Seamus Kelleher hails from Galway city in the west of Ireland. He started playing guitar when he was fourteen and by age fifteen was playing regular gigs in and around Galway. His first brush with “fame” came when Spoonful, the band he was playing with at the time, won a talent competition. He was referred to in one memorable quote as “the long haired f—-n weirdo who could make the guitar talk.” After a year or so with Spoonful, and developing a reputation as Galway’s first “heavy rock” guitar player, Seamus formed a band called Life’s Feast. Seamus has many fond memories of his time playing with Life’s Feast. “Myself and the keyboard player, Sean O Healy, wrote a lot of the material. It was a very experimental period in my career.” After Life’s Feast, Seamus played in a band called Skull, a three piece rock band that gave Kelleher a chance to explore the music of his idols Rory Gallagher, Thin Lizzy, and Jimi Hendrix. In fact, the band did several shows with Thin Lizzy and Seamus got to know the legendary Phil Lynott and the rest of the band very well.
Seamus’ next brush with fame was with the band Rock and Roll Circus, and according to Seamus, it was just that. “It really was like being part of a circus. The band was amazing but it was a cast of characters that you couldn’t script. It made the Commitments look like child’s play. But I learned so much in that band that helped me prepare for the next steps in my career.” Rock and Roll Circus seemed destined for great things however the band started to fall apart in 1974 after just two years together. Their last ditch effort to salvage the band was a trip to the US to play at a nightclub in the Bronx for three weeks. It was a life altering experience for Seamus. “I knew I had found a city where I could be myself—the options for playing music seemed endless.” He made some good contacts in New York and upon his return to Ireland he informed his dad that it was time for him to leave Galway. With his Dad’s full support and the support of his sisters, Seamus set out for New York on April 4th 1975—a year shy of the death of his beloved mom.
The US was experiencing hard times back in ‘75 but Seamus managed by playing some freelance gigs and bartending in a friend’s pub. After a few months, he was asked to join an American band. The band Three of a Kind lasted five years and gave Seamus a chance to assimilate into American life. During that period he studied guitar at the American Institute of Guitar and the Mannes School of Music. After five years he joined forces with Sean Fleming, a well known entertainer in New York. He ended up staying with Fleming for 14 years playing all over the US and Europe. They played a sold out show at Carnegie Hall in 1982. Fleming’s band came close to breaking into the mainstream American market but once again it fell a little short for various reasons. During his time with Fleming, Seamus went back to college and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music and a Master’s in Communications from New York University.
Seamus’ next major move came in 1995 when he joined Blackthorn, a well-known band out of Philadelphia. The band had a large following. Seamus brought more of a rock feel to the band allowing them to expand their reach into rock clubs and concert venues all over Pennsylvania, New York and South Jersey. The band experienced great success all through the 90s playing sold out concerts night after night. The band continues to play around 75 shows a year. Seamus has recorded three original albums with Blackthorn.
Seamus has always wanted to record a solo album. Just last year, he decided it was time to get moving on it. He enlisted the help of Peter Huttlinger, one of Nashville’s best guitar pickers.. Seamus went to Nashville this past April and did the CD in four days. “I really got to live my dream in Nashville. The whole recording experience with some of the best players in the world was amazing. The night the CD was finished, the producer took me over to Vince Gill’s house for Vince’s 50th birthday party. I was met at the door by Amy Grant. I knew I was having a special day.”
Seamus is already looking forward to his second solo album. He will continue to play with Blackthorn and will also add a few solo shows to showcase the music from “Four Cups of Coffee.” Judging from first reactions to “Four Cups of Coffee”, Seamus might just be in for another brush with fame.
