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Keyes
Featured Artist - 06 ! november ! 2020
Ask Tommy Keyes to describe his music and he’ll tell you “it’s 1970s singer-songwriter music, because that’s what I am”. The critics agree - “A man who exudes a classic Seventies songwriting style… a sophisticated set that, as US radio bosses say, suits all day parts” (ex-Horslips drummer Eamonn Carr, in The Herald); “A raft of classy songs that roam widely across the mainstream genres of pop, rock and his first love rock’n’roll” (Hot Press’s Jackie Hayden, who signed U2 to their first recording contract).
Tommy spent the 70s playing keyboards and writing songs in prominent Dublin bands, but then disappeared from music for almost 40 years to pursue a career in an entirely different field. Five years ago he decided to return to his original passion and in that time he’s released five albums, had two chart-topping singles and developed a reputation not just as a singer-songwriter of great quality but also as a much-respected mentor to young artists through the singer-songwriter sessions he runs in Dublin.
His albums are noted not just for the quality of the songs but also for the stellar sidemen he uses, including guitarist Dick Farrelly and sax player Richie Buckley, both of whom have played with Van Morrison. His most recent albums have also featured string arrangements which greatly enhance the melodic feel of many of the tracks.
The new album Ageing With Attitude has just been released and has delivered two hit singles in the swinging Go With You and the beautiful Walk Away, the current single, which topped the iTunes singer-songwriter chart. The title track Ageing With Attitude is a boisterously bluesy ode to growing old disgracefully, driven by some wonderful sax playing and featuring very humorous lyrics.
Tommy accepts that he’s old school. While his music is available digitally on all platforms, he encourages fans to acquire his CDs, each of which is a work of art in itself with superb sleeve design and 20-page inserts with lyrics and credits. “Streaming is a great way to check out artists”, he says, “but when you have the full package you can really see what the artist is trying to put across”. In Tommy’s case, that’s a lifelong passion for music and some very adept songwriting and performing skills. You can check out more of his music at tommykeyes.spotify