Brendan Shine

Music was in Brendan’s family from an early age. His father, the late Paddy Shine, had his own Country Band, with whom Brendan made his musical debut, playing twice a week, at an open air dance called the Maypole in Summerhill. Whilst still at secondary school, it became clear that Brendan had a unique singing voice, and was a very talented musician, and it was only a matter of time before he was to become one of the biggest stars Ireland has ever produced.

Brendan joined “Kieran Kelly’s Ceili Band” along with school friend, Johnny Dawson, (who, to this day, is still playing drums with Brendan, in the “Brendan Shine Band”). He stayed with the ceili band for six years. By day, Brendan ran a successful market garden farm, and had a tremendous name as a carrot producer. Brendan later made his own traditional song, “Carrots”. By night, the van became his first tour bus. He then formed his own band, which included Johnny and Brendan’s younger brother, the late Owen Shine on keyboards. Playing pubs and clubs around his hometown of Althlone most nights of the week, it was time then to move on from the farming job to concentrate on his musical career.


Brendan became a full time professional entertainer, and started a long and successful relationship with Noel Carty Promotions and recorded his first hit record entitled “Treat My Daughter Kindly”. In 1971, he topped the Irish charts with "O'Brien Has No Place to Go", which stayed in the charts for five months. This was just the start of many hit records to follow for Brendan, many of which turned silver and gold overnight. Some of the most memorable hits include “Do You Want Your Old Lobby Washed Down – Con Sine”, a song about his uncle and received four silver discs and a platinum award. The “Lobby Song” was played on Radio 2 six to seven times a week and remained in the Top 75 for the following seven weeks. In the 1970s he recorded a few number one hits in Ireland. These included "Where The Three Counties Meet" in 1973, "Abbyshrule" (1974), "All My Roads Lead Back To You" (1976), "How Much Time" (1977) and "Do You Want Your Oul Lobby Washed Down" staying at number one for over six weeks. The song stayed in the Top 50 for over 40 weeks and Shine performed the song to Pope John Paul II when the Pope visited Ireland.By this time Brendan had a total of 35 hit singles in England and Ireland, most of which went on to become hit records in other countries too.

Brendan Shine became a household name, and his popularity grew rapidly as he toured all over Ireland. His first album, “The Best of Brendan Shine” had a tremendous impact on the public, a large following of fans realising his talent as an accordion player. The venues became larger and larger with tours of England, Scotland and Wales in all major theatres being added to a very hectic touring schedule. So, it was no surprise at all when Brendan made several television appearances, followed by his own show, “Brendan Shine – One Hour Special”. In 1982 he recorded six shows of his own television series “Nice and Easy”, followed by another six in 1983. Both series topped the television ratings in Ireland and was later a big hit on the screens in England. Also during this hectic time came numerous hit singles and many albums which reached No. 1 in the English and Irish charts. Brendan’s success went from strength to strength, with video’s being made and his tours taking him as far afield as New Zealand, Australia, Canada and America. He has also presented several television series in Ireland, including Nice and Easy and Shine On as well as appearing on The Late Late Show. In the 1990s he was a regular guest on The Lyrics Board and performed many of his songs on Music shows and chat shows.This unique artist shows us what star quality really means, this man is here to stay. Many singers come and go, but the biggest star ever to come out of Ireland, Brendan Shine will be entertaining us for many years to come. He appeals to a very wide age group and no matter what their music preference may be, you just can’t help but get permanently hooked on this genius with the Accordion. Surely a unique all round star!

In 1998 had just released his new single the Celtic Tiger charting just outside the top 20. Later that month his brother and band leader Owen Shine died while Brendan was on tour in the UK in Birmingham. Later that year his Daughter Emily Shine joined his band. In 2007 Brendan Shine released his major comeback hit Grandad which charted for four weeks in Ireland peaking at number 24. In late 2010, Shine toured across the UK playing a variety of venues such as the Theatre Royal, Lincoln on the 17 November. He now tours the UK every year, and is bringing out his DVD (Lily of the West) and single ("Where Did You Meet Her") in 2012. The album Where Did You Meet Her was released on 16 April 2012.

Discography

Albums
The Best Of Brendan Shine (1971)
Céili House (1973) Play
This is Brendan Shine (1974) Play
Simple Love Songs Play
Catch Me If You Can Play
The Irish Side of Brendan Shine (1980) Pickwick
Country And Irish (1982) Play
Nice and Easy (1983) Play
Blue Misty Eyes Play
Moonshine (1986) Play
A Picture of My World (1988) Play
Magic Moments With.. (1989) Stylus (UK #62)[15]
Memories (1992) Play (UK #81)[15]
Always a Welcome (1992) Avid
New Roads (1992) Play
I Wanna Stay With You (1995) Carlton
If You Ever Go Over to Ireland (1996) Hallmark
I'll Settle for Old Ireland: 18 Country & Irish Favourites (1997) Hallmark
The Very Best Of Brendan Shine (1998) (Ireland #8)
Lovin You (1999) Avid
Far Far Away (2003) Avid
Soft, Sweet and Warm (2003) Blitz
With Love (2004) Am Cheoil (UK #74)[15]
Shine on (2004) Am Cheoil
Live at the Circus Tavern (2004) Am Cheoil
Live at Blazers (2004) Am Cheoil
At Home in Ireland: 18 Sentimental Songs (2004) Am Cheoil
Shine on 21 (2005) Am Cheoil
At Home (2005) Am Cheoil
Dear Hearts & Gentle People Pulse
Like Father, Like Daughter Intersound
Irish Party Time Beaumax
Grandad (The first time I heard him say ) & Other Family Favourites
Seasons of the Heart (2008) Pegasus
Live at Thatch
Rose of Castlerea
Shine On (2004)[16]*
Seasons Of The Heart (2008)
Ultimate Country (2011)
Where Did You Meet Her (2012)(BEA #11)[17]
Notable compilations
The Brendan Shine Collection (1983) Play (UK #51)[15]
[edit]Videos and DVDs
Brendan Shine White Star
At Home In Ireland (2007) Proper Music Distribution
Shine On (2007) Proper Music Distribution
Live At Blazers (2007) Proper Music Distribution
Live At The Circus Tavern (2007) Proper Music Distribution
The Very Best Of (2007) H and H
Lily Of The West (2012)

Singles
"Treat My Daughter Kindly" (1967)
"Ould Ballymoe " (1968)
"High Germany" (1969)
"Tumbling Water" (1970)
"A Bunch Of Violets blue" (1970) Play (Ireland #6) (Irish Folk Chart #1)
"O'Brien Has No Place to Go" (1971) (Ireland #1 (Irish Folk Chart #1)(Euro #23)[18]*"
"Where Three Counties Meet" (1973) (Ireland #1) (Irish Folk Chart #1)
"I'm Little But There's Lots of Me to Love" (1974) Play (Ireland #5) (Irish Folk Chart #1)(Brendan Shine Superband Featuring Johnny Dawson)[18]*"
"Abbeyshrule" (1974) (Ireland #1) (Euro #18) (Irish Folk Chart #1)
"Suzie Brown" (1974)(Ireland #20)(With Johnny Dawson and Brendan Shine Superband)[18]*"
"The Old Rugged Cross" Play
"Far Too Young" Play (Ireland #4) (Irish Folk Chart #1)[18]*"
"Dun Laoghaire " Play (1975)(Ireland #6) (Irish Folk Chart #1)[18]*"
"I'll Be Home" Play (Ireland #10)[18]*"
"Down the Wrong Road Again" Play (Ireland #16)[18]*"
"All My Roads Lead Back To You " Play (1976)(Ireland #1)(Irish Folk Chart #1)[18]*"
"How Much Time" Play (1977) (Ireland #2) (Irish Folk Chart #1)[18]*"
"Do You Want Your Oul Lobby Washed Down" (1979) (Ireland #1) (Irish Folk Chart #1) (Euro Chart #25) (UK #54)
"Carrots" (1980) Play (Ireland #10)(Irish Folk Chart #1)[18]*"
"I believe in marriage " Play (Ireland #18)[18]*"
"If the Shoe Fits" Play (Ireland #19)[18]*"
"Christmas Time In Ireland" (1976) (Ireland #5) (Irish Folk Chart #1)[18]*"
"Doogens" Play (Ireland #25)[18]*"
"Some Broken Hearts never mend" (Ireland #5)[18]*"
"Hey Louise" (1982) Play (Ireland #20)[18]*"
"Me Old Bone Shaker" (1982) Play
"My Old Country Home" (1982) Play (Ireland #29)[18]*" (UK #84)[19]
"The Village Where I Went to School" (1983) Play
"County Down" (1983) (UK #78)[19]
"Thank God for Kids" (1983)(Ireland #25) (UK #78)[19]
"Shine" (1983) Play
"Rose of Castlerea" Play (Ireland #16)[18]*"
"Song of the Myra" Play (Ireland #19)[18]*"
"Three Pubs In Bohola" Play (Ireland #14)[18]*"
"Can't Hold Back The Years" (1984) Play (Ireland #30)[18]*"
"Now I'm Easy (Cocky Farmer)" (1984) Play
"Nancy Myles" (1984) Play
"Only Our Rivers Run Free" Play (Ireland #24)[18]*"
Four Great Tracks EP Spartan
"Pub Crawl" Play
"Me Uncle Mike" (1988) Play (Brendan Shine And His Outhouse Music)
"Melody For You" (1985) Play (Ireland #23)[18]*"
"You" (1985) Play
"Loneliness" (1986) (UK #82)[19]
"You'll Never Go Back" (1986) Play
"My Son" (1986) Play (Ireland #14)[18]*"
"Song For Maria" (1987) Play
"Rose of Castlerea" Play
"(Turn Out The Lights) Love Me Tonight" Play (Ireland #11)[18]*"
"Now I'm Sixty Four" Play
"Late Late Show" Play (Ireland #26)[18]*"
"Catch Me If You Can" Play (Ireland #10)[18]*"
"IF I DREAM" Play (Ireland #18)[18]*"
"Doogeen's Place in the Choir"
"Bould O'Donaghue" Play
"Sailor Boy" Play (1970)(Ireland #8)[18]*"
"Magic Moments" (1989) (UK #62) Play
"Robinson's Ball" (1990) Play
"Rinka" (1991) Play (Ireland #11)[18]*"
"Time Marches On (1992)
"I Wanna Stay With You" (1995)
"One More Chance" Play
"The Celtic Tiger" Play (1997)(Ireland #21)[18]*"
"You'll Never Miss Your Mother" Play (Ireland #4)
"Murphy's Dancing Pig" Play
"Maid with the Bonny Brown Hair"
"March of the High Kings" Play (Ireland #8)[18]*"
"High Germany (1972)"
"Shoe the Donkey"
"By the Devil (1975)
"Fields of Athenry
"Grandad" (2007) (Ireland #24)(Irish Folk Chart #1)[20]
"Where Did You Meet Her (2012)