Brian Kennedy (singer)
A Northern Irish voice whose soulful songwriting and emotive performances captured the hearts of a nation and carried its flag to Eurovision.
Born 1966 (age 60)·Northern Irish singer·Birthday: October 12·Generation X
Biography
Emerging from Belfast in the late 1980s, Brian Kennedy built a career on the raw, expressive power of his voice. More than just a pop singer, he became a resonant figure in Irish cultural life, his music weaving through the fabric of the 1990s and 2000s with a blend of folk introspection and accessible melody. His role as a touring member of Van Morrison's band honed his artistry, while his own hits established him as a formidable solo presence. In 2006, he took on the grand stage of the Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland, a performance that was as much a national moment as a musical one. Beyond recording, Kennedy is also a published author and a frequent, poignant voice on Irish radio, cementing his status as a versatile storyteller.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Brian was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Brian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Represented Ireland at the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest, performing the 1,000th song in the competition's history.
- Achieved multiple chart-topping singles and albums in both Ireland and the UK throughout the 1990s and 2000s.
- Served as a touring and recording vocalist for Van Morrison, featuring on several of the legend's albums.
- Authored multiple books, including a well-received memoir, showcasing his literary talents.
Did You Know?
He performed a moving rendition of "You Raise Me Up" at the funeral of Irish footballer George Best.
Kennedy is openly gay and has spoken about his experiences growing up in Belfast during The Troubles.
He was a contestant on the UK reality television series "Celebrity MasterChef" in 2011.
““Every song is a cry for love.””
