Luke Concannon is a fiercely passionate English singer-songwriter who, with his own record label, has sold millions of records across the world while keeping his feet firmly on the ground. Like so many English artists including Ed Sheeran, Oasis, Morrissey, Lennon and McCartney, Luke grew up in an English household rooted in Irish heritage and the traditions of family gatherings and sing-songs.

His band Nizlopi achieved mass fame with their no.1  hit the JCB song which is written as a beautiful ode from a young Luke to his father.

Nizlopi had a famously D.I.Y approach and their raw energy inspired a young Ed Sheeran to become one of their biggest fans. Ed cites them as a major influence on him and once spent 2 weeks on the road with the band learning the ropes. He has also recently recorded a song with Luke.

After Nizlopi ended, Luke went through a period of reflection and discovery including what he calls a hitch-hiking vision quest to Palestine where he worked a peace worker. Now a solo artist living in Boston, he continues to invest in his music and is a powerful voice for love and justice with his words, his approach to life and his music.

Luke and I have some mutual friends and it destined that we would end up meeting. What was originally intended to be an interview in Boston ended up in a random series of events that led us to the home of French artist Veronique Castellanos in Gort in Co. Galway, Ireland.

 

Subscribe, share, rate, review and donate to support this podcast. Thanks to patrons who chip in at www.loveandcourage.org Host Ruairí McKiernan is a well-known social innovator, charity founder, campaigner, counsellor, consultant, and author. Find out more via:  Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn and check out his book Hitching for Hope. He also has another podcast called Creative Souls of Clare.