Paul McKenna Band

Biography

Combining their love for traditional and folk music as well as original songs and tunes the Paul McKenna Band have been playing to audiences throughout the UK since 2006. Their debut album Between Two Worlds was released on the Greentrax record label in 2009. The album was produced by the band with guidance and assistance from Dick Gaughan and engineered and mixed by Kris Koren and John Weatherby in Moffat, Scotland in late 2008.

In 2009 and 2010 they toured with throughout Europe, visiting Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Spain and the UK. The band won the award for Best Up and Coming Artist at the Scots Trad Music Awards in November 2009 and subsequently performed a concert at the Arches in Glasgow which was broadcast on BBC Alba.

The band also completed a one-month tour in the USA to coincide with the release of Between Two Worlds on Mad River Records in late 2010.

In December 2010 the band recorded their second album Stem The Tide with producer Brian McNeill at Watercolour Studios in Ardgour. The album was released in March 2011.

In 2011 the band toured throughout North America, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom appearing at major folk festivals including Milwaukee Irish Fest, Tønder Festival and Cambridge Folk Festival.

They received a nomination for Folk Band of The Year in the Scots Trad Music Awards and performed at the award ceremony in Perth Concert Hall although the award was won by the Battlefield Band.

Fiddler Mike Vass joined the band at the end of 2011 and performed his first concert with them at Glasgow's Celtic Connections Festival.

Discography

Awards

MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards 2009 - Best Up and Coming Artist
Fatea Magazine Single/EP/Mini Album Of The Year 08