SCM UK Store: Michael O'Neill

Michael O'Neill

Michael O'Neill carries his listener into a time and place reminiscent of steel strings, guitar heroes, and great story-tellers like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. A living music legend, ONeill comes armed with vignettes of open-eyed romance, highway drama, and hard-earned tenderness.

At the age of 24, he cut his teeth opening his first tour for a then-unknown band called U2. By the time the tour ended in Los Angeles, O'Neill found himself signed with legendary manager Don Arden (father of Sharon Osbourne). A record deal followed soon after. O'Neill put together a band that featured a young John Shanks (now superstar producer of Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morrisette, Vertical Horizon, etc.), Kenny Gradney (Little Feat), and jazz saxophonist, Boney James. He spent the better part of the next ten years touring with the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan and penning songs with Bob Weir (Grateful Dead), Steve Cropper (Booker T. and The MG's), and Jason Scheff (Chicago). As the '90s approached, ONeill left Southern California for his hometown in the Pacific Northwest to raise horses and focus on his family. 'I retreated to gain some perspective and try to keep my family together' ONeill says, "I did pretty good on the perspective part."

Quietly working on material for nearly a decade, ONeill found himself happily remarried and content. In 1999, he released Dream On to critical acclaim.. Part country crooner, part haggard storyteller, ONeill makes a noise that is refreshingly classic.

Michael O'Neill 's official website can be found at michael-oneill.com