Artist description Irish folk singer and musician, playing traditional songs as well as his own compositions

Music Style Celtic, Folk, Singer-Songwriter

Musical Influences Luke Kelly, Dubliners, Clancy Brothers, Bill Staines, Stan Rogers

Artist History Born in the city of Dublin, Brendan's early influences included Luke Kelly, the Dubliners, and the Clancy Brothers. Although he started his musical life as a drummer, he embraced the guitar during the singer-writer boom of the early to mid-seventies and found his real love in folk and acoustic music. "At the end of the school-day I could not wait to get home and pick up the guitar and learn songs...it got me through a time in my life when I was very unsure of myself. I had no idea how I was going to make a living at this game, I just knew it was what I wanted to do."In the late seventies, after leaving school, his interest brought him into contact with the vibrant Dublin ballad scene. He played with a couple of groups and was in the process of carving out a solo career for himself, when he was approached to play a six week gig in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. When the six weeks were up he headed to Montreal, where he had been offered an engagement at the Old Dublin Pub. He settled in the city and his name became synonymous with the Old Dublin. During his time there it was voted the most popular pub in the city by the Montreal Mirror. His performance is spiced with good humor and innovative musicianship on guitar and bodhrán, and as Steve Winick noted in Dirty Linen magazine, "a rich baritone voice." On his more upbeat material his playing has a distinctly rhythmic and percussive style, which may be influenced by his years as a drummer. It has been noted by writer Gary Muir of the Brantford Expositor after one of Brendan's shows that "his guitar was never intrusive but helped set the mood needed by each song....he left his audience in a mellow and satisfied frame of mind".Now based in St. Pete Beach, Florida, he has played many of the Irish venues in the state. He has appeared at the Florida Folk Festival, the Wings and Strings Festival, and has been featured several times on WMNF "Live" in Tampa. He has been a headliner at the North Texas Irish Festival in Dallas in '96 and '99, at the Celtic Festival in Jackson, Mississippi, the Great Lakes Irish Festival in Michigan, and the Savannah Irish Festival.In Canada he has performed at the Winnipeg, London, and Miramichi Festivals. He has headlined at folk venues such as the Midland, Brantford, and Vital Spark clubs in Ontario, and the Rocky Mountain Club and Irish Center in Calgary, Alberta. In August of '97 he headlined a concert in Quebec City commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of the Irish famine.Brendan has four solo albums to his credit. His latest album, Familiar Brew, has been very well received by music critics. His first effort, Tempus Fugitive, is a favorite on CBC National Radio in Canada. The second album, Across The Great Divide, which deals mainly with the immigration theme has been praised by several publications including The Canadian Folk Music Societyand the world music magazine Dirty Linen. When the album was featured in the St. Petersburg Times,the "Times Line Sample the Music" received the most calls in a year from readers wanting to hear Nolan's song Beresford. Another of the original tracks, Far From Their Home, was written about Grosse Isle, an island burial ground in the St. Lawrence River near Quebec City for victims of the Irish famine. It has been printed in Sing Out magazine.

Instruments Guitar, Bodrhan

Albums Tempus Fugitive, Across The Great Divide, Southern Sunset, Familiar Brew

Press Reviews "Brendan's songwriting abilities are equal to any of today's contemporary writers. They all leave a mark upon your life." -- William Romoutar, Irish Ways program, WFCF Radio, Florida."Nolan has been blessed with a rich Irish voice and an Irish way with words. In his singing and his musical arrangements he helps his listeners to feel the pain, the joy, the humour, the triumph, the sadness, the longing, as deeply as did the old songs of the tradition." -- Ron Duffy, Canadian Folk Music Bulletin, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. "Excellent!! It shouldn't amaze me that those who do their traditional home work always create the best songs, that tell stories and have music that matches the song." -- Tor Jonassen, WRDV FM Radio, Delaware Valley. "Brendan Nolan, an Irish emigrant, can't be chastised for singing only well-known songs. Nolan's original songs are a highlight of this album for me ... A sweet and powerful voice." -- Steve Winick, Dirty Linen Magazine, Baltimore, Maryland "Brendan Nolan is an exceptional musician who provides musical entertainment of the highest calibre." -- Garth Wilton, The Irish Times, Dublin, Ireland "Nolan's poignant story-telling songs are expressed through traditional Celtic/Irish stylings, but Nolan can be considered a contemporary artist using old tools." -- Anthony Starez, St. Petersburg Times, St. Petersburg, Florida.

Location St. Petersburg Beach, FL - USA

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