![]() ![]() As a huge Van Morrison fan (like any self-respecting Irishman), he takes special pride in his version of “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You,” done as a duet with Colbie Caillat. But Harkin says that he’s been listening to Waits since he was seven years old, and that his father first taught him to play “Everybody’s Talkin’” when he was 13. Rough-hewn songs by Tom Waits, Fred Neil, and Don Henley are miles away from the theatricality of Celtic Thunder’s signature show, with its dramatic staging and lighting. “Jochem demoed that first group of tracks,” he says, “and I remember sitting in the listening booth going, ‘This is going to be amazing.’ He was so courteous, but he really got the best out of me and channeled me in right direction. Harkin says that producer van der Saag-who has worked with such artists as Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, and Seal-was critical in shaping all of these influences and dreams into a cohesive package. The first time I heard the strings get put on in Abbey Road Studios, I was in tears.” “Every time anyone hears it, they think it should go in a movie-it’s just a huge song. “I think that”s one of the best tracks on the album,” he says. He points to the yearning ballad “Rosa” as an example of his rapid growth. In the end, six more of his songs made the cut, including the gently rolling, heartfelt love song“Nothing But You & I,” and the album’s first single, the bittersweet traveler’s plea “Don’t Forget About Me.” So Harkin (who has also composed and recorded songs for Dha Theanga, an Irish program on the BBC in which he played a lead role) went to Los Angeles, and began writing both on his own and, for the first time, with collaborators. After that set of sessions, he took the challenge upon himself of trying to write new material that could hold its own next to some truly classic compositions- “which wasn’t easy when you’re talking about songs like ‘The End of the Innocence’ or ‘Everybody’s Talkin’!” ![]() “When we first went in to record, we did a bunch of covers and only one of my originals,” Harkin recalls. The fact that ultimately much of the record was penned by the singer is evidence of a creative burst that radically altered its direction. The album’s twelve songs, split between classic covers and original compositions, illustrate Harkin’s gifts as both an interpreter and a writer. Harkin is one of the first artists signed to the Verve Records under the new leadership of Chairman David Foster, the Grammy® Award-winning producer who also serves as Executive Producer on this project. ![]() That approach remained intact on songs including Harkin’s version of Tom Waits’ “(Looking For) The Heart of Saturday Night” or his melancholy original “Orange Moon.” Other recordings, though, grew to more anthemic proportions, with full orchestration for powerful tracks including“Here Comes the Sun” and “The End of the Innocence.” When Harkin first went into the studio with producer Jochem van der Saag, his intention was to make an intimate, acoustic-based album. I see it like an old-school Elton John record, where he would play rock next to country next to folk. “Neil Young, pop, dance, country-I love Glen Campbell. “I love all music, and a lot of my influences are on this record,” he says. ![]() But Harkin-a native of County Derry in Northern Ireland who began his performing career at the age of four-started out as a guitar-playing singer-songwriter, and with his self-titled debut solo album, he reveals an emotional range and eclectic sensibility that will surprise even the group’s most die-hard fans. So I’ve been working hard for six or seven years, because I didn’t want to put just anything out.”Īs a lead singer and a songwriter for the vocal group phenomenon Celtic Thunder, Harkin has already scaled heights that few performers ever see: the Irish powerhouse has sold millions of albums and DVDs, performed at the White House, and was named Top World MusicArtist by Billboard. “It’s a bit of a cliché, but I always knew what I wanted to do, and I’ve stuck with it. “I’ve been working to make this album ever since I left school,” says Keith Harkin. ![]()
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