27 year-old singer-songwriter Damien Dempsey is from Donaghmede on Dublin’s Northside.
His earliest musical influences were the post-pub singsongs that his parents used to have at their home when he was toddler. Good, bad or indifferent - everyone had to sing. Today, his unique sound reflects the influence of traditional Irish Sean-Nós as well as his musical heroes, Bob Marley and Elvis Presley.
When he was 16 Damien boxed for Dublin but he remembers not having many bouts, “I was 12 ½ stone and tall and there weren’t many others my age in my weight division at the time” he says.
After completing his secondary education, Damien went on to the Ballyfermot “Rock School” (a college specialising in music performance and industry study) for 3 years. The school had its own small record label and star students were rewarded with a release on the label. Damien was chosen for that honour. However, he wisely declined the offer of a contract with the label.
In 1998 after meeting Chris Byrne of Black ’47 who had recently opened “Rocky Sullivan’s”, an Irish bar in New York, Damien left Dublin at Chris’ invitation to perform at Rocky’s as well as pitch in behind the bar. He returned to Dublin after a hectic three months of working until 4 AM. He claims he came back to Dublin because the bars there closed earlier. His experience in NY is captured on the song, “NYC Paddy” that appeared on his first album.
“They Don’t Teach This Shit In School”, his debut album, was released in 2000 and established Damien as a fearless and confrontational songwriter. His coherent and compassionate lyrics illustrate Damien’s understanding of the human dilemmas that we all face.
Source: http://www.irishmusiccentral.com/damiendempsey/biography.html
