Westport native Billy Clarke has just released his first official album and will play tracks from the album as well as music from some of the world's greatest folk artists who influenced him while writing the songs for the record at the album launch in Westport next month.
The Mayo artist describes himself as a singer who writes songs, but only when the songs need to be written.
His debut album “Wreckage From The Sea” is part of a collection of songs that he has written over the last 10 years. These songs are, in his own words, “a reflection of his own personal journey of moving through grief, addiction and loss to a place of salvation and love.”
“These songs needed to be written, therefore they need to be sung and then left on the shore”, said Clarke.
Although the influences of Dylan, Cohen and Nick Drake are apparent in Clarke’s songs, he insists that the lo-fi sounds of Elliot Smith and Damien Rice were much more instrumental in creating the sound and feeling of the album.
He will play a selection of dates in the coming months before going back into the studio to record his second album. “If my experiences have taught me one thing it is this: life is too short and too fragile to stand in the shadows; go out and sing your song whatever that song may be.”
The album launch will take place on Friday, November 1 at The Creel Restaurant, The Quay, Westport. Doors open at 8pm and admission is €10.
