Liam Merriman

Bio:

"A wonderful songwriter - he writes beautiful songs": Nanci Griffith. Liam Merriman the Waterford based folk performer / songwriter recently recorded his third album in Nashville Tennessee. Produced by Thomm Jutz, guitarist/ producer (Nanci Griffith Band), it blends his contempoary Irish folk style with with top level Nashville musicianship. The result fits neatly into the tradition of classic folk/pop artists of the calibre of Christy Moore, Gordon Lightfoot, Richard Thompson and Paul Simon. The new album, titled "The Night Is Huge" has just been released. It includes 12 of his own songs and his evocative instrumental "Hopelands"... Liam's previous album "Words In Music" was released in May 2008 picking up airplay on RTE Radio 1, Lyric FM, Beat FM, C102, WLRFM and many local radio stations around Ireland. Ireland's leading music magazine "Hot Press" gave it a terrific 4 star review.... Being a great believer in the power and therapeutic value of music, it is no surprise to find that Merriman has been involved in the emerging field of music in health for the last number of years working with Waterford Healing Arts Trust at Waterford Regional Hospital. He has trained with Musique et Sante in Paris and is currently engaged in a European training project supported by Music Network, Ireland, Musique et Sante, France, Royal Northern College of Music (UK) and the Musical Academy of Cracow, Poland. The project is funded by Leonardo da Vinci - Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union. A team of musicians from Ireland, England, France and Poland will work in 4 European city hospitals over a period of 6 weeks to bring music into the health environment for patients, visitors and staff.... Liam was invited to join Nanci Griffith and her band as support act on her 2010 Irish tour:- "a really positive experience all round, I learned a lot - great company, songs, musicians, stagecraft, organisation, and, of course, the most legendary Road Manager in the business: Phil Kaufman, what an amazing experience... I had a great time!" Merriman's single, "Don't Say Die", a foot-tapping country rock flavoured track, was released from the new album to coincide with the NG tour.... Next track out is his original Irish song "Siobhan", recorded in Nashville with a host of top players who just loved the trad-Irish vibe on the two minute trad-feast which will appear in time for Seachtain na Gaeilge 2010. An accomplished interpreter of the repertoires of the great acoustic writers Liam is in constant demand as a singer / guitarist with his arrangements of work by Cohen, Dylan, Simon, Lightfoot, Taylor, Young, Donovan, to The Beach Boys, The Beatles, U2, Irish folk and instrumental guitar and popular contemporary artistes. He is currently on a summer residency at Mt Wolseley Hotel, Spa and Leisure Centre, Co. Carlow. Liam also hosts his own radio show: The Secret Chord, on WLRFM, broadcasting to Waterford City and County, and around the world on www.wlrfm.com.... Liam averages about 100 finger-pickin' live gigs a year, as well as his weekly therapeutic music workshops. Where there's music, there's Merriman...

Member Since:

July 04, 2007

Members:

Liam Merriman - Guitar & Vocals

Influences:

Include: Irish/ Scottish / English folk and traditional music, Planxty, Clannad, Mark Knopfler, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Donovan, Tir na nOg, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, Alan Hull / Lindisfarne, T-Rex, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Tommy Emmanuel, the original Nick Drake LPs, The Beatles, Jimmy Webb...

Sounds Like:

An Irish folk singer

Record Label:

Independent - Three Rivers