Dennis McCalmont

DENNIS McCALMONT

Music has been stirring in the veins of Mayoman Dennis McCalmont since he was a lad, but it began to course faster as soon as he heard Paul Kossoff's fiery guitar solo on Free's 'All Right Now'. As Dennis himself puts it, “That raw sound and emotion blasting out of an old radio had a great impact on me even as a child. I was immediately struck by the music bug, and for years I sang in school choirs. In my teens I played drums in a band, until I learned a few guitar chords and became the singer/guitarist in the band!”

Since then, Dennis has been pouring his seemingly limitless creative energies into his music, writing songs, playing his trusty Canadian S&P 12- string guitar, singing, recording singles and albums, doing solo gigs and performing with his band. To a broad range of original songs that cross musical boundaries from mainstream rock into funk, soul, folk, country and blues, he applies his sturdy and sensitive vocals to attract an ever-increasing number of fans both in Ireland and abroad.

The tightness of his band comes from 10 years of loyal friendship and musical explorations with seasoned musical campaigners Michael Buckton (electric guitar), Craig Donaldson (bass) and Donald Hoban (drums). To the influences of Van Morrison, Neil Young, R.E.M., Bruce Springsteen and Sting, McCalmont and his band of troupers add their own exquisite personal touches, as can be heard in their exuberant live performances, and on McCalmont’s most recent recordings of his stunning compositions as 'Speeding Train', 'Wishes' and 'Missing Person'. Those recordings will feature on the soul/funksters’ next album, and have been mastered by Ciaran Byrne, whose impressive studio CV includes Sinead O’Connor, U2, Van Morrison and Metallica.

That these guys are on the right track is demonstrated by the reaction to the songs from way beyond the shores of Ireland. 'Speeding Train' has been playlisted in France, USA and UK, besides invading the Top 5 of the Reverbnation Irish National Singer/Songwriter Chart. It also attracted the attention and admiration of noted musician and producer Gavin Ralston, further proof of how top music industry practitioners gravitate towards McCalmont’s prodigious talent.

'Wishes' has been playlisted in France, while ‘Missing Person’ proves that McCalmont can take a serious subject and give it the sensitivity it demands. But then this is the man whose 'Time For Truth' was a reflective response