Birth name James Paul O'Hara Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter Genre Country music | Genres Country Instruments Vocals
Guitar Music group The O'Kanes (1986 – 1990) | |
Born August 8, 1950 (age 66) ( 1950-08-08 ) Origin Toledo, Ohio, United States Years active 1986–2001, 2012–present Albums Beautiful Obsession, Dream Hymns, Rise Above It Awards Grammy Award for Best Country Song Similar Kieran Kane, Brent Maher, Kevin Welch, Shelby Lynne, Gary Nicholson | ||
James Paul "Jamie" O'Hara (born August 8, 1950 in Toledo, Ohio) is an American country music artist. Between 1986 and 1990, he and Kieran Kane comprised The O'Kanes, a duo which charted seven singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts, including the Number One single "Can't Stop My Heart from Loving You". After The O'Kanes disbanded in 1990, both O'Hara and Kane recorded solo albums of their own. In addition, O'Hara has continued writing songs for other country music artists.
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Biography
Jamie O'Hara was born on August 8, 1950 in Toledo, Ohio where he attended Ottawa Hills High School (Ohio) and played Varsity Football. He had initially planned to pursue a career in American football, but after a career-ending knee injury, O'Hara shifted his focus to singing and songwriting. By 1975, he had moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he was signed to a publishing contract. Among the songs that he composed throughout the 1980s was "Older Women", a number one single for Ronnie McDowell.
In 2017 O'Hara participated in U.K. Reality show Celebrity Big Brother during the show he struck up a good friendship with Nicola McLean and Calum Best. On day 15 he got into a row with Kim Woodburn after Woodburn called him a "chicken livered bugger" and later on in the argument Woodburn shouted to O'Hara "YOURE AN ADULTERER"(referring to the reports of him being unfaithful to ex wife Danielle Lloyd in 2014). On day 17 O'Hara put Colleen Nolan up for eviction during the superhero shopping task. O'Hara's current odds to win stand between 40/1 and 50/1 on various betting markets.
The O'Kanes
Kieran Kane, another songwriter who worked for the same publishing company, first collaborated with O'Hara on a song entitled "Bluegrass Blues", eventually recorded by The Judds. Afterwards, the two began writing more songs together; by 1986, they decided to form a duo known as The O'Kanes. The same year, O'Hara wrote "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Ol' Days)", which was also recorded by The Judds; in addition to becoming a number one single on the country music charts, this song earned him a Grammy Award for Best Country Song.
Signed to Columbia Nashville in 1986, The O'Kanes recorded three studio albums for the label, in addition to charting seven singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts. Their third album failed to produce any singles and by 1990, the duo parted ways, with both members assuming solo careers.
Return to solo career
O'Hara recorded a solo album for RCA Nashville in 1994. His only album for the label, Rise Above It, was issued that year, followed by a second album entitled Beautiful Obsession seven years later. In addition, O'Hara continued to write songs for other artists, including cuts by Shelby Lynne, Gary Allan, and Trisha Yearwood.
Songs
What’s a Good Ol’ Boy to DoRise Above It · 2016
For Reasons I’ve ForgottenRise Above It · 2016
50 - 000 NamesRise Above It · 2016