Paul Brady Lights Up BB King's

The Ulsterman Reflects On His Life And Recent U.S. Tour

By Mike Fitzpatrick

Paul Brady is relaxed and talking music. Having recently completed several dates on a short tour of America's east coast, taking in performances in Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire and Connecticut, before culminating in a successful appearance at BB King's Blues Club in midtown Manhattan, the Ulster native has cause to chill out a little, after another punishing, yet seemingly rewarding, such is his calm demeanor and pleasant outlook, time spent on the road.

This whole sitting back and unwinding business though, surely won't last for long, as Brady is a man renowned as being one of the hardest-working guys in the business, and after the touring is complete, there's writing and recording to be done, and before you know it, it'll be time to go out on the road once more.

Particularly well-known for his energetic live performances, he's toured extensively throughout his career, and it's not unheard of for him to invite the occasional special guest on stage during a performance.

In recent times at Dublin's Vicar Street venue, artists as diverse as Sinead O'Connor, Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler, Ronan Keating and Bonnie Raitt joined their old friend and co-writer on stage for a number of songs.

A man born in a more innocent era, Paul Brady grew up in the town of Strabane, County Tyrone, in the 1950s, where he was reared on a diet of old school rock 'n' roll, soul, Motown, country and western and rhythm and blues, all the while being fed generously on healthy portions of Irish traditional music, to satisfy his voracious appetite for all things musical.

He returned to Ireland in 1974, where he was instrumental in forming Planxty, to this day one of the most critically lauded Irish bands of the era, and responsible for launching the careers of Christy Moore, Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine and Brady himself.

After a successful time spent with Planxty, Brady felt it was time to move on once again, and in 1978 produced what has been defined as a pivotal moment in his career, the album; 'Welcome Here, Kind of Stranger', and a successful solo career had begun.

1981's 'Hard Station' witnessed an edgier, harder-sounding Brady, who had clearly distanced himself, albeit temporarily, from his folk roots, to experience life on the other lanes of the musical highway, and subsequent albums, such as; which True For You ( 1983), Back To The Centre (1985), Primitive Dance (1987), Trick Or Treat ( 1991) and Spirits Colliding (1995), at first established his reputation as a respected solo artist, then merely reinforced that impression.

His latest jaunt across the Atlantic is merely one in a long string of visits here, having been something of a working tourist in the US for several decades now. 'I've been touring America for a long time, since back in the '70s when I played with The Johnstons, and then with Andy Irvine. Our first gig was in Town Hall in New York City, although before that I played in Philadelphia in 1971, and at Geraghtys, where Bob Dylan (once played), in the east village. So, lots of varied memories (of playing in the US), and for the most part, it's been very enjoyable', he says, adding that he was very much looking forward to; 'Playing some new venues, especially BB King's, and Cambridge (Massachusetts)', where he visits 'every so often, especially for festivals'.

So how does a man who has worked with Ronan Keating, Tina Turner, Brian Kennedy, Carole King and Curtis Stigers unwind? 'Gardening, skiing, scuba diving, the theater. I love just keeping active', he mused.

With regards to the myriad performers he has worked with over the years, he says; 'I enjoyed working with Carole King quite a bit, and Will Jennings, also Ronan Keating. I've known Bonnie Raitt as a colleague since way back in the late 1980s, we've done quite a lot together, co-writing songs, and we've sung on each other's albums. I always enjoy Bonnie's versions (of Paul Brady songs)'.

Having worked on his own for many years, it was in the mid to late 1990s that he began collaborating with other songwriters, and in May 2000, he released 'Oh What A World', which featured several tunes he wrote and co-wrote with other artists. Included on the album were appearances by King, Jennings, Keating, Conner Reeves and Mark Hudson, and it has since been hailed as one of Brady's greatest recordings.

For all his global journeying however, Brady loves coming home. 'I love playing Ireland I have to say. My audiences here have been with me right from the start. I now have a very wide age group, and each time I put out a new record, or change direction, it brings in a new audience.'

A man who describes himself as having 'always been part of the computer generation', Paul Brady has been using technology in his writing and recording since the mid 1980s, and is keen to experiment further musically in the near future.

'We've a fair few dates coming up in the UK and Ireland in the summer, and have a lot of songs (to record). I may start recording an album later this year. Lately though, I've been forcing myself to relax and sit back, especially when in New Zealand.

'I've been trying to put work behind, but if someone suggests something and it sounds good, I'll do it'. For more information on Paul Brady's upcoming concerts or his back catalogue, log on to www.paulbrady.com.