Hill Billy Musician Returns To NI Roots

The iconic US singer/songwriter, Morgan O'Kane is to return to his musical and genealogical roots on stage in Belfast to launch his CD.

The mini 'tour' runs from September 14th - 16th with the gig on the 16th being at The Menagerie, Belfast.

Morgan O'Kane is an exuberant and intensely talented musician who actually hails from Charlottesville, Virginia - with all its strong Northern Ireland heritage.

His distinct sound is an evolution of his work with 'scum Billy' band Casa De Chihuahua and time spent playing in the New York Subway system.

But he is again 'bringing it all back home' as the Hill Billies - of course - were Williams/Billies who had descended from the hardy Ulster-Scots immigrants who populated much of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia around the 17th and 18th centuries.

With all this heritage to live up to, Morgan emerged in 2010 with a suitcase, kick pedal, banjo, a sense of urgency and a debut full-length recording, 'Nine Lives'.

Already he has a substantial following after playing everywhere from his native West Virginia - widely settled by Ulster people from what is now Northern Ireland - to the clubs of Williamsburg/Brooklyn, and the pubs of Belfast and through Holland and back again.

These days O'Kane's soulful one-man band is often accompanied around the globe by a 'revolving door' of inspirational musicians including fiddle player Ferd Moyse of the Hackensaw Boys, Dobro player Ezekiel Healy, Banjo 'ninja' Philip Roebuck, and cellist Leyla McCalla.

This summer's touring is in support of Morgan's sophomore album entitled 'Pendulum'.

Once described as "Jimi Hendrix playing the banjo", O'Kane is a high intensity musician who "looks like a mechanic in a rural gas station, sings like a man possessed and plays mountain music like it was an avalanche".

Worth catching in action this time around, after he helped kick-off this year's Open House Festival in June.

See: Hill Billy Descendants In Ulster Replay

(BMcC/GK)