Liza Mitchell
EVENT: Keith Harkin
WHEN: December 2
WHERE: Culhane’s Irish Pub
INFO: culhanesirishpub.com
Keith Harkin is an old soul. At just 29, he is an accomplished musician, storyteller and world traveler who interprets his life experiences through his songs.
Harkin is touring in support of his second solo album “On Mercy Street,” a 12-track collection of original compositions that illustrate his skills as a writer and a storyteller. Best-known as the principle singer for Celtic Thunder, Harkin performs with his full band Dec 2 at Culhane’s Irish Pub in Atlantic Beach. A meet and greet will be held prior to the show with the VIP package (www.culhanesirishpub.com).
In the time since his first release, Harkin has been writing the material for his highly anticipated record. This album is funded by Harkin alone and takes a different, deeper more personal direction into his musical styling. Long time friends and talented producers, Andy Wright and Gavin Goldberg, took this album under their wings.
The Grammy Award-winning team has worked with big name artists including Jeff Beck, Pavarotti, The Eurythmics, Simply Red, Annie Lennox and Simple Minds. “Keith Harkin will creep up on you. His songs have charm, romance and integrity and he has grown into a consummate performer,” says Wright. “Keith’s second album ‘On Mercy Street’ is a landmark in his career and marks his talent as a songwriter as well as an outstanding singer.”
Harkin’s love for the classic artists such as Don Henley, Glen Campbell and Van Morrison are reflected in his collection of folk-infused, acoustic pop sounds. “On Mercy Street” brings listeners on a journey through the hardships and the love in Harkin’s life. The album’s title single is a musicians’ plea to the modern day music industry. “Take Me Down” is about one’s pursuit for happiness in life and “My Love Goes On” is a heart yearning ballad which Harkin says brings out every ounce of oxygen in his lungs and love in his heart when he sings it.
Harkin has been the main face of Celtic Thunder since its inception in 2007. Celtic Thunder has released over 11 PBS specials and over 12 albums and performed sold out tours in America, Canada and Australia for over six years. The band was named Top World Music Artist by Billboard in 2008, 2009 and 2011.
A native of County Derry in Northern Ireland, Harkin started performing at the age of four. At a young age, Harkin composed and recorded numerous songs for “Dha Theanga”, an Irish Program on BBC in which he also played a lead role. His accomplishments as a singer songwriter have taken him across the world to play at Richard Branson’s Necker Island and even the White House for President Barack Obama.
“I’ve been lucky enough to grow up in a family that drowned me in great music since I was born. Glen Campbell, Neil Young or Tom Waits have always been part of my daily diet,” says Harkin. “They say you are what you eat so here’s hoping. On Mercy Street is the piece of work I am most proud of in my life to date.”
While touring with his own band, Keith has been playing sold out shows in venues across America for the past 4 years. Harkin will be on a North American tour with a full band from October thru December 2015 in anticipation of the release of his new record (www.keithharkin.com).
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