Patsy O'Brien is an award-winning Irish songwriter.
Songwriter Patsy O'Brien has a penchant for genre-hopping as well as showing off his critically acclaimed songwriting skills.
Patsy's most obvious influences are blues, traditional Irish music, jazz and country, with obvious nods to such masters as Hank Williams, Rory Gallagher, Son House, and a host of others. Patsy's cross-cultural explorations in songwriting and composition have led him on an interesting path.
He has played with punk rock bands, country bands, big-band swing and jazz ensembles, Irish folk groups, and traditional Irish music groups. Recently, he has transitioned to being a solo guitarist and singer.
He has supplied the driving guitar rhythms for Irish/world music diva and fiddler Eileen Ivers on her European tours, and regularly treads the boards with piping legend Paddy Keenan, who also sprinkles some of his own magic onto a few tracks on Patsy's last album.
On Patsy's solo recordings, his interest in contemporary songwriting as well as his jazz influences are apparent. It is most evident in a jazz/blues version of "Star of the County Down" with Paddy Keenan on low whistle. The arrangement of the old Irish ballad inspired Irish music critic Paul Dromey to declare Patsy "Ireland's best - kept musical secret," and has recently been featured on NPR's "All Songs Considered."