 |
Johnny McEvoy | |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 April 1945 Banagher, County Offaly, Ireland |
| Genres | Irish folk, country and Irish |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1965-present |
Johnny McEvoy (born 24 April 1945) is an Irish singer and entertainer of the country and Irish genre born in Banagher, County Offaly. [1]
McEvoy was born in 1945, one of four children with two sisters and a brother to John and Emily McEvoy. His father was a bus driver and his mother was a housewife. McEvoy's father was not initially supportive of his musical career: "It wasn't a bad relationship. We just seemed to have no relationship... until, I became famous." His mother, by contrast, was supportive, and suggested that he record Mursheen Durkin. [1]
McEvoy met his wife Odette in 1967 and they married in 1970. The song "The Planter's Daughter" was written about her and references her supposed ancestry from Strongbow. They have two children: Jonathan and Alice.
McEvoy has admitted to finding fame "scary" and believes that it triggered his manic depression, an issue he first spoke about on Gay Byrne's talk show in the early 1990s. He gave up drinking in 1979: "Giving up was the easiest thing I ever did and it might have saved my life." [2]
During his wife's illness, he cancelled all tour, recording and travel plans. To stay occupied, he wrote a songbook [3] recounting the songs he has sung over the years, both his own compositions and covers. His wife helped by typing out song lyrics. Odette died of ovarian cancer on 12 November 2013. [1] [3]
McEvoy was initially part of a duo called "Ramblers Two", the other member being fellow art student Michael Crotty. Their fame was enhanced when they supported the Rolling Stones when they came to Ireland in 1965 in the Adelphi cinema. [2] After a stint touring Ireland and England in the mid-1960s, the two went their separate ways. Johnny McEvoy's first big break came in late 1966 when he recorded "Mursheen Durkin," an old ballad from the west of Ireland. [1] It topped the charts at number one for three consecutive weeks. It was followed by "The Boston Burglar" which also reached number one in the charts. His first tour to the U.S. was in 1967, highlighted by a concert at New York City's Carnegie Hall. It was at this stage he had his third number one Hit with the song "Nora" (a version of When You and I Were Young, Maggie )," from Seán O'Casey's famous play The Plough and the Stars. [4]
He later formed a band in the 1970s. He wrote his first song "Long Before Your Time." It too reached number one, becoming his fourth and to date last number one in the Irish charts. [4] He went on to write many more songs, many of which have become standards that have been recorded by other artists including "Long Before Your Time," "Michael," "Going To California," "The Ballad of John Williams," "Richman's Garden," "Never Learned To Dance," and "The Ballad of Anne Frank."
In 2010 a documentary on the life and times of Johnny McEvoy, For the Poor and for the Gentry, was televised. For the production of the documentary McEvoy re-recorded his first number one hit, most popular and biggest selling song, "Mursheen Durkin," a collaboration recording with Sharon Shannon and her Big Band. [5] The renewal of the classic was also included on a double album and DVD "For the poor and for the Gentry - The Definitive Johnny McEvoy," which was released later that year.
Aside from an illustrious recording career, Johnny McEvoy is perhaps best known for his live performances and tours in Ireland and on the international circuit. His renown is worldwide and he has spent many years travelling and performing. In concert, he sings and plays acoustic guitar. In the 1970s, he toured with a large band, which included two other guitarists, bass, keyboard and fiddle. [6] In later years, he was often accompanied by only one other guitarist, such as Philip O'Duffy. [7] He typically plays a combination of his own compositions and traditional songs such as Carrickfergus, The Boston Burglar and The Leaving of Liverpool. [8]
 |
| Title | Year | Peak Irish chart position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mursheen Durkin | 1966 | 1 | As "The Rambler" |
| Love Minus Zero | 1966 | As "The Rambler" | |
| The Boston Burglar/ I Still Miss Someone | 1967 | 1 | |
| Funny Man/ Was It You | 1967 | 10 | |
| Black Velvet Band | 1967 | ||
| Come to the Bower | 1967 | ||
| About This Time (E.P.) | 1967 | ||
| Nora/ Tarry Flynn | 1968 | 1 | |
| Hedgehog Song/ Time And Tide Again | 1968 | ||
| Mary of the Curling Hair | 1969 | ||
| But That's Alright | 1970 | ||
| The West's Asleep | 1970 | ||
| Three Score and Ten/ You Win Again | 1971 | 6 | |
| Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore | 1971 | ||
| Gentle Annie | 1972 | 8 | |
| Just The Way I Am | 1972 | As "Gloria and the Johnny McEvoy Band" | |
| Spancil Hill | 1972 | ||
| All I Have to Offer You is Me | 1972 | 13 | |
| Tomorrow is Forever | 1973 | 14 | As "Gloria and the Johnny McEvoy Band" Released as "Super single" with double A and B sides. [12] |
| When I Sing For Him | 1973 | As "Gloria and the Johnny McEvoy Band" | |
| Christmas with Johnny McEvoy (E.P.) | 1974 | ||
| Bedtime Story | 1974 | ||
| Rose of Moray | 1974 | 6 | |
| Super Single E.P. | 1974 | ||
| Where My Eileen Is Waiting | 1975 | 2 | |
| Rose of Allendale | 1975 | 6 | |
| Long Before Your Time | 1976 | 1 | |
| The Old Man and the Donkey | 1976 | ||
| Nora | 1977 | Re-recording | |
| Bound for Botany Bay/ All in All | 1978 | 16 | |
| Just One More Night | 1978 | ||
| Anne Devlin | 1979 | ||
| The Old Rocking Chair/ Lovel Lady | 1980 | ||
| The Ballad of John Williams | 1981 | ||
| A Rich Man's Garden | 1984 | 14 | |
| If Wishes were Fishes | 1984 | ||
| Since Maggie Went Away/ The Losing Game | 1985 | ||
| Your Seldom Come to See Me Anymore | 1987 | ||
| Staten Island/ Big Mansion House on the Hill | 1988 | ||
| Michael/ Pat Murphy's Meadow | 1989 | 17 | |
| Runaround Angel | 1990 | 21 | |
| As Soon As I Can | 1991 | ||
| Long Way from the Sun/ Wheels go Round | 1991 | ||
| Roseville Fair | 1992 |
Natalie Jane Imbruglia is an Australian-British singer-songwriter and actress. In the early 1990s, she played Beth Brennan in Neighbours. Having left the soap opera, she moved to the UK and began a singing career. Her debut single, a cover of Ednaswap's song "Torn" (1997), quickly became a worldwide hit, topped the US Billboard Radio Songs Chart for eleven weeks in 1998, and was listed on 50 Best Songs of 1990s by Rolling Stone. Her debut album, Left of the Middle (1997) was a commercial success, certified multi-platinum in the US, the UK and Australia and eventually sold seven million copies worldwide. Subsequent albums, including White Lilies Island (2001) and Counting Down the Days (2005) did not match commercial success of her debut, but both albums still gained Gold certification in the UK. As of 2021, Imbruglia has released six studio albums and has sold more than ten million copies worldwide. Imbruglia has received various accolades, including eight ARIA Awards, two Brit Awards, one Billboard Music Award, one Silver Clef Award and three Grammy nominations.
Shane Steven Filan is an Irish singer. He is one of the two lead singers of the pop vocal group Westlife, which was formed in 1998, disbanded in 2012, and regrouped in 2018. Westlife has released thirteen albums, embarked on twelve world tours, and won several awards, becoming one of the most successful musical groups of all time.
The Frames are an Irish rock band based in Dublin. Founded in 1990 by Glen Hansard, the band has been influential in the Dublin rock music scene. The group has released six studio albums. In addition to Hansard, the band's current line-up includes original member Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Dave Hingerty, Joe Doyle, and Rob Bochnik.
Welcome to My Nightmare is the debut solo studio album by American rock musician Alice Cooper, released on February 28, 1975. It is his only album for the Atlantic Records label in North America; in the rest of the world, it was released on the ABC subsidiary Anchor Records. Welcome to My Nightmare is a concept album. Played in sequence, the songs form a journey through the nightmares of a child named Steven. The album inspired the Alice Cooper: The Nightmare TV special, a worldwide concert tour in 1975, and his Welcome to My Nightmare concert film in 1976. The ensuing tour was one of the most over-the-top excursions of that era. Most of Lou Reed's band joined Cooper for this record.
Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo founded by singers Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry, both Kentucky natives. They began performing together in the 1990s as part of two different bands with Montgomery's brother, John Michael Montgomery. Although Gentry won a talent contest in 1994, he reunited with Eddie Montgomery after Gentry was unable to find a solo record deal, and Montgomery Gentry was formed in 1999. The duo is known for its Southern rock influences, and has collaborated with Charlie Daniels, Toby Keith, Five for Fighting, and members of The Allman Brothers Band.
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" is a ballad written by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell. Originally recorded by Kelly Gordon in 1969, the song became a worldwide hit for the Hollies later that year and also a hit for Neil Diamond in 1970. It has been recorded by many artists in subsequent years. The Hollies' version was re-released in 1988 and again was a major hit in the UK.
"She's Out of My Life" is a song written by American songwriter Tom Bahler and performed by American singer Michael Jackson. The song was released as the fourth single from Jackson's 1979 album Off the Wall released in April 1980. In 2004, the song appeared in The Ultimate Collection. It peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the first time any solo artist had ever achieved four Top 10 hits from one album. In America, it earned a million-selling Platinum certification.
"Patience" is a song by American rock band Guns N' Roses from their second studio album, G N' R Lies (1988), released as a single in April 1989. The song peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song is a ballad, played using three acoustic guitars and was recorded in a single session by producer Mike Clink. A music video of the song was shot and appears on the band's music video DVD, Welcome to the Videos.
"Hurt" is a song by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails from its second studio album, The Downward Spiral (1994), written by Trent Reznor. It was released on April 17, 1995, as a promotional single from the album. The song received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Song in 1996. In 2020, Kerrang and Billboard ranked the song number two and number three, respectively, on their lists of the greatest Nine Inch Nails songs.
"Breaking the Girl" is a song by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers from their fifth studio album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991). It was released as the fourth single from their studio album in August 1992 and is a melodic ballad that refers to a turbulent relationship between frontman Anthony Kiedis and his former girlfriend, Carmen Hawk.
"Little Jeannie" is a song written by English musician Elton John and Gary Osborne recorded by John, and released as a single in 1980 from John's studio album 21 at 33. It reached number three on the Billboard pop chart in the United States, becoming the singer's biggest U.S. hit since 1976's "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", and his highest-charting solo hit since 1975's "Island Girl". In the US, it would be John's highest-charting single co-written with Gary Osborne, while in the UK, where the song only reached number 33, "Blue Eyes" would eventually hold that honour.
"I Found Someone" is the name of a chart single originally written and composed for Laura Branigan by Michael Bolton and Touch keyboardist Mark Mangold. The song was a bigger hit for Cher in 1987, reaching the top 10.
"She Believes in Me" is a song recorded by American country music singer Kenny Rogers. It was released in April 1979 as the second single from his 1978 album The Gambler. The song was written by American singer-songwriter Steve Gibb who first released his version as a 7" single in 1978. A version by T. G. Sheppard appears on his 1978 album Daylight, released a month before Rogers' album.
Kevin Patrick Cronin Jr. is an American musician who is the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band REO Speedwagon. The band had several hits on the Billboard Hot 100 throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including two chart-toppers written by Cronin: "Keep On Loving You" (1980) and "Can't Fight This Feeling" (1984).
Eleanor McEvoy is an Irish singer-songwriter. She composed the song "Only a Woman's Heart", title track of A Woman's Heart, the best-selling Irish album in Irish history.
The Irish folk song "Muirsheen Durkin" tells the story of an emigrant from Ireland who goes to mine for gold in California during the California Gold Rush, 1849. The song is about emigration, although atypically optimistic for the genre. The name "Muirsheen" is a good phonetic approximation to the pronunciation of "Máirtín" (Martin) in Connacht Irish; it could alternatively be construed as a diminutive of "Muiris" (Maurice). A pratie is a potato, the historical staple crop of Ireland. "America" is pronounced "Americay", as was common among Gaelic peoples around Ireland.
Gloria Smyth, better known as Gloria, is an Irish singer from Navan, County Meath.
"When I Was Your Man" is a song by American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars from his second studio album, Unorthodox Jukebox (2012). Atlantic Records released the song as the third promotional single and as the second official single, taken from the album, to mainstream radio in the United States on January 15, 2013. "When I Was Your Man" was written by Mars, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine and Andrew Wyatt. The former three produced the track under the name the Smeezingtons. The track was inspired by the time Mars was worried about losing his girlfriend, Jessica Caban.
The Boston Burglar was a number one hit in the Irish Charts for Johnny McEvoy in 1967. It is a transportation ballad commonly assumed to have been adapted in America from the sea shanty The Whitby Lad / Botany Bay. before the 20th century. The filk song Banned from Argo's tune was based on this song.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
