Damien O’Kane: Open Fund for Music Creators
Damien O’Kane & Ron Block Band ‘Banjophonics’ Tour
N. Irishman, folk musician, singer, producer, composer and collaborator (that’s it ;-)) Damien O’Kane, now residing in South Yorkshire, is widely regarded as one of greatest pioneers within the folk music genre. He has twice been nominated at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, most recently in the prestigious ‘Best Album’ category for his ground-breaking album ‘Areas Of High Traffic’ which saw him take traditional songs from his native Northern Ireland and turn them into, as quoted from The Telegraph – ‘Folk-Pop for the 21st Century…’ Along with his full-time role as band member and Producer (for her last 10 albums) for multi-award winner Barnsley songstress, Kate Rusby, Damien has been making waves with his most recent Irish/American banjo collaboration with Nashville banjo and guitar god Ron Block, whose full time role is also with a leading female artist, 14 times Grammy winner, Alison Krauss. Block has also collaborated with the likes of Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. So Irish 4-string banjo meets Bluegrass 5-string banjo, with a stellar band! Sounds like too much banjo? Well we are talking about 2 banjo ‘heavyweights’ here. The result is a unique and beautiful combination, a new and innovative sound. The energy, groove and technique on their second album together, this years ‘Banjophonics,’ will inspire musicians of any genre. Take two musicians who know their scene inside-out, add a heady dose of bromance, and you get a crossover of Irish banjo and bluegrass banjo that has never been offered before.