Paddy Casey

All Music Guide:

Irish singer/songwriter Paddy Casey's years as a busker on the streets of Galway and his home town of Dublin served him well. Not only did it allow him to associate from an early age with future breakout artists like Glen Hansard (of the Frames), Mundy, and Mark Dignam, but he developed a keen instinct for the type of melody and songwriting that are immediate and arresting, but with a natural intimacy not often heard in conventional pop music. Though an admitted pure soul devotee, Casey performs music that is heavily informed by its medium -- the singer and his acoustic guitar -- coming across as if Bob Dylan had taken to imitating Nina Simone, with elements of Prince and Public Enemy thrown in for good measure.

Casey began busking on Dublin's streets in the early '90s while still in his early teens. In 1998, the earnest street musician became a cog in the major-label machine, signing to Sony subsidiary S2 Records at the behest of Spencer Davis Group bassist turned A&R man Muff Winwood, who had spotted Casey performing in Dublin and quickly became enamored. Heading into the studio later that year just to transfer some basic ideas to tape, Casey inadvertently wound up recording his debut album, Amen (So Be It). Released in June of 1999, the album debuted in the Top Twenty of the Irish albums chart, eventually going triple platinum, and was awarded the Best Debut Album award at the Hot Press Irish Music Awards. Perhaps an overly self-conscious statement of the artist's diverse palette, the album was nonetheless accomplished, with a range of styles integrated into his folky soul core, from jazz to funk to reggae, and with hip-hop beats and scratches subtly incorporated; however, Amen (So Be It)'s most endearing moments were its simplest, and Casey soon became well known for his Dylan-esque protest song "Sweet Suburban Sky," which was featured prominently on U.S. television show Dawson's Creek.

Though the album was released in the U.S. in June of 2000, over three years passed before a follow-up was issued, an explanation for his absence alluded to in its title. Living was issued in Ireland in October of 2003 and in the U.K. in March of 2004, following the unprecedented success in Ireland of lead single "Saints and Sinners," eventually going 12 times platinum. The same year, Casey recorded two tracks for charity album Even Better Than the Real Thing, Vol. 2: a new arrangement of "Saints and Sinners" featuring the Dublin Gospel Choir, and an acoustic rendering of Blackstreet's "No Diggity" (a longtime live favorite).Living was reissued in Ireland in November of 2004 as a double-disc set including B-sides and rarities. The staggered release of the album led Casey to be honored with the Best Irish Male award at both the 2004 and 2005 Meteor Irish Music Awards. During the first half of 2007, Casey recorded his third studio album, Addicted to Company, Pt. 1, featuring a guest appearance by former bandmate and solo artist Declan O'Rourke. It was released in Ireland and the U.K. the following September, with the title track simultaneously released as a single.

Wikipedia:

Patrick "Paddy" Casey is an Irish singer-songwriter from Dublin. Paddy was discovered by Sony A&R Scout Hugh Murray at the International Bar in Dublin, while performing at the singer/songwriter night hosted by Dave Murphy. Paddy was signed by Sony, and was eventually taken in by U2's management company, Principle Management.

Biography [edit]

Paddy released his first album Amen (So Be It) in 1999 . This album was produced by Pat Donne and was certified double platinum. Casey played a range of different instruments in the time spent recording it, and the track Winter's Fire featured Mundy as a guest guitarist. Sweet Suburban Sky surfaced the following year on the soundtrack to the award winning US TV teen drama Dawson's Creek. Paddy received nominations for Best Irish Songwriter and Best Male Singer at the Hot Press Awards. Hot Press readers themselves voted the album Best Debut Album, as well as voting Paddy the year’s Most Promising Act and nominating him in seven other end of the year categories. Touring saw Casey providing support to artists like R.E.M., Ian Brown, Ani DiFranco and The Pretenders.

Casey returned in 2003 with the multi-platinum album, Living. Living was produced by Fred De Faye, Paddy Casey and Pat Donne. It spawned the Irish chart hits Saints and Sinners, The Lucky One (in 2003) Bend Down Low and Want It Can't Have It (in 2004). Living spent the majority of the year in the top ten, climbing to the top of the charts 21 weeks after its initial release. In 2004 he won his first of two consecutive Meteor Irish Music Awards for Best Irish Male. He also garnered good reviews for a performance at that year's Oxegen Festival. 2004 saw Living confirmed as the highest selling Irish album of the year. He had a week long residency at the Olympia Theatre. The year ended with a sold out performance at Dublin's RDS.

In 2005, Casey headlined a concert at the Heineken Green Energy Festival and also supported U2 on their Vertigo tour, performing in Ireland, Scotland, and Norway. He is a personal friend of fellow Irish singer-songwriter Declan O'Rourke, who played guitar in Casey's band before his own solo career took off upon the release of his album Since Kyabram.

Casey's backing band consists of Tim McGrath (drums), Cion O’Callaghan (percussion), Fiona Melady (keyboards and backing vocals), John Colbert (bass and backing vocals), Andy Coogan (guitar and backing vocals) and Jonathon O’Halloran (flute and trumpet). Influences cited by Paddy Casey include Duke Ellington, John Martyn, The Waterboys, Prince and Sly & the Family Stone.

Paddy recorded his third studio album in Hollywood. Titled Addicted To Company (Part One), it was released in Ireland on September 7, 2007, and in the US on April 1, 2008. In March 2008, MTV US promoted him as MTV Buzzworthy Artist on their TV channel and website and on its student lead brand, MTVU.

On the 3rd of April 2008 Paddy performed on the hit American CBS chat show the "Late Show with David Letterman".

Since then, Paddy chose to part ways with Sony, and Paul McGuinness, and in November 2012, returned with an independent, long-awaited album titled "The Secret Life Of". It was recorded, produced and mixed in Paddy's home with longtime producer Pat Donne. The first single, "Wait", featuring the Shannon Gospel Choir, was released in May 2012.