Paul Brady On World Cafe

Singer-songwriter Paul Brady's acclaim extends beyond his reputation as one of Ireland's most loved artists — he's renowned worldwide as one of folk music's greats. Brady grew up listening to the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Winifred Atwell and Fats Domino, and taught himself to play the piano and guitar almost entirely by ear. By the time he was a student at University College Dublin, he'd developed the skills to play with a succession of R&B and soul groups.

In the 1970s, Brady attracted international attention with a series of traditional Irish folk groups in many locations: First, he moved to London and then New York with The Johnstons, then back to Dublin with Planxty. For several years, he played as a duo with Andy Irvine. As a solo artist, Brady found success with a string of pop-rock records in the '80s.

Brady is currently on tour to promote his latest album, Hooba Dooba, and visits World Cafe to discuss his upbringing and the effects of Ireland's geography and its '60s culture on his music.