Hello again to all Paul Brady correspondents!
News Update Dec 16 2009
Hello to all Paul Brady correspondents and a very happy Christmas, end of year 2009 holiday, call it what you like…go on!…..just enjoy it!
Firstly apologies for the gap in communication from the website news page. But with the new Facebook Music page up and running we’ve decided to upgrade and re-design the website so most of the recent activity has been confined to Facebook and Twitter for the past while. Please feel free to register with the Facebook music page. It’s a great forum for finding out and sharing information. We passed the 800 fans mark a few days ago which is quite exciting since we’re only up and running since late Sept last.
When the new website goes live which should be in a few weeks, it will be much more user friendly and interactive than the old one which has been around since 1996 now! It will also link in with all the main social network sites and allow fans to access merchandise on our site or through their own preferred online retail outlet.
Some of you must be scratching your heads wondering when if ever I’m bringing out this mythical ‘new album’. I know I’ve been talking and teasing about it off and on for most of last year and I originally had hoped to release it this year. But to cut a long story short, the CD is coming out everywhere except North America on March 15th 2010. We are still working on a precise release schedule in North America and will inform you as soon as we know. Of course it will be immediately available mail order to anywhere in the world from my website , all global digital download platforms such as iTunes and on CD from Amazon and all similar mail order houses.
The album is called ‘Hooba Dooba’ (see cover shot below), features 12 songs, ten new ones, one previously existing song of mine which I never before recorded and a Lennon/ McCartney song. A collaboration between my label, PeeBee Music and UK’s Proper Records , we will be introducing it to fans, media and radio in the the early part of next year. Be prepared for some surprises!
It’s an exciting time for me and to launch the record I’m touring Ireland and UK with band in April 2010, dates on the website tour dates page. The irish tour includes two nights at Dublin’s brand new Grand Canal Theatre. There are one or two dates yet to be added which we’ll flag in the next week or so.

Opening my show will be my favourite female singer of the moment, Sarah Siskind originally from North Carolina now living in Nashville, Sarah and I have worked together once before in a concert collaboration in NYC in Feb 2008. She also sang on some of the songs on the new ‘Hooba Dooba’ record. In addition to opening my show, Sarah will join me and the band on vocals. I love her voice. So will you.
Finally, don’t forget the recent release on re-mastered CD of my 1978 record ‘Welcome Here Kind Stranger’, available mail order and to download from the PeeBee Store
Have a great 2010!
Paul Brady
News Update Sept 23 2009
Hi all PB correspondents. This to let you know that I have a new music page up on Facebook
Feel free to come on board.
This will enable me to post regular daily bits of info/ links/ videos/ music and general PB thoughts and info instead of
the newsletters that only arrived every so often..well increasingly infrequently, I admit!
Also we are revamping the PB website design to bring it technically up to date over the next few weeks. More when it’s complete.
We’re releasing Welcome Here Kind Stranger for the first time …legally, that is…on CD in November.
There was a bootleg doing the rounds for years, purporting to be on the Mulligan label
pressed up from a vinyl record with the needle noise, pops and crackles plainly audible. Yecchh!
This is the first official release on CD on my own label PeeBee Music of this classic record from 1978, remastered and repackaged.
More on Facebook closer to the release date.
Finally, my new record is now coming out in Feb next. Honest! It’s fab too! You’ll see.
You’ll more than likely be able to download it before that..maybe even before Christmas. Again, more on the PB Facebook page as things develop.
Thanks for all your emails and posts on the guestbook. Great to get such great feedback.
Follow On!
PB
News Update August 13th 2009
There are videoes and photos of Paul at this years’s Cambridge Folk Festival at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/cambridgefolkfestival/2009/videos/ and http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/cambridgefolkfestival/2009/photos/.
For full coverage of the festival, go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/cambridgefolkfestival/
News Update June 25rd 2009
Hello again to all Paul Brady correspondents. Yes, it’s been a while.. mostly due to me being down the mine finishing the new record and, in between, on the road with my ‘Travelling Light’ tour of Ireland.
Recording and mixing is basically finished and I’m now thinking about the artwork and text, not to mention how and when I’m gonna release it. It’s been an exciting trip this time. Making the record in my own place and not having an external deadline has given me the luxury of time to be objective and get it right. In the past I’ve found that mixing a record just after the recording is not the ideal way to do it. I would be lost in the details and couldn’t really hear the overall effect as someone coming to it fresh would. With the benefit of decent periods away from it I can really hear the record and tweak it till it’s right…and then tweak some more…..and tweak a wee bit more….well, I’m really finished now…honest…I think.
Latest working title for the record is ‘Rainbow’. Title of one of the songs, yes, but also a fair representation of the wide variety of music on this record, probably the broadest scope of any I’ve ever made. We will let you know when the record is available for download or on cd and I promise to put some of it up on site to preview soon.
The ‘Travelling Light’ solo tour has been going great. Highlights to date have been, Wexford Opera House, both nights at Navan, both nights in Letterkenny, Castleblaney where I never played before, Cork city and Omagh, where many of my relatives came along.
Still to come (for details see tour dates page) are Mullingar on June 26, Waterford, 27 and Kilkenny 28 plus a one-off Italian gig in Sarnico near Milan on July 3rd.
Don’t forget The Kinsale Arts Festival gig on July 11th where I’m joined by Bill Shanley on guitar and Steve Fletcher on Keyboards. This gig is open air in a fantastic old 18th century fort overlooking Kinsale harbour and promises to be one of the highlights of the tour.
Later on in the summer are the Cambridge Folk Festival (UK) on Aug 2nd, historic town Fethard in Tipperary on Aug 22, Roscommon Castle Aug 23 and finally the National Concert Hall in Dublin on Aug 30. Again, all details on the website tour dates page.
One other nice surprise for me since I last wrote was to hear that the University of Ulster are awarding me an honorary doctorate (DLL) ‘for contributions to traditional music and contemporary songwriting’. This to be presented at a ceremony in Derry on July 6th. Rest assured that some dodgy pics of me in cap and gown will appear on the gallery page soon after! I am very pleased to receive this honour and look forward to the day. And no, I don’t insist on being addressed as Dr Brady from now on.
Enjoy the summer, PB
News Update February 14th 2009
PAUL BRADY
Travelin’ Light Tour
Solo in Ireland 2009
Hi again to all Paul Brady correspondents and a happy Valentines day to all. The year is taking shape now and first off is a series of Irish dates starting next month and running through summer called the ‘Travelin’Light’ tour. These will be, with a few exceptions stated, solo shows where I will be perfoming on guitar and piano for around 90 mins with in most cases an opening act as well. Expect to hear a bunch of new songs from my upcoming record plus most of your favourites from the past.
It’s been some years since I’ve toured the real Ireland outside the main cities. In the past decade many new theatres have sprung up all over the country and I’m looking forward to playing some of them for the first time.
The dates can be found on the tour dates page

For ticket details see tour dates page

As for the new album, it’s coming along well. I’m about to start mixing any day now. I’m very happy with the recording, with thirteen songs completed to date. Seven of these are PB compositions, four are PB co-writes, one is a traditional song featuring Andy Irvine and one is a Lennon/ McCartney song, just to confuse people. It looks like a late summer release now, unfortunately, as there is just too much to get organised to get it out sooner. Latest working title is ‘The Winners’ Ball’. There will be some snippets up on site when we get it mixed.

That’s it for now!

Paul Brady

News Update December 2008
Hello again to all Paul Brady correspondents and a Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday Season to all. My Vicar St shows have now come and gone (see gallery page for pics) and I so much enjoyed all of them. Playing with Jenny Maidman, Liam Genockey, Steve Fletcher and Bill Shanley again has been exciting. Highlights were introducing some of the new songs for the first time especially ‘Over the Border’ which many of you who were there have singled out as a favourite…and ‘Living The Mystery’ where I was joined on stage by my son Colm on harmonica. It was Colm Brady’s first time on a stage with anyone, let alone with his dad, and he seems to have had fun.
Thanks to all of you who came to the shows, especially from as far afield as UK, Germany and USA.
No rest for the wicked, however, and it was straight back down the mine for me to finish the new record where I’ve been ever since. Have to say it’s shaping up well and I’m hoping to have the recording mostly finished by the end of the year with mixing in January and, hopefully, an April/May release. Working title at the moment is ‘Wild Card’ but that may change. So far it’s looking like a 13 song record that seems to be drawing on all aspects of my musical history with a few new departures thrown in just to confuse. So watch out for some surprises!
Contributions to date on the record come from Jenny Maidman, Liam Genockey and Bill Shanley. Also Rod McVey on Hammond organ. Sarah Siskind, who fans will remember shared a concert with me in New York city last Feb, was in Dublin in early Dec touring with US band Bon Iver. I was fortunate to capture her for a few days to sing on the record. She sounds great. Andy Irvine is due to contribute some of his unmistakeable harmonica and mandolin in early January.
I will be planning some shows in Spring summer next year when the record comes out but in the meantime there are a couple of one-off gigs I should mention. In March next, Belfast’s legendary Ulster hall is re-opening after a major facelift and I am one of the first artists to play the new venue on March 29th, tickets on sale on Monday Dec 8th. Also a trip to Italy for a concert in Milan on January 29th 2009 is now confirmed (see tour dates for details). A UK tour is also at the planning stage
News item for the avid PB history fan. It seems that Bob Dylan has yet again covered a PB rendition of a traditional song, the third he has done. This time it’s ‘Mary And The Soldier’ on his current ‘Tell Tale Signs’ cd, first heard on my record with Andy Irvine in 1976. ‘Arthur McBride’ (on his Good As I Been To You’ CD in 1993) and ‘The Lakes of Pontchartrain’ (on several live bootleg Dylan records) being the others. Nice one Bob! A man of consummate good taste!
I’d like to say sorry to all you US enthusiasts who have been urging me to come your way again. I know it’s been a while and I would like to come back soon. At the moment it depends on what I’m going to do with the next record, which will reveal itself in time. In the meantime, congrats on your new president
!

Finally, and with great regret, I said goodbye to my father Sean who passed away on Nov 27th aged 94. He was a hugely talented man, an actor, teacher, singer and artist who was a huge influence on me throughout my life and taught me most of what I know about stagecraft and bringing pleasure to people through art and artistry. He was much loved and is sorely missed.
So.. That’s it for now. I’m hoping to have some snippets of the new record up on site before too long and I’ll let you know when that’s happened.
In the meantime, stay well in these uncertain times and enjoy your music!
Paul Brady
News Update October 2008
First news is that there’s an extra show added to the November Vicar Street gigs on Sat 8th with shows now on 5th, 6th & 8th. I can’t wait to get back on the Vicar Street stage for the first time since my series of shows there in 2001. With me this time will be Liam Genockey on drums, Jenny Maidman on bass, Steve Fletcher on keyboards and Bill Shanley on electric and acoustic guitars. Expect lots of new songs too as right now I’m in studio recording for my next record hopefully due out next spring.
It’s been a joy to be back recording. This time I’m approaching the music kind of like I did on Spirits Colliding, beginning the acoustic guitar based songs with just myself and Liam Genockey. That way it’s more like a solo thing with percussion rather than me trying to fit myself into a band. Later on when the songs have found their natural shape, I’ll add bass and other stuff, perhaps even strings on a couple of songs. There are at least two piano based songs which bring me into musical territories I’ve not ventured into before. So! Expect some surprises. The longer I’m doing this, the more I seem to ‘allow’ myself to explore and the less I care whether what comes out ‘fits’ or not. It’s nice to be able to surprise myself after all this time.
I’ve had a lot of fun over the summer and while I haven’t done many gigs, I’ve enjoyed them all……..with the standout ones the Cropredy festival in UK and The Phil Murphy memorial weekend in Carrick-on Bannow, County Wexford. It’s been great playing with my old band again after a few years. We seem to have an understanding of how to play together that makes gigs really stress free and fun.
Nice too to see the Transatlantic Sessions 3 TV series shown again on RTE Irish television at the moment. Recorded last year in Scotland it features many of the best singers and musicians in the Irish Scottish and American acoustic music world playing together in different combinations. Songs I sing are Rainbow (also to feature on my upcoming record in a new recording) The lakes Of Pontchartrain and Don’t Try To Please Me. Featured singing on my songs are Eddie reader, Karen Matheson and Cara Dillon and I sing a duet with Darrell Scott . Check it out if you get a chance on dvd at amazon or www.musicscotland.com .
That’s it for now! It’s back to the studio for me.
Paul Brady
News Update June 2008
A few short updates as things change fast in this business.
Firstly and regrettably, due to circumstances beyond our control, the Baltimore June gigs have been cancelled. Apologies to anyone building a trip round these dates. It is unlikely they will be re-scheduled.
But the good news is, Paul is returning to Dublin’s Vicar Street for two nights November 5 & 6 later this year. These, his first dates since his marathon 23 night season of some years ago are sure to be hot tickets so don’t delay!
Also, three more Irish summer gigs have just been added at :-
Galway City’s Leisureland on July 19th,
Rince Ceol, Tullamore, County Offaly on August 21st and
The Flat Lake Festival in Clones, County Monaghan on Aug 23 & 24.
Not forgetting existing dates,
The 17th Phil Murphy Festival in Carrig-on- Bannow, County Wexford on July 26th plus
The Junction Festival, Clonmel, Tipperary on July 6th and
The Copredy Festival in UK on August 8th
Galway & Tullamore venue and ticket details will be on the tour dates page later this week.
In between gigs Paul has started recording some new songs. More as it happens
News Update April 2008
Hello again to all Paul Brady correspondents. Right now I’m taking a break for a few hours from finishing the lyrics on some new songs so I thought I’d give you an update on what’s been going on with me.
Since my last newsletter, I’ve been to New York in February to collaborate in concert with Sarah Siskind and it went really well (for more info on Sarah and the context of our getting together, check the Feb 08 news update below ). Sarah and I spent a week in Manhattan rehearsing for a show together on Feb 23rd at the Irish Arts Center. We worked up a set of 18 songs (below) and we each alternated between piano and guitar throughout the evening. For some pics check out the Gallery.
BEYOND THE REACH OF LOVE
LUCK OF THE DRAW
NOBODY KNOWS
THE ISLAND
BLUE WORLD
RAINBOW
FOLLOW ON
CRAZY DREAMS
THE WORLD IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT
& Sarah’s songs
KNOWING ONLY WHAT I KNOW
LONE TREE
LOVING ME LIKE THIS
FALLING STARS
SAY IT LOUDER
FOOL FROM THE START
YOU
HOLD IT TO THE SUN
I DO
The Donaghy Theatre at the Irish Arts Center is a really intimate space on Manhattan’s midtown west side and the full house and uniqueness of the occasion contributed to a warm and exciting atmosphere. Sarah and I had never performed together before which meant that even though we rehearsed all week we both were performing pretty much on our instincts, which thankfully didn’t let us down! We filmed the event and right now I’m trying to organise putting some of that up on site. It was a real pleasure to work with Sarah, who, you will be aware, is one of my fave singer-songwriters of the younger generation. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all those IAC workers and volunteers who made the week so special for us, especially Aidan Connolly and Jenny Deady who looked after us so well all week. Thanks also to my colleague of old (The Johnstons ) Mick Moloney who was the instigator and facilitator of the event.
Since February, apart from a visit to Switzerland at Easter at the invitation of my good friend and schoolmate of old, His Royal Badness James Sharkey (Irish ambassador to Switzerland, Algeria and Lichtenstein) to attend the commemoration of the historic March 1608 crossing of the Alps by the Irish chieftains O’Neill and O’Donnell ( www.flightoftheearls.ch and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_of_the_Earls ) , I’ve been at home writing and ever inching towards the recording studio to begin a record. I now have around fifteen songs I’m kinda pleased with so…we’ll see!
Some new gigs are in. On Sunday April 28th I’ll be sharing the stage for a song or two with many talented Dublin and Wicklow based artists on a benefit concert for Larry Roddy who’s been a stalwart on the acoustic music scene for many years as concert promoter
On July 6th I’m doing a concert at the Junction Festival in Clonmel, County Tipperary and on August 1 & 2 I’ll be performing for two nights in West Cork in the beautiful town of Baltimore . West Cork is a wonderful part of Ireland with an eclectic population mix of many cultures and backgrounds. Events there are always interesting and out of the ordinary. I have long enjoyed the areas around Clonakilty and Baltimore in particular and hugely look forward to this return visit.
Don’t forget also gigs on may 26th at London’s Royal Festival Hall and the Copredy UK Festival on August 8th .
That’s it for the present. Hope you’re all enjoying the Northern hemisphere Spring as I am and not dreading winter too much down under!
News Update February 16 2008
Hi all Paul Brady correspondents. Hope you all had a warm and cuddly Valetines Day. My place is still coming down under red roses! (I bought them all for myself! Hey! You can’t love yourself, you can’t love etc….)
Just want to give an update on my activities as they develop this year. But firstly I’d like to thank all those who came to see my reunion gig with Andy Irvine at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow last month See the review in the Irish Times and the Glasgow Herald and gallery pics…also those who made it to the Cherrytree in Dublin’s Walkinstown for the two warm up gigs (rehearsals!). We filmed the second night in Dublin which, we feel, was not the best one of those two but, Sod’s Law… ‘You pays you money and you takes your chances’. The audience seemd to like the show!
It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get ‘match fit’ again with Andy after all those years. I had forgotten how complex was the music we did back then. Not to mention how contrary some of those instruments are. Hell must have a hurdy-gurdy room where all folksingers go to repent. Not to mention trying to keep six double string instruments…..bouzoukis, mandolins and mandolas in tune with each other. But it worked out good in the end and it was worth all the hard work.
Andy has gone back to Australia where he hibernates for the northern winter and we have no current plans to repeat the exercise. But several interesting offers are coming in so watch this space.
My immediate plans are ……Saturday Feb 23rd I’m in New York City at the Irish Arts Center Theatre , (553 W 51st St Bet 10th & 11th Aves, PH: 212.757.3318 FAX: 212.247.0930) for the first in a series of collaborative events in association with the Irish Arts Center, and Culture Ireland. The idea is that an established Irish artist (musician, painter, writer, poet etc) teams up with an emerging American artist who is to an extent inspired and influenced by the aforementioned in a collaboration designed to show the closeness and common artistic bonds between our two countries. I was asked to be the first Irish participant and have chosen to get together with a uniquely talented young artist from Nashville, Sarah Siskind, whose music and songs I have enjoyed for some years now and who has a special affection for music from Ireland. Sarah is a beautiful singer, song-writer and instrumentalist with… and this is what always interests me… a totally individual sound. We have never actually worked together before so this will be for me an exciting event.
Also on the Wed night Feb 20th at the same theatre there will be a public ‘interview’ onstage with Sarah and myself presented by Mick Moloney to give some context and background to what we’re trying to do on the concert later that week. Regrets that this is so short notice. I wanted to announce it earlier but the Irish Arts Center understandably wanted to launch it in their own way. Regrettably too the venue is very small so tickets will be moving fast. Again, regrettably, I don’t have any more plans to play in North America at the moment.
Coming up in UK is a concert with my band in London’s Royal festival Hall on May 26th and the Copredy festival on August 8th.
We are considering several gig offers over the summer in Ireland which will be revealed as soon as confirmed.
In April, I go into studio again in Dublin to record some new songs with as yet no definite release date. Let’s see how things go! I’m excited to be getting back to recording again!
That’s it for the moment! Thanks for the continuing supprt and enthusiasm. Keep those emails and guestbook messages coming!
Paul Brady