Acoustic pop with a folk element

12 MP3 Songs
POP: 70's Pop, ROCK: 70's Rock



Details:
SONGS OF CONSOLATION--------NEW ALBUM FROM RÓNÁN JOHNSTON---------MARCH 2007

Rónán Johnston, also affectionately known as Rojo, has spent much of the past decade locked mole-like in studio, producing and writing material for other artists, and for TV, Film and Theatre.

Now, he turns his hand to his first solo album, SONGS OF CONSOLATION, a collection of finely honed accoustic songs of kitchen dramas, of love, loss and household chores!

Twice nominated for IFTAâs (the Irish Oscars) for his soundtrack writing, Rónán has played piano, hammond B3 and Accordion with the âBlack Velvet Bandâ (WEA recording artists), has been the main mover in 1990âs and 2000âs Gospel Act âEmmausâ (with whom he toured the US a number of times), and has been the producer and cowriter of Zig and Zagâs âNever Mind the Zogabongsâ and five âDustinâ albums, with whom he also recorded Bob Geldof, Ronan Keating and others. He has also worked with their natural successors, Podge and Rodge. In Ireland, between albums and singles he has produced and written, he has scored more than 33 platinum discs over the past decade, and been reponsible for over 15 number 1âs in the Irish territory. He composed the soundtrack for âOver Irelandâ a highly acclaimed PBS TV special with an hourâs worth of music put to footage of Irelandâs great sights and landmarks, all shot from the air. In Ireland he is well known as the musical director of hit TV shows âYouâre a Starâ (Ireland's version of American Idol, now heading into its sixth season) and Irish âPopstarsâ in addition to being a host on long-running TV hit show, âThe Lyrics Boardâ.

In recent times, he has returned to his first love, writing songs about the ordinary stuff of life. On his new album, SONGS OF CONSOLATION, his wry sense of humour bristles on tracks like âHighâ while thereâs a natural exuberance just bursting forth in tracks like âCall My Nameâ and âOvernight Mechanicâ. On SONGS OF CONSOLATION, Rónán joins artists like The Feeling, Jellyfish, and others displaying his love of all things sunny and west coast during the 1970âs, while at the same time retaining an essential Celtiness on songs like âFree?â Rónán chose to call it âSONGS OF CONSOLATIONâ as much of the album was written following the untimely death of his mother from an MRSA in a Dublin hospital two years ago. Despite well over a decade in the business, this is his first solo offering.

He is married to Joanne (also his beautiful backing vocalist on this album!) and they have two children Naoise (5) and Siún (2), and they live in County Wicklow, Ireland.