The events of the past twelve months have had a negative impact on so many people and business at all ends and in all aspects of society. Included in their number are musicians and bands who – as effectively self-employed - rely for their living on gigging regularly across the province and beyond. Live music stopped in Northern Ireland in March 2020, so that’s eleven full months when these artists have been unable to face an audience.
In thus new weekly series we intend to highlight local – predominantly East Belfast – artists to help bring their music to a new audience through www.glentoran,com. If you can think of anyone deserving of this support and coverage please email media@glentoran.com and we will do our best to cover them.
Brian Houston
Singer songwriter Brian is East Belfast born and bred and much of his music reflects that fact. He grew up in the Braniel, attending Braniel Primary School and Lisnasharragh, He comes from a Glentoran family and his older brother Mark was a ballboy at the railway side of the Oval in the 1970s.
Brian has released 24 albums since his debut, Crush in 1994. As well as his own regular gigging in the UK, Ireland and the USA he has supported major artists such as Elvis Costello, Van Morrison, Robert Plant and Chuck Berry.
Brian’s diverse style incorporates roots, folk, traditional, soul and Christian. An American music critic recently wrote of him, ““If Ron Sexsmith and Elvis had a baby; gave it to bob Dylan to raise but hired Van Morrison as a nanny they’d call it Brian Houston.”
Many of his songs make clear reference to his East Belfast upbringing and those references will be recognised and related to by members of the Glentoran Family of all ages. This song is one Brian composed in lockdown as his tribute to our health and frontline workers.
You can read more about Brian on
Website https://www.brianhouston.com/
Facebook @brianhoustonmusic
Instagram brianhoustonmusic