FUSING TRAD AND MODERN JOHN’S A CARIBBEAN KING

Check out Hogan’s newest recording, Our Love

JOHN Hogan is one of the Irish country singers who was part of my childhood growing up in Liverpool as my nan was a big fan and he was always played in the house.

I met John along the way and did different charity gigs and shows with him since I started in the business, and he’s an absolute gentleman. He has a distinctive voice and is one of the best old-style country singers on the scene.

Although John is now semi-retired, it’s great to see him still doing occasional shows and releasing new music, including his latest, Our Love. John’s version of this Ricky Van Shelton song is a fusion of traditional and modern sounds with a hint of Cajun.

CAREERS

John, who is originally from Kilbeggan in Westmeath, recalls how his own career took off in the late 1980s after Daniel O’Donnell had arrived on the scene and given it a new lease of life.

“Daniel sowed the seeds for the birth of the live music business in Ireland after the end of the showband era,” John says. “Then he influenced all of us and helped all the newcomers in their careers.”

John had his own big hit with a song called Brown Eyes, which he learned from his mother. He became an overnight sensation, gave up his job as a supervisor in Bord na Mona and was soon playing six nights a week.

However, while he enjoyed great success, John had to cope with many setbacks. An undiscovered ear infection damaged his voice and forced him off the road for seven years.

Thanks to the skill of medics and the support of family, friends and his loyal fans, John came through this dark period.

He then went on to enjoy a new high in his career when his song, Stepping Stone, became a massive hit on the Caribbean island of St Lucia. When John performed there, he discovered he was a superstar and was awarded their highest honour by being granted the Freedom of St Lucia.

You can now request his latest recording, Our Love, from your local radio station.