Brendan Quinn Releases New 13 Track Album

"Sinner Man"

Veteran country singer Brendan Quinn will feature tracks from his hot-off-the-presses new album when he brings a host of guests on stage at the Strule Arts Centre in Omagh on Saturday, May 10.

Brendan's 13-track new release hits the shops next week – and joining him on stage at the Strule will be the likes of guitarist, producer and long time friend Arty McGlynn, fiddle player Nollaig Casey, together with the legendary Henry McCullough and a backing band that includes Jerome McGlynn (guitar/vocals), Nicky Scott (bass/vocals) and Stephen Quinn (percussion).

Brendan has been around the music scene for over 40 years. From being a guitar player in local showband, Robin and the Breakaways, to the Malachy Doris Ceili Band to leading his own band The Bluebirds for almost 20 years, he has seen and done it all.

"In those days, throughout the 60s and 70s, we played all the local ballrooms and nightspots like the Gap Ballroom in Mullaslin, the Big Ridge in Dromore and Drumquin Social Centre," he recalls.

In the early sixties, the Breakaways used to open for some of the bigger bands and that's when he first met Arty McGlynn, then playing with The Plattermen.

"Arty was the man in that band. He had a big Fender Showman amp and a Gibson 335 and he played everything from the Top 20 to country to trad jazz.

"Around 1970 I got interested in country music and I went into a Dublin studio to do four songs and asked Arty to play guitar and pedal steel on them. Ever since then we've remained firm friends," says the Magherafelt musician.

Brendan also used to follow the career of another aspiring guitarist, Henry McCullough, then playing with Gene and the Gents, but lost touch for over 20 years when Henry moved to England to star with Paul McCartney and Wings and then Joe Cocker's Grease Band and become the only Irishman to play at the famous Woodstock festival.

Brendan went on to have top ten hits all through the 70s and 80s, made regular TV appearances, toured the US, hung out with Merle Haggard and moved to Canada for a number of years.

"I lost contact with Arty back in the early 80s when I drifted to Canada for a spell and it was a few years later that we teamed up again to form The Kickin' Mule together. It was Arty who actually coined the phrase 'The Kickin' Mule' – I think it came from a drink or cocktail he had come across in the USA.

"It was the sort of music we all enjoyed playing and we made Sally O'Brien's pub in Omagh a regular Monday night slot for many years. We never rehearsed, but we had some magic nights in there. I loved it we had all these great musicians who wanted to play and you never knew who might show up on any given night, it could Arty or Henry or whoever."

These days Brendan has been in the studio along with his old friends and has come up with 13 new tracks for the CD.

"We recorded this album in Amberville Studios and the vibe was just great. When you hear these two guitar giants playing off each other it's just magic," says Brendan.

Deep Cove Records have just released two tracks as a promo for the album – Day's Gonna Come is a comment on mankind's crime against global climate, from the pen of Donegal man Jody Gallagher, and What A Joy Love Is is a beautiful ballad written by Brendan himself. Others include numbers from the likes of John Prine, Neil Diamond, Paul Brady and Kevin Doherty. All in all, there are six of his own songs and seven covers.

"We went into the studio and were limited for time but we knocked it out in six days and we're very pleased with the end result," Brendan adds.

* Brendan Quinn and guests play Strule Arts Centre in Omagh on Saturday, May 10. Tickets £12 from box office on 028 8224 7831 or online at www.wegottickets.com

By John McCusker

Track Listing

Day's Gonna Comer

What A Joy Love Is

The Glory Of True Love

Morningside

Till My Dying Day

Pretty Fair Maid In The Garden

Power Lounging Mode

Let The Music Flow

Ride The River

Don't Hang Up

I Don't Want It

I've Endured

Sinner Man