Renowned Irish balladeer Jimmy Crowley returns in 2025 with brand new music with the release of his fifteenth album Life. Life encompasses Crowley’s career recounting his life through his own honest, sardonic view of the world. First single ‘Haunted’ is set for release February 28, 2025.
John Lennon sang, ‘Life is what happens to you/ While you’re busy making other plans.’ Here they are, turned into songs. Largely distilled from the aftermath of his marriage break-up and a move to Florida, Life recounts his journey in his honest, if sardonic, perspective. The first single, ‘Haunted’ is set for release on February 28, 2025. Set in the leafy suburbs of an Irish city, the bombastic detonations of ‘Haunted’ sees Crowley’s quick turns of phrase put through their paces. This gothic distillation is an autopsy of a once stable life and the challenges of an obscure future:
I was down and you were out ,
And time was in between.
Granny’s cat looked up and summarised the scene.
She saw the books and banjos pass,
Put two and two in tow;
She knew I’d be forever, ever haunted.
Growing up in Douglas, Co. Cork, Crowley formed his folk orchestra Strokers Lodge in the late sixites. After the demise of Strokers Lodge, he formed The Electric Band, whose reggae version of ‘The Boys of Fairhill’ went straight into the pop charts. Crowley pursued a solo career from the ’90s onwards. He holds an MA in Irish, and has written extensively about the history of ballads, as showcased in his 2014 book Songs From The Beautiful City: Cork Urban Ballads. More recently, Crowley recorded an album of Child ballads with Eve Telford, drawn from the rich heritage of Irish Travellers.
Crowley has been delighted to work with a range of musicians in the creation of Life: Dave Murphy (piano, keyboard, backing vocals), William Kearney (percussion), Jimmy’s nephew Brian Crowley (electric bass), Caoimhe Browne (violin),the string section of Martha Campbell (viola), Meadhbh Campbell (cello), John Crone (backing vocals, resonator guitar, bass), Louise McCormick (percussion), John Spillane (guest vocals and Spanish guitar), Dave ‘Caointeán’ Murphy (pedal steel), Pat McNamara (guest accordion), Len McCarthy (clarinet), Brian O’Grady (guest electric guitar), Niall O’Sullivan (trumpet), and Eve Telford (guest vocals).
Album Launch Dates:
March 14 – Cork City Library
March 16 – Liberty Hall, Dublin
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