“I’m excited! I feel I’m doing my best work – writing my best songs.”
At the age of 59, songwriter Jim Byrne has signed to FoxStar Records. His first release is the EP ‘4 Country & Folk Songs’ is a mix of roots-based influences (country, blues, Cajun fiddle & accordion and Scottish folk) and melodic singer-songwriter sounds from the 1960s.
On ‘The Yellow Clock’ and ‘This Heart of Mine is a Blind Blind Fool’ Jim is joined by fellow country music lover and singer/storyteller Lesley O’Brien (Carlton Jug Band) – to great effect – as Lesley’s voice complements his own.
About Jim Byrne
Born in Clydebank Jim spent his teenage years playing in punk bands and many subsequent years playing in garage bands, (most notably, The Primevals). When he set out on a solo career in 2008 he picked up his acoustic guitar and headed towards the Americana genre.
An award-winning songwriter and accomplished guitar player, he has self-released 4 critically acclaimed solo albums. The three most recent, ‘Oh My Beautiful You’, ’The Innocent’ and ‘Every Day is Sunshine’ were well received by listeners and press alike (Q Magazine, UNCUT, Maverick, Folk Blues and Beyond, Spiral Earth).
Jim has toured internationally and has supported artists such as Benny Gallagher (of Gallagher and Lyle) and shared the stage with Blues performers Hans Theessink and Whizz Jones (famed for influencing Eric Clapton).
As a songwriter he has written with, among others, the Jazz singer Carol Kidd, pop singer Marti Pellow and with the poet Janet Crawford.
What they are saying about ‘4 Country & Folk Songs’:
“…it feels like his soul is communicating directly with your soul. Duglas T Stewart (BMX Bandits) “…dives headlong into Americana territory. Magic.” Dave Acari – Touring musician & songwriter
“a great songwriter. reminds you of the greats like Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen.” Michaela Foster Marsh, Singer & musician, finalist of Scotswoman of the Year
“an undeniably ‘classic’ sound.. same time somehow sounding like a fresh take.” Jamie Flett, folk/ folk rock musician, singer songwriter
Talk to Jim about his latest release
Jim is an entertaining guest and would love to chat about his new songs and the story of the new EP. Send him an email to arrange an interview: [email protected]
- Listen to The Yellow Clock: https://tinyurl.com/yuys8cd6
- Download the EP tracks: Wav files: https://tinyurl.com/4hhmv86t Mp3 files: https://tinyurl.com/5f46b8uy
- FoxStar Records: https://www.foxstarrecords.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/SongwritingMagc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicbyjimbyrne
About the songs The Yellow Clock
A daughter arrives back home from the funeral of her mother; she contemplates the passing of time, mortality and previous generations. She can’t sleep, she looks at her mother’s possessions around her and the flowers sent by friends; the flowers act as a painful reminder of her loss.
This Heart of Mine is a Blind Blind Fool
A country song influenced by Cajun music (with a smidgen of 1940’s big band call and response). It’s about the tension between giving into the temptations of a wandering heart and staying with your true love.
Tell The Devil I’ve Stole His Crown of Pain
There is a sub-genre of songs called, Murder Ballads, which are traditional folk ballads (narrative songs) that describe a crime or a murder. This song is influenced by elements of that genre. It was written during the initial phase of the ‘Me To’ movement; which I suspect is where the manipulative, charismatic male character comes from. There is also an element of the supernatural; that’s the Scottish influence.
The Holy Ghost
A country/Americana song – you will need to work this one out for yourself; there’s a man, a woman, the church – it seems like something’s gone wrong and perhaps someone is being protected from the consequences. Maybe?
Credits:
Mastered by Mark Freegard at Kyoti Recording Studio Glasgow.
Guitar(s), vocals, bass and percussion on all tracks by Jim Byrne – unless otherwise indicated.
The Musicians involved:
- Backing Vocals on Yellow Clock & Blind Blind Fool by Lesley O’Brien.
- Backing Vocals on Blind Blind Fool, Tell The Devil by Michael Clark & Robert Ruthven.
- Backing Vocals on The Holy Ghost by Robert Ruthven.
- Drums on Tell The Devil & The Holy Ghost by Lejoe Young
- Drums on Blind Blind Fool by Brian Petry
- Fiddle on Yellow Clock, Blind Blind Fool and Tell The Devil by Kurt Baumer.
- Accordion on Blind Blind Fool by Yoursound. All songs by Jim Byrne.