was coming along nicely. As it turned out, not only was I getting the opportunity to record an album, but the owner of Hawk records had secured an appearance for me on the Grand Ole Opry on the Saturday night. I can still remember how nervous I was but I managed to conceal the nerves and I will never forget the experience. Show business in America is a peculiar phenomenon, you can be the talk of the town for a weekend but upon return to the rain and wind of Ireland it was back to basics and my lovely teaching which I still regard as a privilege.
However, the story didn’t end there, I was the principal of a vibrant primary school in the north Antrim village of Cloughmills, music every weekend, in fact business was buzzing and I was enjoying every day as it came. By this time, I was getting into the music of Springsteen, Dylan, REM and quite a smattering of folksy Irish. The acoustic era had arrived.
My acoustic, singer/songwriter guise continued for quite a few years, more albums, videos followed, backed up with frequent tours of Scotland as a solo artist. Music slowly began to take a back seat as the music scene was being taken over by karaoke, backing tracks. I finally left teaching, went back to the studies and began a new career in law.
Music still remained in my blood and I kept performing, now in recent years in Donegal and further afield. The advent of Music TV (Spotlight TV) on Sky TV has given the business a tremendous boost and I appear regularly on shows like Hot Country TV, Shamrock City TV and The Irish Music Hour.
Still, as they say in American elections, “Hey, it’s not over till it’s over,” and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world!
Thankyou.
