His masterful story telling has, over the course of nine recordings, been part of the bedrock of his success, earning Keelaghan nominations and awards - including a Juno Award - and acclaim from Australia to Scandinavia.
Possessed of an insatiable appetite for finding the next unique story line, Keelaghan forges his pieces with brilliant craftsmanship and monogrammed artistic vision, making him one of the most distinctive and readily identifiable voices on both the Canadian and international singer-songwriter scenes.
His journey has attracted fans of literate and layered songwriting to join him on his artistic expeditions, some of which weave their way through marvelously etched historical stories with underlying universal themes, others of which mine the depths of the soul and the emotional trails of human relations.
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| Compadres - Oscar and James |
"I’ve always had the urge to write," says Keelaghan. "Some things weren’t being said in the way I wanted to say them, some thing were not being written about at all. That's why i started to write the historical material. That led me to writing my own personal narratives as well.”
I've know James for a long time and watched him go from sideman, to strumming tunes to tiny crowds at the Kensignton Delicafe in Calgary to filling concert halls and playing to thousands at the biggest music festivals in the world. I also had the pleasure of booking him to play solo at Windsor Folk in Windsor, Ontario and as a duo with his partner in musical crime Oscar Lopez - as Compadres.
I am pleased to report that when I called on James to take some time away from his busy schedule to Press Play> he said "sure."
WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
Rose Cousins - The Send Off -- Rose is a brilliant writer and a fine performer
Listen to Rose Cousins - CBC Radio 2 Concert
WHAT IS THE RECORD (OR MAYBE TWO OR THREE OR FOUR) THAT INFLUENCED YOUR MUSIC THE MOST?
Liam Clancy - Liam Clancy -- The art of the ballad. Nobody did it better.
Oliver Schroer - O2 -- A solo violin record. Who would have thought? It's like the Clancy album, an unadulterated pure solo performance,
John Denver - Poems Prayers and Promises
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COVER TUNE (SONG AND BY WHOM) ?
WHAT IS THE RECORD THAT YOU COUNT AS A GUILTY PLEASURE? Lagaan - Original Soundtrack. -- A Bollywood film about a historic cricket match, what could be better?
CURRENTLY, WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE RECORD TO LISTEN TO ON THE ROAD?
Finest Kind - For Honour And For Gain
Ian Robb is one of the best singers, of any genre, ever!
WHICH OF YOUR RECORDS IS YOUR FAVOURITE?
House of Cards
WHAT IS THE RECORD YOU BOUGHT THAT YOU WISH YOU DIDN'T?
Yusuf Islam (aka Cat Stevens) - Roadsinger
Truly, not a way to reconnect with a hero
WHICH OF YOUR RECORDS IS YOUR FAVOURITE?
House of Cards
WHAT IS THE RECORD YOU BOUGHT THAT YOU WISH YOU DIDN'T?
Yusuf Islam (aka Cat Stevens) - Roadsinger
Truly, not a way to reconnect with a hero
www.keelaghan.com or KEELOWEB
Find out where James Keelaghan is performing
This is where you can buy his music.
Find James on Facebook
Follow James on Twitter @jimmykeelo
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