A Canadian folk performer has included Tipperary in his first European tour

Zachary Lucky is making his first trip to Ireland in October, as part of his European tour. He will play in Bakers Bar,  Clonmelon Wednesday, 8th October. His special guest will be Kenan Flannery from Dublin.

Zachary Lucky is a Canadian songwriter, folk and Country artist based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He is the grandson of Canadian country music legend Smilin’ Johnny Lucky.

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Lucky has made a name for himself as one of the hardest working singer songwriters to come out of Saskatchewan in recent years - often booking long, and potentially gruelling tours.

To date Lucky has nine releases: three EPs and six full length albums Come and Gone, Saskatchewan, The Ballad of Losing You,Everywhere a Man Can Be, "Midwestern", "Songs for hard times" and "The Wind".

Hearing Zachary Lucky’s songs, or reading or writing about this emerging and indelible Canadian artist’s past, it would seem impossible to separate the singer-songwriter from his prairie origins. With his sixth and latest release, The Ballad Of Losing

You, there is an inherent shift. As the album title suggests, Lucky has constructed an earnest and personal narrative about the uncertainty of loss and of transformation. In 2012, he resolutely sang, “it’s not the east seas, nor the westerly– here in the plains I shall remain.”

Throughout that fifth release, Saskatchewan, in homage to his beloved heartland, Lucky evokes a depth of connection and a nostalgia that is rarely experienced let alone conveyed. And it was there that he refined his commitment to unveiled storytelling, and his maturity and control in crafting a conceptual album.

While these aspects of Lucky’s songwriting and musicianship remain the principal building blocks on this sixth and latest release, the style of The Ballad Of Losing You has drifted from his folk beginnings into a country and English ballad tradition. The tape and analogue production quality blend it with a purity and an honesty that parallel the lyrical narrative. It is a break-up record on surface level.

But a deeper listen and a glance at the extent of Lucky’s road dates suggest that other transitions and departures are at play in his creative evolution. Engineered by Chad Mason, the album features such session players as Aaron Goldstein (City & Colour, Daniel Romano & The Trilliums) and Karrnnel Sawitsky (The Fretless) as well as mixing by Jonathan Anderson (Aidan Knight).

It is a serious and heartfelt listen- one that sacrifices modern perfection for an older sensibility, character and quality of tone and mood.

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"Up there with the best, alongside Guy Clark, Tom Russell and Townes Van Zandt" - KLOF Magazine

Special guest on the Irish tour is Kenan Flannery:
Kenan Flannery, in his own words -

"I was born and raised on the outskirts of the north inner-city of Dublin, in Cabra. My area was far from perfect, but it’s a home filled with life-changing memories. There wasn't a lot to go around, but we had a big collection of Records, CDs and Tapes that belonged to my parents.

Not a single minute passed without music being played, which planted the seed of my love for it. I was raised on mainly Reggae, Irish ballads and Ska music but my parents were lovers of all weird and wonderful music so I got to spoil my ears each and every day. This exposure to all sorts of music helped shape me into the songwriter I am today"
"If I had to describe my music to an alien today I would say above all else that I am a folk songwriter and to me, folk at its core is all about the stories. Lyrics are everything. My guitar playing has a raw, incompleteness to it because I’m not the most precise player but the imperfections are what make it folk! My hope for my songs is that they will make you feel something. It could be some sort of memory or maybe a strong emotion, laugh, cry or even just smile and be present in the moment. "

"One of my main influences for songwriting would be life itself. Seeing the ups and downs, the heartbreak and joys this world can throw at you. It can be a lot, but I use what I see and feel to hopefully make sense of it. Along with that, I write about the little things. That first sip of morning coffee with the one you love, that cuddle with your dog, that feeling of leaving, that feeling of pure loneliness and loss, that memory of their smiles that fades in your mind over time, that sunrise and that sunset... "

“Kenan is a captivating artist, not only does he pour his heart and soul into his engaging, original songs, he enthralls the listener with his pure raw passion, guitar playing, and heavy hitting vocal accompaniment.” - Gavin James Breere — Nerano Music Sessions

Tickets are on sale now, on www.clonmelworldmusic.com