Kiev Connolly facts for kids

Kevin "Kiev" Connolly was born on April 5, 1956. He is an Irish songwriter, music producer, and musician. He is best known for his group, Kiev Connolly and The Missing Passengers. They represented Ireland in the famous Eurovision Song Contest in 1989.

Early Life and Musical Start

Kevin Connolly grew up in Ballymote, a town in County Sligo, Ireland. He went to school in the city of Cork. In 1978, he moved to Germany. There, he worked in West Berlin as a studio musician and producer. A studio musician plays instruments for recordings. A producer helps create the final sound of a song or album.

Music Career Highlights

In 1985, Kevin Connolly started his own pop group called "The Missing Passengers." The group quickly signed a deal with a record company named Ariola/RCA in Germany. This allowed them to travel and perform their music all over Europe. In the same year, they performed Connolly's song "Did She Tell You" on German TV shows. Kevin Connolly moved back to Ireland in 1987.

Eurovision Song Contest 1989

In 1989, Kiev Connolly and The Missing Passengers had a big moment. They were chosen to represent Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest. This big music competition took place in Lausanne, Switzerland. Their song was called The Real Me. The song became quite popular in Ireland, reaching number 17 on the Irish Singles Chart in May 1989. The country of Yugoslavia won the contest that year.

Later Music Work

In 2000, Connolly opened his own music business, Feature Music Studios. He worked on many live shows and albums for the famous Irish folk band, The Wolfe Tones. He helped arrange and produce their music, including their 2001 album, "You'll Never Beat the Irish". Sometimes, he even played keyboards and guitar with The Wolfe Tones during their performances.

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