Instruments Vocals, piano, flute Name Eamonn McCrystal Website eamonn.net | Labels Hedgehog Records Years active 2000–present Record label Hedgehog Records | |
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Born 1 June 1987 (age 36)
Cookstown, Northern Ireland ( 1987-06-01 ) Genres Pop, easy listening, vocal, traditional vocal pop Occupation(s) Singer, broadcaster, TV Producer Albums The Music of Northern Ireland, When in Nashville… Associated acts Randy Travis, Walter Afanasieff, Brad Ellis, Kristin Chenoweth, Nigel Wright Similar People Randy Travis, Rachel Tucker, Chloe Agnew Profiles | ||
Under your wings eamonn mccrystal
Eamonn McCrystal (born 1 June 1987) is a multi-Emmy Award winning Northern Irish pop tenor, actor, TV host and producer based in Los Angeles, California.
Contents
- Under your wings eamonn mccrystal
- O Holy Night with Eamonn McCrystal
- Early life
- Early career
- Move to US
- Television film and radio
- Performances
- Albums
- Singles
- Collaborations
- References
O Holy Night with Eamonn McCrystal
Early life
McCrystal was born to Jim and Ann McCrystal, nursing home owners in Cookstown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. He attended Holy Trinity College in Cookstown, where he learned to play the piano and the flute. In his late teen years, he seriously considered joining the priesthood, but was advised by local cardinal Sean Brady to pursue his music career instead. He studied to be a teacher of Religious Education and English at St Mary's University College, Belfast before moving to London, England to pursue a career in Media.
Early career
McCrystal's first radio appearance was at the age of nine, on the George Jones Show on BBC Radio Ulster. He released his first album, After the Storm, in 2000, at the age of 13. Over the course of the decade, he independently recorded three more albums, and toured around Ireland with a 15-piece band.
Move to U.S.
In 2009, McCrystal was working as a stage manager at the UTV Country Fest in Belfast, headlined that year by Randy Travis. McCrystal was driving Travis's then-wife and manager Elizabeth Travis to Dublin, and gave her a copy of Eamonn McCrystal Live. After listening to the album, she gave McCrystal a slot as a guest artist on the Randy Travis tour, signed him to a contract with Elizabeth Travis Management, and brought him to Los Angeles, where he is currently based.
In 2011, McCrystal recorded his first US album, When in Nashville..., produced by Kyle Lehning, composed of six covers and six original compositions by outside songwriters. Later that year, McCrystal sang with Randy Travis on "Someone You Never Knew" on his album Anniversary Celebration. In 2012, McCrystal released the single "Under Your Wings," a ballad written by Walter Afanasieff. McCrystal's musical director Brad Ellis accompanies him on the track.
In 2013, McCrystal released The Music of Christmas & the Stories Behind the Songs, an album of Christmas songs produced by Nigel Wright.
On 2 September 2014, his album A Living Prayer was released by Difference Media / UMG. Produced by McCrystal and Casey Wood, it contains traditional hymns and contemporary songs.
McCrystal and Woods co-produced the 2016 traditional vocal pop album And So It Goes which included performances by Rita Wilson and Chloe Agnew.
Television, film and radio
In 2008, McCrystal founded SMUC Radio, a radio station at St. Mary's University College in Twickenham, England, hosted by students and broadcast 24 hours a day. SMUC Radio debuted on 19 February 2009.
An Internet TV station, The Eamonn McCrystal Network, was launched on 10 October 2012.
On 6 September 2014, McCrystal hosted the made-for-television concert The Music of Northern Ireland at the Grand Opera House in Belfast. It was filmed by BBC Northern Ireland and aired on PBS in North America in March 2015. During the event, McCrystal sung duets with special guest artists including Brian Kennedy, Rachel Tucker, Keith Getty and Kristyn Getty. It won four 2015 NATAS Emmy Awards, with McCrystal winning for best On-Camera Talent/Performer, and as a co-producer for best Overall Arts/Entertainment program.
Eamonn is seen regularly on PBS Television with his concerts "The Music of Northern Ireland" (PBS) and "The Music of Christmas" (BBC/PBS) and also on the BBC in the UK, most notably BBC Children In Need, Songs of Praise
McCrystal makes an appearance in the 2014 film Big Stone Gap, directed by Adriana Trigiani and starring Ashley Judd, Patrick Wilson and Whoopi Goldberg. he also appears in the 2016 movie God's Not Dead 2 and guest stars in the sitcom Hitting The Breaks.
Performances
McCrystal has performed with Randy Travis and Kristin Chenoweth, Rachel Tucker, Brian Kennedy, Rita Wilson and Chloe Agnew, he makes regular guest appearances on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, and is often backed by a 12-piece orchestra.
In December 2016, McCrystal toured the United States (15 cities in 18 days) with Chloe Agnew, notable venues included: The Grammy Museum at LA Live and The Kennedy Center, Washington DC.
Eamonn performs regularly on PBS Television with his concerts "The Music of Northern Ireland" (PBS) and "The Music of Christmas" (BBC/PBS) and also on the BBC in the UK, most notably BBC Children In Need, Songs of Praise and live music performances on BBC Radio.