Gerry O'Connor (banjo player) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gerry O'Connor
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Gerry O'Connor in 2014
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gerald O'Connor |
| Born | 21 July 1960 Nenagh, Tipperary, Ireland |
| Origin | Portroe, County Tipperary, Ireland |
| Genres | Irish folk |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Tenor banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Associated acts | Four Men and a Dog, The Dubliners, The Dublin Legends |
Gerry O'Connor was born on July 21, 1960, in Nenagh, Ireland. He is a very talented musician known for playing the tenor banjo. Many people, including music critics, think he is one of the best four-string banjo players in Irish music history! Gerry also plays other instruments like the mandolin, fiddle, and guitar.
Gerry has released four solo albums. His third album, No Place Like Home, was even named the best Traditional/Folk album of 2004 by the Irish Times newspaper. In 2012, after the famous banjo player Barney McKenna passed away, Gerry joined the legendary band The Dubliners to help them finish their tour. Barney McKenna himself once said that Gerry was his "best pupil ever." After The Dubliners' final shows, Gerry continued to tour with some of the band members, forming a new group called The Dublin Legends.
Gerry's Musical Journey
Gerry O'Connor is a member of the band Four Men and a Dog. He has also worked on the soundtrack for Michael Flatley's famous show, Lord of the Dance. Over the years, Gerry has played with many well-known Irish artists. These include The Waterboys, Mary Black, Moya Brennan, and Sharon Shannon. He even performed for US President Bill Clinton during a special visit to Belfast.
Playing with Joe Bonamassa
In 2012, Gerry was one of four musicians chosen by the famous blues rock singer and guitarist Joe Bonamassa. They were brought together to perform an acoustic concert at the beautiful Vienna Opera House in Austria. What's amazing is that none of these five musicians had ever met before! They arrived in Vienna and, just three days later, put on a live show. This special concert was later released as an album and DVD called An Acoustic Evening At The Vienna Opera House. It was also shown on a PBS television special in 2014.
Banjo Style
Gerry O'Connor mainly plays his tenor banjo tuned to CGDA. This is a bit different from the usual Irish tuning, which is GDAE. He often uses a David Boyle banjo when he is on tour. However, when he records music, he usually plays an Epiphone Recording A banjo.
Gerry's Albums
Here are the solo albums Gerry O'Connor has released:
- Time To Time, released in 1991
- Myriad, released in 1998
- No Place Like Home, released in 2004
- High Up – Low Down, released in 2009
