Red Hurley
Encyclopedia
Brian 'Red' Hurley is an entertainer from Ireland
whose singing career has spanned several decades. He is principally known as a solo artist, although he does perform with various bands, the members of which are prone to change.
with six brothers and four sisters. (His sister Olive is a world renowned Irish Dance teacher). His father spent some time as a professional musician but later worked for Dublin Corporation. His brother Fran is his manager. He has been married twice, first to Dublin Model Patricia Ward (the couple divorced in the late 1980s) and later to longtime partner (present wife) Norma. He has 3 daughters.
. He finished tenth (The contest was won by Brotherhood of Man
with their song, "Save Your Kisses for Me
"). Red's song 'When' which is now regarded as a modern classic was written by Brendan Graham. Graham later co-wrote the classic 'You Raise Me Up' which became a worldwide hit for Josh Groban and Westlife and later a UK no 1 for Brian Kennedy after he performed it at the Funeral service for soccer legend George Best.
and others who were changing the entire music map in Ireland and internationally. Despite this Red managed to maintain his career in Ireland throughout this time albeit at a lower profile. In the 1990s little was heard from the man whose voice had once ruled the Irish charts. In the 90s new Irish pop acts such as Boyzone led by Ronan Keating and Westlife emerged onto both the Irish & International scene. Both acts were managed by Hurley's one time manager X-Factor's Louis Walsh. Throughout this period, while his previously glittering chart career declined at home, Red Hurley moved to the United States
where he gradually made inroads into the market there. He would have to wait until 2003 for a return to the music charts with the release of a new album/cd You're Still You. The album was a surprise low key success eventually leading to a successful comeback and a string of new recordings as well as the international success (particularly in the USA) which had previously eluded him.(See below). Now regarded as a true Irish Music Legend Red Hurley's public returned to a new found appreciation of the man, seduced by his majestic voice. Gradually, attendances at his intense live concert performances increasd to the point where he would eventually mount sell out nationwide concert tours on a regular basis.
A Poor Man's Roses / I Didn't Even Know (with The Colours) – #14 Irish Charts
Target Records – 7N.17771 – June, 1969
Isadora / Amigos (with the Wheels) – #14 Irish Charts
Target Records – May, 1970
Take Me Tonight / Let's Get Started (with the Wheels) – #20 Irish Charts
Target Records – 7N.17982 – September, 1970
Going Away (with the Nevada)
Play Records – March, 1971
Sometimes / I'll Be Home (with the Nevada) – #1 Irish Charts
Play Records – PLAY 03 – July, 1971
Kiss Me Goodbye / Bring Back The Good Times (with the Nevada) – #1 Irish Charts
Play Records – PLAY 06 – Oct, 1971
Hold Me / Trudy (with the Nevada) – #3 Irish Charts
Play Records – PLAY 19 – April, 1972
Arkansas / Hold Me Just One More Time (with the Nevada) – #2 Irish Charts
Play Records – PLAY 53 – Feb, 1973
I Never Said Goodbye / I’d Like To Teach You (with the Nevada) – #5 Irish Charts
Play Records – PLAY 63 – August, 1973
Solo Singles:
I Know – #5 Irish Charts
Release Records – RL 741 – 1974
Love Is All – #1 Irish Charts
Release Records – RL 766 – 1975
Broken Promises – #1 Irish Charts
Release Records – January, 1976
When – Irish Eurovision Entry for 1976 – #4 Irish Charts
PYE Records – 7N.45583 – March, 1976
Tennessee Special / Morea – #3 Irish Charts
EMI/Red Bus Records – EMI 2527 – September, 1976
In Shame Love, In Shame – #3 Irish Charts
Release Records – February, 1977
You're My Day, You're My Night / Morena – #2 Irish Charts
Release Records – RL.878 – July, 1977
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me – #5 Irish Charts
Release Records – May, 1978
You're So Good To Me / Steppin' Aside – #9 Irish Charts
Spider Records – February, 1979
The Furey Man – #6 Irish Charts
Spider Records – November, 1979
I Want To Live With You / Perfect Love – #29 Irish Charts
Spider Records – WEB 036 – January, 1981
Hey / Cut Across Shorty – #15 Irish Charts
Crashed Records – CAR 38 – February, 1983
Danny – #15 Irish Charts
Crashed Records – CAR – September, 1983
I Believe I'm Going To Love You – #21 Irish Charts
Dolphin Records – DOS – June, 1985
Let The Heartaches Begin – #20 Irish Charts
Dolphin Records – DOS – June, 1987
For Always – #19 Irish Charts
Dolphin Records – DOS – April, 1989
We were in Love – #27 Irish Charts
Ensign records – Sept, 2006
Album Releases since 2000
2003 – You're Still You
2005 – Always There For Me
2006 – Raised on Songs and Stories CD/DVD (USA)
2008 – Red Hurley 'The Hits'
2009 – How Great Thou Art
2010 – Sings My Soul CD/DVD (USA)
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
whose singing career has spanned several decades. He is principally known as a solo artist, although he does perform with various bands, the members of which are prone to change.
Personal life
Hurley grew up in Milltown, DublinMilltown, Dublin
Milltown , Dublin 6, Ireland, is a suburb on the southside of Dublin. The townland got its name well before the 18th or 19th century. Both Milltown and Clonskeagh were "Liberties" of Dublin, following the English invasion and colonisation in 1290....
with six brothers and four sisters. (His sister Olive is a world renowned Irish Dance teacher). His father spent some time as a professional musician but later worked for Dublin Corporation. His brother Fran is his manager. He has been married twice, first to Dublin Model Patricia Ward (the couple divorced in the late 1980s) and later to longtime partner (present wife) Norma. He has 3 daughters.
Early career
Hurley started his career in 1969 as lead vocalist with The Colours. In 1970, he went on to form his first band, Wheels, which also featured his brother Liam who was also a member of the Airchords. Hurley released several singles during this period with Wheels including Isadora and Take Me Tonight, both these singles made it into the Irish charts.Big Break
In early 1971, his brother Liam left the Airchords to join The Nevada Showband. A few months later, when Roly Daniels left The Nevada Showband, Liam suggested his brother as a replacement. It was through The Nevada Showband that Red Hurley became a household name enjoying a string of number 1 hits. He enjoyed success with The Nevada Showband until he left in 1974 to form his own Red Hurley Band. He continued making hit records and touring extensively right up to the mid 1980s. Throughout this time despite huge domestic success in Ireland where he was a huge star, significant international success eluded him. His record in the Irish Charts places him among the biggest chart acts of all time in Ireland with over 20 hits and five number ones. He is still having chart hits in the 21rst century giving him one of the longest chart careers in Irish showbusiness history.Eurovision Song Contest
In 1976 Hurley represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song ContestEurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
. He finished tenth (The contest was won by Brotherhood of Man
Brotherhood of Man
Brotherhood of Man are a British pop group who achieved success in the 1970s, most notably by winning the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with "Save Your Kisses for Me"....
with their song, "Save Your Kisses for Me
Save Your Kisses For Me
"Save Your Kisses for Me" was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 1976, performed for the United Kingdom by Brotherhood of Man in The Hague, Netherlands. The lyrics and music were written by Tony Hiller, Lee Sheriden, and Martin Lee, the latter two being members of the band...
"). Red's song 'When' which is now regarded as a modern classic was written by Brendan Graham. Graham later co-wrote the classic 'You Raise Me Up' which became a worldwide hit for Josh Groban and Westlife and later a UK no 1 for Brian Kennedy after he performed it at the Funeral service for soccer legend George Best.
End of an era & new beginnings
Towards the end of the 1970s and into the 1980s the Irish music scene underwent a period of significant change and established artists like Hurley whose careers had begun in the showband era were making way for rock groups like U2U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
and others who were changing the entire music map in Ireland and internationally. Despite this Red managed to maintain his career in Ireland throughout this time albeit at a lower profile. In the 1990s little was heard from the man whose voice had once ruled the Irish charts. In the 90s new Irish pop acts such as Boyzone led by Ronan Keating and Westlife emerged onto both the Irish & International scene. Both acts were managed by Hurley's one time manager X-Factor's Louis Walsh. Throughout this period, while his previously glittering chart career declined at home, Red Hurley moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he gradually made inroads into the market there. He would have to wait until 2003 for a return to the music charts with the release of a new album/cd You're Still You. The album was a surprise low key success eventually leading to a successful comeback and a string of new recordings as well as the international success (particularly in the USA) which had previously eluded him.(See below). Now regarded as a true Irish Music Legend Red Hurley's public returned to a new found appreciation of the man, seduced by his majestic voice. Gradually, attendances at his intense live concert performances increasd to the point where he would eventually mount sell out nationwide concert tours on a regular basis.
Today
Red Hurley now enjoys renewed success both in Ireland and the USA. In 2010 he celebrated 40 years in show business with a sell out tour of Ireland with Legendary US Singer Rita Coolidge. The highlight was a sell out show at Dublin's and giving the veteran star 2 standing ovations. A new admirer of Red's is none other than American Icon (Pulitzer Prize Winning Author) Maya Angelou who calls Red 'Her Son' and who has helped introduce 2009 with a greatest hits compilation Red Hurley 'The Hits'. He has also starred in a coast to coast TV special for PBS in America in 2006 filmed before a live audience in Dublin's Olympia Theatre. A second PBS TV special is planned for 2011. Speaking in Sept 2010 of the renewed interest in his career Red said that he is 'delighted and really enjoying his life again'. Kevin Myers the leading Irish journalist writing in the Irish Independent in Sept 2010 said 'His intuitive sense of the beautiful is one reason why Red Hurley is such a wonderful singer. He will find the key element of any song—a single note or phrase—and elevate that into an unexpected little musical jewel'. Internet concert reviews blog Daniel Lindon Reviews said of Red 'Rarely has an artist had the persistence and self belief to rise above so many career setbacks and once again triumphant, he is without a doubt one of the greatest male singers in the world today and his international success is long overdue'. Red Hurley is once again back on top and it seems he is enjoying every minute.Irish chart positions
Band Singles:A Poor Man's Roses / I Didn't Even Know (with The Colours) – #14 Irish Charts
Target Records – 7N.17771 – June, 1969
Isadora / Amigos (with the Wheels) – #14 Irish Charts
Target Records – May, 1970
Take Me Tonight / Let's Get Started (with the Wheels) – #20 Irish Charts
Target Records – 7N.17982 – September, 1970
Going Away (with the Nevada)
Play Records – March, 1971
Sometimes / I'll Be Home (with the Nevada) – #1 Irish Charts
Play Records – PLAY 03 – July, 1971
Kiss Me Goodbye / Bring Back The Good Times (with the Nevada) – #1 Irish Charts
Play Records – PLAY 06 – Oct, 1971
Hold Me / Trudy (with the Nevada) – #3 Irish Charts
Play Records – PLAY 19 – April, 1972
Arkansas / Hold Me Just One More Time (with the Nevada) – #2 Irish Charts
Play Records – PLAY 53 – Feb, 1973
I Never Said Goodbye / I’d Like To Teach You (with the Nevada) – #5 Irish Charts
Play Records – PLAY 63 – August, 1973
Solo Singles:
I Know – #5 Irish Charts
Release Records – RL 741 – 1974
Love Is All – #1 Irish Charts
Release Records – RL 766 – 1975
Broken Promises – #1 Irish Charts
Release Records – January, 1976
When – Irish Eurovision Entry for 1976 – #4 Irish Charts
PYE Records – 7N.45583 – March, 1976
Tennessee Special / Morea – #3 Irish Charts
EMI/Red Bus Records – EMI 2527 – September, 1976
In Shame Love, In Shame – #3 Irish Charts
Release Records – February, 1977
You're My Day, You're My Night / Morena – #2 Irish Charts
Release Records – RL.878 – July, 1977
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me – #5 Irish Charts
Release Records – May, 1978
You're So Good To Me / Steppin' Aside – #9 Irish Charts
Spider Records – February, 1979
The Furey Man – #6 Irish Charts
Spider Records – November, 1979
I Want To Live With You / Perfect Love – #29 Irish Charts
Spider Records – WEB 036 – January, 1981
Hey / Cut Across Shorty – #15 Irish Charts
Crashed Records – CAR 38 – February, 1983
Danny – #15 Irish Charts
Crashed Records – CAR – September, 1983
I Believe I'm Going To Love You – #21 Irish Charts
Dolphin Records – DOS – June, 1985
Let The Heartaches Begin – #20 Irish Charts
Dolphin Records – DOS – June, 1987
For Always – #19 Irish Charts
Dolphin Records – DOS – April, 1989
We were in Love – #27 Irish Charts
Ensign records – Sept, 2006
Album Releases since 2000
2003 – You're Still You
2005 – Always There For Me
2006 – Raised on Songs and Stories CD/DVD (USA)
2008 – Red Hurley 'The Hits'
2009 – How Great Thou Art
2010 – Sings My Soul CD/DVD (USA)