At its 2010, Award ceremonies, in New York, 16th June, the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) of America, presented Irish songwriter, Brendan Graham, with a Platinum Award, for US sales of over 1 million copies of Josh Groban’s recording of the single of Graham’s song You Raise Me Up. The song was the single from Groban’s 8 Million plus, selling album Closer and was performed by the singer at Superbowl 2004, in a NASA tribute to the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia.
You Raise Me Up, written by the Mayo-based songwriter in June 2001, has since then been rarely out of the charts, somewhere in the world. Earlier this year, nine years after it was written, it was the No.1 single in the Netherlands for newcomer Wesley Klein. First performed by Secret Garden with Brian Kennedy, the Belfast singer’s tribute to George Best became a solo hit. It was UK Record of the Year for Westlife, in the process selling over a million copies and becoming the band’s biggest ever song. With over 300 recordings, You Raise Me Up has become one of the most successful songs in the recent history of popular music.
As well as at Superbowl, You Raise Me Up has been performed at the Olympic Games Gold Medal Ceremonies; at the opening of the Northern Ireland Assembly; twice at The Nobel Peace Prize Concert and at the White House.
For the past 7 years it has been continuously, the No.1 selling single sheet music in America – and, last month in the US was included by publishing giant Hal Leonard in its Sheet Music Collection THE WORLD’S GREATEST STANDARDS – 51 of the Most Popular Standards Ever Written, the only song from the 21st Century to be so included.
Graham has previously written songs like Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids; The Voice; Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears; and Winter, Fire & Snow…and recently collaborated with the Chieftains on their much-lauded San Patricio album.
Brendan Graham was unable to personally collect his US Award this week, as he is in Dublin for this Saturday’s National Concert Hall premiere of his newest song – Nor The Heart Weary Be, written with the Chieftains’ Paddy Moloney, to honour Burmese Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on her 65th Birthday.
