Music Bio Sample:

Brian Hanlon – Biography

Brian Hanlon is about to release his debut album, much to the excitement of his already sizeable army of fans. With the album expected to be a success and fame imminent, the exciting, newfangled sound that he has made his own is certain to gain interest from across the world.

The development of his unique style is the result of a lifetime of musical influence. Growing up in a talented musical family meant that Brian was always surrounded by different forms of music. His mother was a full-time Irish ballad singer with various bands, and his parents exposed him to a wealth of music as a child, all of which influenced his development.

His first foray into learning an instrument himself came when he started to play the cello aged just 3 years old. Later he began to play alto and baritone sax, which he continued with for four years before finally picking up a guitar at the age of 13, a decision which he never looked back from.

Brian’s musical journey did not begin in Ireland , however. Born in Boston , it was here that he developed his musical tastes and interests, and it wasn’t long after picking up a guitar that he was experimenting with the traditional Irish drum known as the Bodhran, followed by the Bouzouki and the Banjo, all of which have had a profound influence on the direction his musical journey has taken.

After realising that making music was his main goal, he began to showcase his talent in various venues across Boston , playing at numerous gigs and making sure that his name and music were being heard by as many people as possible. He was quickly noted for the unique style that he brought to the traditional Celtic and folk scene, and his popularity began to grow.

As his confidence grew and his style developed, he soon saw a loyal following begin to grow and he became a popular local hit in the Boston music scene. His talent with a variety of musical instruments only added to his appeal, and his unique Celtic sound with a twist started to find an appreciative audience.

But although his name was continuing to grow in Boston , it was not here that he was destined to become a star. Instead, Brian had developed an affinity with Ireland having travelled there frequently as a child, and after picking up a BA in graphic design, he left to go backpacking around Ireland in 2000 and never managed to leave.

Here his musical ambitions continued to grow, aided by the sounds of Ireland that he found all around him. Although traditional Celtic music is where Brian’s roots lie, and there was plenty on offer in Ireland , that is not to say that he finds himself restricted to this genre. In fact his influences are vast, which his CD collection demonstrates, providing literally a room full of music from every corner of the globe.

He is keen to point out that everything he listens to directs his musical development in some way. However, he would certainly include Sam Cook, Bob Marley, The Police, Ray Charles, John Coltrane and Stevie Wonder as amongst his biggest influences.

Finally, after honing his unique sound over recent years, he is now preparing to release his debut album, ‘Switched’, which underlies the changes that Brian has gone through over recent years. The biggest of these was the ‘switch’ from Boston to Ireland , which has allowed him to develop as a person, and has in turn profoundly aided his musical development.

The songs provide a combination of his exciting guitar playing and mellow vocals, with a rhythmic undercurrent that bears testament to his bodhran playing, and punctuated throughout with elements of reggae, hip-hop, punk, jazz, pop and R&B.

Other changes that have affected and influenced his song-writing over recent years have been his development of political writing, an area that he pays a lot of attention to and incorporates to a certain degree in his music, employing sound bites of news reports to add an extra dimension to some of his songs.

And as if that wasn’t enough, Brian has taken it upon himself to take up an entirely different, though wholly satisfying, hobby of raising baby lamas. The satisfaction he gets from indulging in his many passions has led to a bond with the animals, although they are not always happy by the amount of time that he spends on tour.

Brian’s touring schedule is increasing relentlessly, and he is finding himself more in demand than ever in venues across Europe . It seems that the continent is building an appreciation for his sound and talent, and his loyal army of fans spread far and wide across the globe are waiting eagerly for their first chance to listen to the completed album.

The album features Brian on the vocals and guitar, as well as Lukasz Romanski (drums), Dariusz Switalski (bass), James Kennedy (bass), Tonynho dos Santos (trumpet, vocals and dancing), Michal Szulc (percussion), Tomas (keys) and Tony O’Flaherty (various).

Brian’s website can be found at www.brianhanlon.com, and provides a video documentary, a video shoot, tour dates, photos and the opportunity to sign up to his mailing list.

Check out Brian’s website, or visit his MySpace page and Facebook account for further information on the artist and ‘Switched’.

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